Fish marinated in fragrant spices and fried in a gluten free flour mixture of rice and chickpea flours.
Ingredients (Serves 2-3)
For Marinating
1 lb fish (I used 4 large tilapia belly pieces cut into half or equivalent weight any small whole fish like pompano or pomfret)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1.5 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
3/4 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to tolerance)
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp mustard oil
generous pinch of salt
For Coating
3 tbsp rice flour
1/4 besan (chickpea flour)
1 tsp chaat masala
salt to taste (to taste)
For Frying
Mustard Oil for frying (substitute with any high smoky point oil)
1/2 tsp methi dana (fenugreek seeds)
For Serving
Chaat Masala
Onion slices
Lemon Wedges
Method
Clean and descale the fish pieces or ask your butcher to do it.
Wash under a stream of water and pat them dry with a paper towel.
In a flat dish, layer the pieces and add all the ingredients listed under marination.
Rub everything with your hands to coat the fish and refrigerate for 1 hour.
15 minutes before ready to fry, take out the fish from the refrigerator and let sit on the kitchen counter.
In a bowl, combine the rice flour, besan and chaat masala.
Taste a pinch of this mixture before adding additional salt since chaat masala is quite salty, then adjust the salt to taste.
Set 2 inches of mustard oil (or whichever oil your are using) in a heavy bottomed, wide pot or skillet (I use my 10" cast iron) to heat up on medium flame.
While the oil is heating, add the flour mixture to the marinated fish pieces.
Mix with hands such that the flour sticks to the fish.
Add a light splash of water if needed. We do not want a wet batter.
We do not want a thick flour batter to coat the fish, instead just a uneven coating of flour on the fish (similar to coating chicken when deep frying).
Once the oil is hot, about 325 F, add fenugreek seeds to it.Let the seeds crackle.
Gently set the coated fish pieces the into hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until medium golden brown in color.
(this time will be more in case you are using whole fish).
Do not fry on very high or very low heat else the fish will get soggy or remain raw inside.
Drain on paper towel and when the fish is still hot, sprinkle more chaat masala. Discard the oil.
Serve immediately with onion slices and lemon wedges and green chutney or any sauce of choice.
Notes
You could use whole small fish (like pomfret,golden pompano,trout, mackerel) or freshwater fish like rohu, katla (indian varieties) or boneless fish fillets
( catfish, tilapia, cod, mahi-mahi) in this recipe. When using a whole fish, make incisions before you marinate.
Chaat Masala is a hot & tangy blend of spices which is easily available in indian/pakistani stores.
If you do not have it, skip and add a little cayenne and crushed black pepper to the flour mix.
You could squirt lemon juice for tang once you have finished frying the fish.
Many times, I use the same recipe to fry up fillets and stuff them inside tortillas or roti with coleslaw and serve as fish tacos.
