Chennai Fish Fry

An intense, crispy red crust that cracks under the teeth, hiding fish flesh that remains juicy. The scent of fried curry leaves and toasted chili instantly grabs the senses.

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 10 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 407
• Protein: 30 g
• Carbs: 11 g
• Fat: 27 g

Ingredients

• 600 g Coalfish (saithe) ( cut into 3 cm chunks )
• 3 piece Garlic ( crushed into a paste )
• 1 tsp Ginger powder
• 0.5 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp kashmiri chili
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 piece Lime juice
• 2 tbsp Rice flour
• 15 piece curry leaves ( fresh )
• 100 ml Peanut oil ( for frying )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt

Instructions

1. Preparing the marinade

   In a bowl, mix the minced garlic, ginger, turmeric, Kashmiri chili, garam masala, and salt. Pour in the lime juice and mix until you get a thick paste that coats the spoon without dripping.

2. Coating the fish

   Trim the pollock and cut it into even chunks. Coat each piece with the spice paste, then sprinkle rice flour on all sides. The flour should absorb moisture to form a dry film.

3. Shallow frying

   Heat the oil in a large pan. When it starts to smoke slightly, toss in the curry leaves then place the fish. Let brown for 3 minutes per side without stirring so the crust sets. The fish is ready when it feels firm to the touch.

Chef's tips

• Do not flip the fish too early, or the crust will stick to the pan.
• Rice flour is the key to a texture that stays crunchy even after 10 minutes.

Storage

Eat immediately to preserve the crunch. Do not freeze.