Amritsari Fish

Crisp gram flour-coated fish with carom seeds and lemon, a street food classic from Amritsar.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 45 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 1 hour
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 600g thick cod or haddock loin, skinned and cut into 4cm pieces
  • 1 tbsp fresh root ginger, finely grated
  • 1 tbsp garlic paste
  • 1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp dried mango powder (amchur)
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 100g gram flour (besan)
  • 2 tbsp rice flour
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 100ml cold water, approximately
  • 1 litre vegetable oil, for deep frying
  • Chaat masala, lemon wedges and mint chutney, to serve

Method

  1. Pat the fish dry. Mix the ginger, garlic paste, carom seeds, chilli powder, turmeric, mango powder, lemon juice and salt into a paste. Coat the fish and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.

  2. Whisk the gram flour, rice flour, chilli powder, carom seeds and salt with enough water to make a thick batter that coats the back of a spoon.

  3. Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pan to 180°C, checking with a thermometer.

  4. Dip the fish pieces into the batter, let the excess drip off and fry 5 or 6 at a time for 4 to 5 minutes until crisp and golden and the fish flakes easily.

  5. Drain on kitchen paper, sprinkle with chaat masala and serve hot with lemon wedges and mint chutney.