Fried Fish Pakoras

Fried Fish

(Didi style)

After Ma’s death, my didi (big sister) has become my guide and inspiration to create many old and forgotten snacks and dishes. Once during our memory lane chats I reminded my didi about the fried fish we had from the hawker who used to put up his stall at the cross road  near our home in old part of Delhi. He came at supper time, bringing Fresh River fish caught from the Jamuna River. He fried the most delicious fish I can remember eating. Here I might be exaggerating, as in our family fish was hardly ever cooked, and only bought from this hawker! But he was very popular and selling all his catch within a couple of hours!

My didi doesn’t eat fish but married a Delhi Kayasth who happened to work in Calcutta. Like other Calcutta inhabitants he too was addicted to fish, so she had to cook it for him. This version of fried fish is my didi’s recipe and whenever I have made it has been appreciated.

Ingredients:

·        1 kg White fish boneless & skinless cut into small kebab sized pieces.

·        2 tsf Garlic paste

·        2 tsf Ginger paste

·        3-4 Green chillies

·        1 bunch fresh Coriander

·        1 tsf Chilli powder

·        2 tsf Salt

·        10 tsf Lemon juice

·        6 tbsf Maida (flour)

·        1 Egg slightly beaten

  

Method:

1.     Grind the garlic, ginger, green chillies and coriander (using a couple tablespoons of water), into a paste. Can use a blender but in India it would be done on a stone, by hand.

2.     Add chilli powder, salt, lemon juice and maida to the above paste and mix well.

3.     Put the fish pieces in the mix and marinating for 3-4 hours in the fridge.

4.     In a small cup slightly beat the egg.

5.     Heat the oil in a wok or chip fryer. it needs to be fairly hot, one could test the heat by putting a small piece of marinade mix and if it sizzles and starts to float the oil is hot enough!

6.     Now dip each marinated fish piece in the beaten egg and put in the fryer. You can put several pieces at a time. Fry till the fish is golden brown.

7.     Serve with Pudina (mint chutney) as a starter or a snack with a cup of tea or any other beverage!