Delightful dish where fish fillets are coated in a seasoned chickpea flour batter, deep-fried until golden and crispy, resulting in a savory and flavorful seafood snack. Often served as a starter, this dish is a staple at South Asian weddings and is sure to be enjoyed by all.
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound (450g) boneless fish fillets (cod, tilapia, or any white fish)
- 1 cup gram flour (besan)
- 2 tablespoons rice flour
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- Salt to taste
- Water (as needed)
- Oil for deep frying
- Lemon wedges and mint chutney for serving
Instructions:
- Cut the fish fillets into bite-sized pieces and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- In a large bowl, combine gram flour, rice flour, red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, ginger-garlic paste, and salt. Mix well.
- Gradually add water to the dry ingredients to form a thick, smooth batter. The consistency should be thick enough to coat the fish pieces.
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat.
- Dip each fish piece into the batter, making sure it is well coated on all sides.
- Carefully drop the coated fish pieces into the hot oil, a few at a time, to avoid overcrowding the pan. Fry until they turn golden brown and crispy. This usually takes about 4-5 minutes per batch.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the fried fish pakoras and place them on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
- Repeat the process until all the fish pieces are fried.
- Serve hot fish pakoras with lemon wedges and mint chutney.
Make adjustments to chilies as per your requirements.
