Amritsari fish is Punjab's answer to fish and chips: boneless fish in a thin, spiced besan batter with ajwain, fried until crisp and finished with chaat masala and lemon. In Amritsar it's usually made with river fish. At home, boneless basa fillets are the easiest way to get the same result: mild, white, flaky and with no bones to pick out.
What You Will Need
From FNF:
- FNF Basa Fish Fillets, Boneless and Skinless (1 kg, 3 fillets)
For the first marinade:
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp salt
For the batter:
- ½ cup besan (gram flour)
- 2 tbsp rice flour, for crispness
- 1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds), crushed between your palms
- 1.5 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp amchur or a squeeze of lemon
- Salt to taste
- Water as needed
From your kitchen:
- Oil for deep or shallow frying
- Chaat masala, lemon wedges, sliced onions and mint chutney to serve
Method
- Thaw the basa overnight in the fridge. Pat each fillet very dry with kitchen paper: wet fish makes a soggy batter.
- Cut the fillets into fingers about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide.
- First marinade. Toss the fish with lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste and salt. Leave for 15 minutes, then pat off any excess liquid.
- Make the batter. Mix the besan, rice flour, ajwain and spices, then add water a little at a time to make a thick batter that coats the back of a spoon.
- Coat the fish. Gently fold the fish fingers into the batter until every piece is coated. Basa is delicate, so handle it lightly.
- Fry. Heat the oil on medium-high. Slide in a few pieces at a time without crowding and fry, turning once, until deep golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
- Serve hot, sprinkled with chaat masala, with lemon wedges, onions and mint chutney.
Air fryer option
Make the batter a little thicker. Brush or spray the coated pieces with oil, lay them in a single layer and air-fry at around 200°C, turning once, until golden and crisp. It won't be quite as crisp as deep-frying, but it's close.
Tips
- Ajwain is what makes it Amritsari. Don't leave it out.
- The rice flour keeps the coating crisp for longer, which helps if you're frying in batches for guests.
- Fish cooks fast. It's done when the batter is golden and the fish flakes easily in the middle.
More from the sea: shop prawns, scallops and basa, or try our Kerala prawn and basa curry.
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