Relish fish in different avatars

Lip smacking

One non-vegetarian food item that can be served in a variety of ways is fish. From North to South, West to East, the non-vegans can enjoy different types of dishes.

It is a myth that fish is a staple for Bengalis, even Punjabis and Malayalees are known to enjoy their fish as much as their Bangla neighbour does.

A fish fry is basically a meal in itself containing breaded fried fish. Some of the dishes also include french fries, lemon slices, tartar sauce and vinegar. As Indians we have several mouth-watering recipes, but the one made in typically Bengali style is quite popular. Prepared with bhetki maach and coated with bread crumbs, fish fry makes for a filling evening snack as well. Served with mint chutney and slices of onions, it can make your day!

Another popular dish is the authentic South-Indian style fry. Its taste is spiced up with fish masala. The fish to be used here is pomfret, which is marinated with ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, pepper powder with salt to taste. Shallow fry after proper marination and you’re set to relish the dish.

Manoj Kumar Upadhaya, chef, Warehouse Café, shares his recipe of fish fries. “We serve Amritsari Fish Fry, Mustard Fish Fry, Barbecue Fish Fry and Fish Fingers. We use sole fish in our dishes as they are quite in demand. For the Mustard Fish Fry, we flat the sole fish, marinate it with ginger-garlic paste, Bengali mustard sauce (kashondi) while adding pepper and salt. After frying the pieces we toss them in chopped ginger, garlic and onions and finally serve them with kashondi, saya sauce and spring onions.”

Fish lovers can also enjoy Barbecue Fish Fry, which is again made from sole, marinated in garlic and paprika powder. The peices are fried in bread crumbs dipped in honey and barbecue sauce.

Chef Nidhi of Zura Bar Bistro Bakery shares that their “Fish n Chips dish is quite well-liked. People love to order this dish. It is made from panko crumbs instead of bread crumbs and marinated in a batter made from maida (refined flour), lemon juice, garlic paste, egg, mustard sause and salt. It is then deep-fried and served with tartar sauce.”

Don’t miss out on the Amritsari Fish Fry made in a batter of besan (chick-pea flour) along with garlic and ginger paste. It is a good option for those who love spice in life. For those who have had enough of red meat or chicken, can try out these lighter options in meat. Bon Appetit!