Lahori Fried Fish

A popular street style Lahori Fried Fish coated with crispy batter and spices. Perfect to be served as an appetizer and also mains.

Lahori food refers to cuisine from city of Lahore which is famous for its rich food culture. It’s mainly street style food ranging from delicious haleem, nihari, Lahori Chanay to delectable snacks like Dahi Baray and Papri Chaat

What Is Lahori Fried Fish?

Its street style fried fish widely sold in Lahore and across Pakistan and is very popular especially in winter. The fish is coated in gram flour (besan) batter with spices and then shallow fried.

Lahori Fried fish can be served as appetizer as well as main served along with naans and mint chutney.

What Type of Fish to use?

Traditionally Lahori fish is made with freshwater fish usually “Rohu”. You don’t necessarily need freshwater fish for this recipe, saltwater fish works well too.

You can use any fish available readily. I used Barramundi which is a popular fish in Australia. It has great texture and taste. Snapper, grouper, basa, or sole are the white flesh fish that are suitable for this recipe.

Fish with skin or without skin? It’s completely up to you, but the batter adheres to the fish better when its with skin resulting in crispy fish.

Batter for Lahori Fried Fish

The batter for this fish is essential component of this dish. It should be right consistency and balance of spice.

I used Gram Flour (besan), corn flour and rice flour. Adding cornflour and rice flour results in crispy fish.

Spices used for batter are salt, red chilli powder, crushed red chilli, turmeric, coriander seeds, Carom seeds (Ajwain), cumin seeds and dried fenugreek.

You will also need garlic and ginger paste. Its best to use fresh ginger garlic as it definitely tastes better than bottled ones.

Add water gradually and prepare a thick batter.

WATCH HOW TO MAKE LAHORI FRIED FISH

TIPS TO MAKE PERFECT FRIED FISH

• Ensure the fish is dry. Pat it with paper towel before putting it in the batter.
• Cut fish in evenly sized pieces. You can cut fillets in any desired size as long as they all are same thickness to ensure even cooking.
• Marination is essential. Allow the fish to be marinated at least for couple of hours.
• The batter should be right consistency. Keep it slightly thick as it does get thin and watery when fish is marinated in it.
• Make sure the oil is at right temperature and fry the fish at medium heat. Test the oil temperature by dropping little batter in the oil. If its floats and you can see little bubbles , it’s the right temperature.

OTHER RECIPES TO TRY

Classic Fish and Chips

Chicken Malai Boti

Pakoras

Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken Drumsticks

Lahori Fried Fish

A popular street style Lahori Fried Fish coated with crispy batter and spices.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Marination 2 hours hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian, Pakistani

Servings 8 Serves

Ingredients

  

• 700 g White Flesh Fish See Notes
• 1 cup Garam Flour
• ½ cup Corn Flour
• 2 tbsp Rice Flour
• 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
• 1 tsp Crushed Red Chilli
• 1 tbsp Coriander seeds
• ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• ½ tsp Carom Seeds
• 1 tbsp Dried Fenugreek (Methi)
• 1 tbsp Garlic Paste
• 1 tbsp Ginger Paste
• ½ tbsp Salt
• Water as required
• Oil for Shallow Frying

Instructions

 

• In a large mixing bowl add garam flour, corn flour and rice flour along with all the spices. Mix and gradually add water until thick batter is formed.
• Cut fish into desired pieces. Pat dry with paper towel to ensure its dry to touch.
• Add the fish to batter and mix to coat it . Cover the bowl with cling and marinate for atleast 2 hours.
• Heat oil in a pan for shallow frying. To test the oil temperature drop some batter into it, if it floats and tiny bubbles are formed it means its the right temperature. Turn the heat to medium heat.
• Add the fish pieces in the oil without overcrowding the pan. Fry until its golden on both sides.
• Drain the fish over paper towel.
• Serve immediately with some mint chutney on the side.

Notes

• Any white flesh fish can be used for this recipe. I used Barramundi, similar fish are snapper, sole, basa or grouper. You can also use fresh water fish.