Spicy Chettinad fish fry is delicious seer fish marinated in Chettinad spice paste. Fish is coated with spiced masala paste and is then shallow fried.
Chettinad Fish Fry Recipe is a delicious and spicy preparation of fish made in the Chettinad region of South India. Chettinad cuisine is known for spicy food which is made using freshly ground fish fry masala. You can use any select any type of firm fleshed fish in this Chettinad vanjaram fish fry recipe. I used seer fish to make this delicious fish fry or meen fry.
Fish is rich in omega 3 fatty acids which promotes heart health. they are also rich in proteins and promotes eye and brain health. eating fish regularly lowers blood pressure and increases good cholesterol levels.
Chettinad fish fry recipe is a delicious fish fry from the Chettinad region in south India. Since I love to cook fish, I try different recipes using fish. We love spicy food and this fish fry Chettinad style turned spicy and delicious. Normally I cook rava fried fish, but this Chettinad fish fry Tamil recipe was a winner. Serve this king fish fry hot with steamed rice and fish curry.
Ingredients to make “Vanjaram fish fry”:
- Seer fish or king fish: Any type of firm fleshed fish should be used for this fish fry recipe.
To make Chettinad masala:
- Curry leaves: Fresh curry leaves should be used in making the masala. These can be found in any Indian store.
- Tomato: Fresh firm tomato should be used in making the masala for coating fish.
- Tamarind: Fresh tamarind should be soaked in enough water to make thick paste. In Indian stores, ready made tamarind paste is available. You can use that too.
- Spices: Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, red chili powder and turmeric powder should be used to make masala.
- Garlic: Few garlic pods are needed to make this delicious recipe.
- Ginger and garlic paste: You can crush 7 garlic pods and ¼ th inch ginger using mortar and pestle to make ginger garlic paste. In Indian stores, ready-made ginger-garlic paste is also available. You can use that in this recipe.
- Oil: Any type of vegetable oil should be used to fry fish made using Chettinad style.
How to make Chettinad fish fry step by step:
- Wash the seer fish and keep it aside.
- Heat a tadka pan and dry roast curry leaves, garlic and spices till nice aroma is released.
- After the spices cool down, using a mortar and pestle crush these spices by adding 2 teaspoon oil. I tried grinding it in mixer but since the spice quantity was very less the spices did not grind well.
- Add tomato, tamarind along with the water in which it was soaked, the ground spices, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt to a mixer grinder jar. Grind it into a thick paste. The paste will be dark brown in colour.
- Check salt and add more if needed and mix well.
- Smear each seer fish steak with this spicy paste on both sides. Be generous while smearing the paste. Let it be thick.
- Marinate this for at least 20 minutes.
- Heat a non-stick pan. Spread oil.
- When oil gets heated shallow fry the marinated fish.
- After 5 minutes, carefully flip the fish to the other side.
- Continue to fry till the fish gets cooked.
- The fish will appear flaky when it’s cooked.
- Garnish with lime juice and serve hot.
Chettinad Fish Fry
Ingredients
- 4 steaks of seer fish finely sliced
For the Chettinad Masala:
- 1 sprig of curry leaves
- 1 to mato chopped
- 1 big marble sized ball of tamarind soaked in 2 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 8 garlic pods chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger- garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 10 black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon oil
For frying the fish:
- 5 tablespoon oil
- For garnish:
- 1 lemon
Instructions
- Wash the seer fish and keep it aside.
- Heat a tadka pan and dry roast curry leaves, garlic and spices till nice aroma is released.
- After the spices cool down, using a mortar and pestle grind these spices by adding 2 teaspoon oil. I tried grinding it in mixer but since the spice quantity was very less the spices did not grind well.
- Now add tomato, tamarind along with the water in which it was soaked, the ground spices, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt to a mixer.
- Grind it into a thick paste. The paste will be dark brown in colour.
- Check salt and add more if needed and mix well.
- Smear each seer fish steak with this spicy paste on both sides. Be generous while smearing the paste. Let it be thick.
- Marinate this for at least 20 minutes.
Let us fry the fish in Chettinad style:
- Heat a non-stick pan. Spread oil.
- When oil gets heated shallow fry the marinated fish.
- After 5 minutes, carefully flip the fish to the other side.
- Continue to fry till the fish gets cooked.
- The fish will appear flaky when it’s cooked.
- Garnish with lime juice and serve hot.
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Note: This post was published on 8 Sept 2016. It is republished with Pinterest image.
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