Name: Battered Amritsari fish
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 8 as a starter
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 600g white fish fillets or loins, cut into 4cm/1 1/2 in chunks (see tip); vegetable oil for frying; 1 ½ tsp chaat masala (see tip); finger-length piece ginger peeled and cut into chunks; 5 garlic cloves; 3 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tsp cumin powder; 1 tsp red chilli powder, or to taste; 1 tsp ajwain seeds (see tip); 3 tbsp rice flour; 140g garam flour

600g white fish
fillets or loins, cut into 4cm/1 1/2 in chunks (see tip)
vegetable oil
for frying
1 ½ tsp chaat masala
(see tip)

For the marinade

finger-length piece ginger
peeled and cut into chunks
5 garlic cloves
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cumin
powder
1 tsp red chilli
powder, or to taste
1 tsp ajwain seeds
(see tip)
3 tbsp rice flour
140g garam flour

Method

step 1
For the marinade, blend or pound the ginger, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, chilli powder, 1⁄2 tsp ground black pepper, 11⁄2 tbsp water and 2 tsp salt to a fine paste, then stir in the ajwain seeds. Place the fish in a non-metallic bowl, spoon over the marinade and toss well to coat. Leave to marinate in the fridge for 1 hr.
step 2
Mix the rice flour and gram flour together. Sprinkle over the fish, thoroughly coating it, then set aside for 10 mins.
step 3
Fill a wok or large saucepan with oil so that it comes between half and two-thirds of the way up the side, and heat to 190C – you could use a deep-fat fryer for this. Drop a few pieces of fish into the hot oil, but do not overcrowd the pan, and fry for 2-3 mins until golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain. Repeat with the remaining fish. Sprinkle over the chaat masala and serve immediately.