Fish Pakora Recipe
Fresh fish seasoned with garlic and carom seeds, coated with garbanzo bean batter.
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Ingredients
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Fish
Batter
Coating & Frying
To Serve
Method
Fish
Prepare fish
Pat fish fillets dry with paper towels. Cut into 2.5–3 cm (1-inch) wide strips or bite-sized pieces. Place in a bowl.
Mince or grate garlic. Add garlic, salt (1 tsp), ground black pepper, turmeric, lemon juice and 1 tsp carom (ajwain) seeds to the fish. Mix gently to coat and marinate 15–20 minutes in the refrigerator. Do not over-marinate or the lemon will begin to 'cook' the fish.
Batter
Make batter
In a mixing bowl, whisk together besan, rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, crushed ajwain, red chili powder, ground cumin and 1 tsp salt until evenly combined.
If using egg: beat the egg lightly and add to the dry mix. Gradually add very cold water and whisk to a smooth, thick but pourable batter (should coat the back of a spoon). You should use approximately 3 quarter-cup measures of water (about 180–240 ml) but add slowly to reach desired consistency. Batter should be slightly thicker than pancake batter. Let rest 5 minutes.
Coating & Frying
Dust marinated fish pieces lightly with the extra 1/4 cup besan or flour. This helps the batter adhere.
Fry for 3–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until batter is golden brown and crisp and fish is cooked through (internal temperature ~60–63°C / 140–145°F for most white fish). Thicker pieces may need an extra minute or two. Adjust heat to maintain oil temperature.
Use a slotted spoon to remove pakoras and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Keep cooked batches warm in a low oven (100–110°C / 212–230°F) while frying the rest.