Fried Fish Recipe

Prepare dry mix

In a shallow bowl or wide plate, whisk together 1.25 cups all-purpose flour, 0.25 cups cornstarch, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar until evenly combined. Set aside one small shallow bowl for breadcrumbs.

Make batter

In a separate bowl, lightly beat 1 egg with 3 tbs milk. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup cold sparkling water until smooth. Add 3–4 tablespoons of the dry flour mixture and whisk briefly to make a slightly thick batter that will coat the back of a spoon. If batter becomes too thick, add a tablespoon of cold water. Keep batter cold in the refrigerator while you prepare the fish.

Prepare breadcrumbs

Place 1 cup dry fine breadcrumbs in the reserved shallow bowl for dredging. These will give a crispy outer layer safe for kids who prefer not-too-heavy batter.

Portion and season fish

Pat 1 lb white fish fillets dry with paper towels. Cut into kid-friendly fingers or small portions (about 3–4 oz each). Squeeze juice from half a lemon over the pieces, then sprinkle evenly with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Let rest 5 minutes while you heat oil and finish batter.

Dredge fish

Working one piece at a time, lightly dredge each fish piece in the dry flour mix (shake off excess), dip into the cold batter so it is coated, then immediately press into the breadcrumbs so the breadcrumbs adhere all over. Place coated pieces on a plate while you heat the oil. This double-layer (batter + crumbs) gives a crunchy, kid-friendly texture.

Heat oil and test

Pour about 1 cup vegetable oil into a heavy skillet (cast iron or stainless) to a depth of roughly 1/2 inch—enough to shallow-fry. Heat over medium heat until oil reaches about 350°F (175°C) or a small breadcrumb sizzles and browns in about 30 seconds. If you don't have a thermometer, the oil should shimmer but not smoke.

Fry fish

Carefully place coated fish pieces in the hot oil in a single layer without crowding (cook in batches if necessary). Fry 2–3 minutes per side, flipping once, until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature about 145°F / 63°C or flesh flakes easily). For smaller kid-size pieces, 1.5–2.5 minutes per side is often enough. Maintain medium heat so exterior browns evenly without burning.

Drain

Use a slotted spatula or tongs to transfer cooked fish to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or paper towels to drain briefly. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) if cooking remaining batches.

Finish and serve

Serve the fried fish warm with small ramekins of ketchup or mild tartar sauce (about 1/4 cup) and lemon wedges. Encourage kids to squeeze a small amount of lemon if they like. Leftover fish can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and re-crisped in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 6–8 minutes.