Spicy Chettinad Fish Fry Recipe

Raksha Kamat

November 26, 2018

7223 Ratings

Time:Prep: 15 M|Cook: 45 M|Total: 1h 0min

Makes:4 Servings

Meal:Lunch

Cuisine:Chettinad

Spicy 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 masalas.

You can use any type of firm fleshed fish to make this recipe. I used surmai/seerfish. Serve Chettinad Fish Fry Recipe with Steamed Rice and Chettinad Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu to make it a complete meal.

Did you know: Fish is rich in omega 3 fatty acids which promote 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 when eaten in moderate quantity.

Have a sneak-peek at the other popular recipes from Chettinad Cuisine here:

Ingredients

Ingredients For The Chettinad Masala

4 Seer fish, steaks, finely sliced

Oil, to fry

1 Tomato, chopped

1 Curry leaves

30 Tamarind, soaked in 1-2 tablespoon water

1 Mustard seeds (Rai/ Kadugu)

8 Garlic, chopped

1 Ginger Garlic Paste

1 Cumin seeds (Jeera)

1 Coriander (Dhania) Seeds

1 Fennel seeds (Saunf)

10 Whole Black Peppercorns

1 Red Chilli powder

1 Turmeric powder (Haldi)

Salt, to taste

1 Oil, adjustable

To Garnish

2 Lemon wedges

Instructions for Spicy Chettinad Fish Fry Recipe

To begin making the Chettinad Fish Fry Recipe, wash the seer fish steaks and keep it aside.

Heat a Tadka pan and dry roast curry leaves, garlic and the spices till a nice aroma is released.

After the spices cool down, using a Mortar and Pestle to grind these spices by adding a little oil.

Now add tomato and tamarind along with its soaked water, the ground spices, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt to a Mixer.

Grind it into a thick paste. The paste will be dark brown in colour.

Check salt, adjust and mix well.

Smear every seer fish steak with this spicy paste on both sides. Be generous while smearing the paste. Let it be thick to achieve the spicy Chettinad effect.

Marinate these steaks for at least 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, heat a Non-stick pan for shallow frying.

Add adequate oil for shallow frying and place the fish steaks on the pan.

After 5 minutes, carefully flip the fish to the other side on the pan.

Continue to fry till the fish gets cooked and crisp. The fish will appear flaky when it’s cooked.

Garnish Spicy Chettinad Fish Fry Recipe with lime juice, garnish with lemon wedges and serve hot.

Serve Chettinad Fish Fry Recipe along with Steamed Rice and Chettinad Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu to make it a complete meal.