Batter fried fish is one of the popular fish recipes that most of us are fond of. Comes in a deliciously coated spicy batter, crispy and brown outer coating with a succulent and delicious piece inside. Fish is cooked in various ways that include grilled, broiled and baked which are considered to be the good choices when it comes to preparing fish. While healthier, none of these preparations beats a good batter-dipped fried fish.
Batter fried fish can be cooked in various variations and is one of the finest cocktail snacks. Battered or breaded haddock and cod fish fry is one of the trademarks of upstate New York cuisine, especially Buffalo, as well as Rochester, Albany, Syracuse, New York, and Utica, New York. The majority of restaurants in these cities serve a fish fry on Friday, even outside Lent, and it's often available throughout the week.
In south Asia, Karimeen fish fry is popular in Kerala, India whereas in West Bengal, Assam and Bangladesh, fried fish or Machh bhaja is a common delicacy eaten as a snack or fritter to go with a meal. In northeast Indian cuisine, riverine fish like phetki, aarh, topshey, pabda and hilsa are commonly fried and the oil used to fry the fish is often used as a dipping sauce. Fried fish roe (e.g. of hilsa) are also often eaten this way.
The fish is often deeply fried such that fish bones become crispy and edible, as is the case with small fish like Maurala (Opio cephalus). Batter fried fish is a deep fried fish coated with a batter made with all purpose flour (maida), cornflour, egg, pinch of baking powder, salted and spiced with little black pepper and ajinomoto.
It is crispy fish taste remarkable and has natural and subtle flavors. A batter fried fish meal can be served with Fish and chips, coleslaw, lemon slices, tartar sauce and malt vinegar. Sometimes a fish fry meal may also include potato pancakes (with accompanying side dishes of sour cream or applesauce) and sliced caraway rye bread if served in a German restaurant or area.
The making of the magical batter for coating the fish is the vital element in preparing the batter fried fish. The addition of correct volumes and quantities would give you an excellent and delicious batter fried fish. This is actually a batter that can be used for any fish that you would like battered and deep fried.
To prepare this crispy and delicious batter fried fish, firstly marinate the fish pieces with salt, black pepper and ajinomoto and set aside for some time. In a wide bowl, add in the flours mixed dry.
Then crack the egg in a emptied saucer, to check the egg for freshness and to remove any bits of egg shell or blood spots, once past the inspection it goes into the mixing bowl, then the next egg would undergo the same treatment.
Add a good pinch of salt and ground white pepper. Mix all the ingredients for the batter and make into a smooth paste using little water if needed.
Dip the marinated fish pieces one by one into the batter and deep fry until golden brown. The batter fried fish is ready to be served with lemon wedges, tartar sauce etc.
Tips: A white fish such as cod, sole and hake makes a good choice for batter dipped fried fish. It can stand up to the extreme heat of the oil and will be flaky and moist. Don't use olive oil for frying fish. Even though it is a popular oil to use, it can't withstand the high heat you need to fry the fish.
It will smoke and scorch before you can get the fish finished. The mixed batter should be nice and thick, not too runny and not like glue. Finally the batter should have a healthy shine to it; this shows that the individual ingredients are well blended.