Oops
Something's not right. Our best minds are on it. You may retry or check back soon.
4 MINS delivery
Fish Pakora
Serves 4
71 mins
478 Kcal
Fish Pakora is a delicious crispy fried snack targeted for seafood lovers. The fish pakora recipe takes the tender fish pieces that have been plunged in a savoury batter made from Bengal gram flour along with spices and herbs into a crunchy yet juicy inside dish. To make this fish pakora recipe, start by preparing a thick batter made from besan, that is, the Bengal gram flour, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, cumin, coriander, carom seeds, red chilchillider, and lime juice. Mix the items together quite well to produce a smooth batter, almost like pancake consistency. Coat the fish pieces evenly in this batter, letting them marinate for perhaps about an hour, so they soak up all the rich flavours. Pour oil for deep frying into a deep frying pan, and when the oil gets hot, add marinated pieces of fish gently into the oil. Fry the fish pakoras until they turn crisp and golden brown on both sides. Remove them and drain out all excess oil between paper towels. Enjoy these crispy fish pakoras hot, garnished with lemon wedges for an extra tanginess of flavour. This fish pakora goes just so well with mint-coriander chutney or tamarind sauce and therefore would make a fantastic appetizer or even evening snack. The fish pakora recipe is easy to follow and guaranteed to deliver that delicious treat for all to enjoy.
Ingredients required for Fish Pakora
- 1 cup fish
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 2 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp ajwain
- 1 tsp chili powder
- Salt
- 2 tbsp lemon
- Oil
- Mint
- 1 1/2 cup gram flour
Cooking steps for Fish Pakora
- 1First, all the ingredients should be assembled. In a large non-metallic bowl, put 1 cup of Bengal gram flour (besan).
- 2Besan is the prime ingredient that gives pakoras their characteristic crunch and taste.
- 3Add 1 tablespoon each of ginger and garlic paste to it.
- 4These would give a strong aromatic base that would fill the fish with a savoury depth of flavour.
- 5Add the turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon. Add 1 teaspoon of ground coriander.
- 6Add 1 teaspoon of ground cumin. Common spices of Indian cooking provide the earthy, warm taste to the batter.
- 7Add 1/2 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)-help aid in digestion and give a slight bitterness.
- 8If you prefer spicy pakoras, add 1 teaspoon of red chilli powder, or adjust to your taste.
- 9Finally, season with salt, and squeeze in 2 tablespoons of lime or lemon for that zingy flavour.
- 10The ingredients must be mixed well so that they can form a thick batter. The consistency of the batter should be quite like pancake sufficiently dense to cling to the fish but not too stiff.
- 11If you find your batter too stiff, add a little water-teaspoon by the teaspoon until you get the right consistency.
- 12Fold the pieces of fish gently into the mixture, and this should ensure that all the pieces of fish are well covered with the spiced batter.
- 13It's always good to marinate in batter before frying so that it absorbs flavours well, bringing out more flavours in the pakora.
- 14Let the fish marinate in the batter for at least an hour. That lets the spices and seasonings penetrate in so that it is tasty both inside and outside when fried.
- 15As you are ready to fry the pakoras, heat enough oil in a wide, flat pan for deep frying. Use medium-high heat so that the oil reaches the right temperature, without burning the batter.
- 16To check if the oil is hot enough, take a small 1/4 teaspoon of the batter you prepare and drop it into the oil.
- 17If the batter rises to the surface immediately and starts sizzling, your oil is ready for frying. If this takes some time, then the oil is not hot enough.
- 18Drop some of the battered fish bits carefully into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan as this causes a sharp lowering of the oil temperature and drenched pakoras will be the consequence.
- 19Fry for 2 to 3 minutes on every side or until the fish is golden brown and crisp.
- 20Halfway through, turn them over with a slotted spoon to fry evenly.
- 21Pakoras do cook fast so keep an eye on them. When the fish pakoras get golden and crispy then pull them out with the slotted spoon out of the hot oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels, allowing excess oil to drip out.
- 22Serve the fish pakoras piping hot. Arrange these crispy pakoras on a platter.
- 23Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to them while serving to give them that little extra zing of citrus flavour.
- 24You can even have lime wedges on the side; not only will it add colour but also some tartness to the dish, which is excellent for those who like it.
- 25For a super tasty side dish, this goes well with mint and coriander chutney. It provides a fresh contrast to the rest of the fairly rich, fried fish.
- 26Use firm fish like cod, tilapia, or catfish. Firm-fleshed fish would work best here as it does not fall apart during frying.
- 27Add a little red chilli powder according to your spice tolerance. You can avoid the red chilli powder and use paprika as a replacement if you don't want any spiciness but the same flavour.
- 28Fish pakoras can be served as an appetizer at dinner parties or even as a snack for afternoon tea.
- 29They can be served with a bowl of rice and dal for a complete meal.
- 30Recipe of Fish pakoras is one of the tastiest ways to experience crispy fried seafood with strong Indian spices. Very simple to make and utterly satisfying, these pakoras are bound to become favourites in your home.
- 31Serve them with chutney or have them just on their own- they will surely delight!