Chettinad Fish Fry | Chettinad Meen Varuval | Indian Fish Fry Recipes

Chettinad cuisine is one of the most famous cuisine all over India. It has the most flavorful dishes and you will be awed to know about the spices they use. Am so glad I have a neighbor from that region who cooks delicacies and passes some to me. Every time she gives me some dish it tastes unique and aromatic with new flavors. I have learnt some dishes from her and have even posted some here like; Chettinad chicken masala, Chicken vindhari and Beetroot Pirrattal. Today's fish fry is also one such recipe that I learnt from her, it has freshly ground spice powder and masala that makes the fish fry smell and taste so good. Obviously freshly ground spices mix is what they excel at, they know the perfect blend of spices and the quantity needed to get the flavor needed. Some have a perception that Chettinad recipes definitely uses all the spices in all the cuisines, but it is a weird perception I must say, as certain recipes needs only certain spices and all spices would make the recipe a pungent smelling dish. For example I received a comment from a reader stating that all Chettinad recipes contains marathi mokku and kalpasi, I do not know from where she had heard this but let me tell you what my neighbor said about these spices when I inquired her about them; She was very clear in stating that they use marathi mokku a kind of aromatic spice only in certain mutton curries and some chicken curry, not in every dish, this was the same with cloves and kalpasi too, only a pinch of kalpasi and  little marathi mokku is used in mutton curries. She added that these three would overpower the recipe's flavor and give a very pungent tasting dish and that if someone uses it too much it may spoil the whole recipe. This was her clear statement and she said clearly added that people perceive our cuisine wrongly, its not just about spices its much more. And I do agree with her, even the technique they cook adds taste to the recipes, I have tasted all her curries and all kinds of other recipes  too and they all taste so better that the ones that you get in certain, so called Chettinad restaurants. Coming to this fish fry it has a very unique aroma taste and flavor, I have added some extra besan flour to bind masala well and make the fry even more crispy. I used red snapper but you can make this fry with any kind of fishes. Do try it and am sure you will love its flavor to the core. 

INGREDIENTS

Makes 2 fried fish
Total Preparation Time - 10 minutes (excluding spice powder making time)

1. Red snapper fish - 2 (scaled) 
2. Chettinad fish fry masala - 2 to 3 spoons 
3. Shallots / Pearl onions - 2
4. Garlic pods - 2 
5. Ginger - 1/2 inch piece 
6. Curry leaves - Few (optional)
7. Salt - 1/2 spoon 
8. Gram flour / Besan / Kadalai maavu - 2 spoon (for crispiness and binding masala; optional) 

PREPARATION METHOD

• Wash fish pieces well in water make incisions on the fish. Then rub some turmeric powder and salt over the fish pieces and set aside for a few minutes, wash again and pat dry the fish pieces. 
• Grind the following into a fine paste and set aside. Do not add even a single drop of water. 

1. Shallots - 3

2. Garlic pods - 2 

3. Ginger - 1/2 inch piece

(Peel of the skin from all of the above ingredients and then grind into a fine paste) 

• Now take this paste and add the Chettinad fish fry masala powder. Then add enough salt and mix well. 
• Apply this paste on the fish pieces add some curry leaves over the masala and set aside for 15 minutes. (You can keep longer in a refrigerator meat tray and fry when needed, this will make the masala penetrate well into the fish pieces)
• After enough marination dust the fish pieces with gram flour and press gently so that it sets well.
• Deep fry the fish pieces in enough oil until golden brown on both sides (flip sides carefully so that the masala layer doesn't come off). Remove from flame and drain excess oil using a  tissue paper. 
• Drizzle some lemon juice over the fish fry and serve.

TIP 1: Gram flour is optional; it helps give crispiness and also holds the masala well onto the fish (red snapper or sankara fish has a slippery skin and does not hold on masala properly), but at the same time be careful while frying, as it can get peeled off as a layer so just turn it gently while flipping sides. Shallow frying is not the best option here. But you can avoid gram flour and use the masala alone as they authentically do. 

TIP 2: You can use other fishes too. Seer fish, barracuda makes a perfect fish fry.

TIP 3: To get tender juicy fish fry do not fry the fish pieces too long, just fry on medium flame for few minutes to get perfectly fried, succulent fish fry.

Super delicious and flavorful Chettinad fish fry is now ready!! You will definitely love the flavors in it!!