Masala Crusted Whitebait

Spicy Whitebait

I’ve selected a recipe which is terrifically quick, laughably simple and commands rock star status in the taste category. Masala Crusted Whitebait will earn you new best friend prominence. You can watch the recipe in action below or read it at your leisure. Either way become a follower, not a bystander. Serve with cucumber and tomato yoghurt raitha.

Whitebait

  • 500g of whitebait
  • 8 tbs of plain white flour
  • 3 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • 3 tsp of cumin seeds
  • Salt
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • 2 red onions, sliced finely
  • 1 lime
  • 1 green chilli, chopped (de-seed, optional)

In a large bowl mix the flour, garam masala, chilli powder, cumin seeds, salt and pepper. Coat the silvery whitebait in a glug of oil, take small handfuls of the miniature fish and coat them in the flour mix, until all off them are completely dusted and the cumin seeds stick to the skin. In a large frying pan, heat the oil achieving lava status and starting to smoke a little, test the heat by dropping a couple of cumin seeds in and let it sizzle until it fizzes. Now add the whitebait in batches and cook for a couple of minutes until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Slice the red onion, add the chopped chilli and the freshly squeezed lime and mix together. Arrange the brittle whitebait on top of the red onion and serve with the dipping raitha

As featured in

CURRY
MEMOIRS

Raitha

  • 300 ml of natural plain yoghurt
  • 3 plump tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • ½ a cucumber diced
  • Salt
  • 1 tsp of toasted cumin seeds
  • Paprika for dusting

Fork whip the yoghurt add the chopped cucumber and tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Just before serving, sprinkle the freshly toasted cumin seeds (heat in a pan until just brown…not smoking) on top and dust with a little paprika for flourish.


Silver Fish Fry, The Story

“There’s eighteen of us and we need rescuing from the local curry house, can you do something about it?”

Feeling like I’d just taken a call from Gotham City Police Department, I detected the desperation in her voice, “I mean Holt Tandoori’s okay, but it’s not...” She stammered with polite affectation and then thought better of it. “Okay, it’s not okay and people have the wrong idea about curry.” She wasn’t alone, her conversation reflected several others I’d had. There was Brick Lane Belly...I need a vindaLOO and quickly...you’ve got my Jalfrezi, can you tell the difference? Not sure? And of course they can’t tell the difference, as the ubiquitous curry restaurant found in most neighbourhoods subjects its diners to a plethora of ‘genuine’ recipes, most of which however are based on five sauces and are pimped with a few more onions or peppers to satisfy the punters groaning for a Rogan Josh. Big food brands have jumped on the band wagon along the way and offer frozen meals with as much authenticity as Bruce Forsyth’s toupé. Pubs chalk up their Curry Quiz nights alongside its soulmate Stella. The behemoth supermarket chains have claimed curry as their own…selling ‘take-away packs’ on the deli-counters alongside polystyrene onion bhajis.





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Spicy Whitebait

I’ve selected a recipe which is terrifically quick, laughably simple and commands rock star status in the taste category. Masala Crusted Whitebait will earn you new best friend prominence. You can watch the recipe in action below or read it at your leisure. Either way become a follower, not a bystander. Serve with cucumber and tomato yoghurt raitha.

Whitebait

  • 500g of whitebait
  • 8 tbs of plain white flour
  • 3 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • 3 tsp of cumin seeds
  • Salt
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • 2 red onions, sliced finely
  • 1 lime
  • 1 green chilli, chopped (de-seed, optional)

In a large bowl mix the flour, garam masala, chilli powder, cumin seeds, salt and pepper. Coat the silvery whitebait in a glug of oil, take small handfuls of the miniature fish and coat them in the flour mix, until all off them are completely dusted and the cumin seeds stick to the skin. In a large frying pan, heat the oil achieving lava status and starting to smoke a little, test the heat by dropping a couple of cumin seeds in and let it sizzle until it fizzes. Now add the whitebait in batches and cook for a couple of minutes until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Slice the red onion, add the chopped chilli and the freshly squeezed lime and mix together. Arrange the brittle whitebait on top of the red onion and serve with the dipping raitha

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