Masala Fish Bites
Chatting with a favourite cousin in the Rajah clan recently she announced, I’m bored with serving the same Indian snack starters, “you know, I always resort to cooking the safe dishes, ones I’ve cooked a million times before.” Now, I’m a firm advocate of home cooking and devouring recipes I’ve enjoyed since childhood, but she’s right. As delicious as repetition can be there’s a place on the table for evolution and tinkering. So here’s a recipe which doesn’t stray too far from the path of familiarity but remixes a well loved recipe into something a little different. Perfect for a dinner party, or a little snack interlude between hunger pangs.
Salmon pakora bites are as straightforward as the alphabet...but tastier than learning your ABC...works just as well with any other firm meaty fish such as tuna. Just remember to share them!
Serves 4
- 200g salmon fillets, cut in to 2cm cubes
- 150g gram flour, sifted
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2tbs rice flour
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 2 green finger chillies, finely chopped
- 100ml water, enough to form a viscous batter
- Salt to season
- Rapeseed/sunflower oil – enough to fry approx 4-5cm depth in a wok
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How To Make Fish Pakoras
Sift the gram and rice flour into a bowl together with the chilli and turmeric powder, sprinkle in the mustard seeds and green chillies. Now combine with the water adding a little at a time stirring with a spoon to form a thick but gloopy batter (it should stick to the back of the spoon and slowly drip). Season with a little salt, cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Dunk the salmon bites into the pakora batter and cover thoroughly. Using a large skillet or wok heat the oil over a medium high heat and test the temperature with a cumin seed or piece of bread. If they fizz and toast, it’s hot enough.
Spoon in the salmon pakora pieces and fry for 3-4 minutes, until the batter puffs up on all sides and turns a gorgeous golden toffee colour. Using a slotted spoon remove and lay them to rest on paper kitchen towel. Repeat until all the Indian fish pakoras have been cooked.
Scoff them all with a mint and yoghurt chutney.
Masala Fish Bites
Chatting with a favourite cousin in the Rajah clan recently she announced, I’m bored with serving the same Indian snack starters, “you know, I always resort to cooking the safe dishes, ones I’ve cooked a million times before.” Now, I’m a firm advocate of home cooking and devouring recipes I’ve enjoyed since childhood, but she’s right. As delicious as repetition can be there’s a place on the table for evolution and tinkering. So here’s a recipe which doesn’t stray too far from the path of familiarity but remixes a well loved recipe into something a little different. Perfect for a dinner party, or a little snack interlude between hunger pangs.
Salmon pakora bites are as straightforward as the alphabet...but tastier than learning your ABC...works just as well with any other firm meaty fish such as tuna. Just remember to share them!
Serves 4
- 200g salmon fillets, cut in to 2cm cubes
- 150g gram flour, sifted
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2tbs rice flour
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 2 green finger chillies, finely chopped
- 100ml water, enough to form a viscous batter
- Salt to season
- Rapeseed/sunflower oil – enough to fry approx 4-5cm depth in a wok
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