Every time I swing by the Pakistani fried chicken spot, I can’t help but grab their Lahori fried fish wrap. The flavor combo is unbeatable, with just the right kick and that satisfying crunch, especially when paired with the amazing minty yogurt chutney. Trust me, Pakistanis really know how to elevate their fish game, especially in winter! Plus, I’m the kind of person who loves recreating dishes at home after tasting them, and this crispy Lahori fried fish was at the top of my list.
What goes into Lahori fried fish
Fish
Any white meat fish, without skin and cartilage, will be a good choice to make this recipe. If you are lucky enough to get the freshest fish, either with or without skin, that’s even better. Wash the fish and then let it sit in the sieve to dry. If you have packaged fish from the store, you don’t even need to wash it; just pat it dry with a paper towel. I used cod fish, which was frozen, so I followed the package directions to thaw the fish.
Marinate the fish
For the first marination, add minced garlic and lemon juice to the fish and mix well. Set it aside and make your spice mix.
Spice mix
For the special spice mix, you’ll need ground coriander seeds, carom seeds (ajwain), salt, red chili powder (cayenne), chili flakes, turmeric, and fenugreek leaves (meethi). Coarsely ground the coriander seeds and then mix the rest of the spices.
Besan or gram flour
For the coating, you’ll also need gram flour (besan). Add the spices and the flour to the fish and mix it well. If your mixture is dry, add a little water at a time and mix until the fish is well-coated. I didn’t add any water because the fish had released some moisture from the first marination.
Frying the Lahori fried fish
To fry, you need to take a pan and heat up about an inch of oil. Once hot, turn the heat down to medium and carefully drop a piece of fish into the oil. Cook for about 3 minutes and then use a fork to turn it to the other side. Let it cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Take it out on a paper towel.
Sprinkle with chat masala and enjoy with mint chutney.
Storing and serving the Lahori fried fish
Once you fry your fish, you can store any leftovers for a couple of hours on the kitchen counter while covering them lightly with a paper towel. I don’t recommend frying the fish and storing it for longer periods of time as it will get soggy and will not taste as good. You can marinate it in advance and leave it in the refrigerator until ready to enjoy.
Enjoy the fried fish right away with mint yogurt chutney and pulao or naan. You can even make a fish wrap, which is my favorite way of enjoying this crispy Lahori fried fish.
More recipes
Lahori Fried Fish
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fish cod
- 1/2 cup gram flour besan besan
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp fenugreek leaves
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds crushed crushed
- 1 tsp carom seeds ajwain
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 2 cups oil for frying
- Water if needed
Instructions
- Thaw your fish according to the package directions, and cut the fish into cubes.
- Pat dry extra moisture with a paper towel.
- In a bowl, add fish, garlic paste, and lemon juice.
- Mix it well and set it aside.
Prepare marination
- Crush the coriander seeds, then add to a bowl along with crushed red chilies, salt, carom seeds, cayenne pepper, fenugreek leaves (methi), and 1/4 cup of gram flour (besan). Mix it well and then sprinkle it all over the fish.
- Mix it well. If your mixture is dry, add a little bit of water at a time until the fish is well coated.
Fry the fish
- Heat 2 cups of oil in a pan, then lower the heat to medium. Fry the fish pieces in batches without overcrowding the pan.
- Don’t move the pieces around for the first three minutes, or until it’s cooked through from one side.
- Once cooked from one side, use a fork to carefully flip them over to cook from the other side.
- Fish will need 6-7 minutes to cook in total. Take the fish out using a spoon or tongs and leave them on the paper towel to absorb all the extra oil.
- Sprinkle chat masala and serve with green chutney.