Ma’s Fried Fish Recipe

I was blessed to have my Mum for 50 odd years. I find it so hard to believe that she is no longer with us. She insisted that all of us learn to cook and encouraged us to experiment and hone our skills in everything we did. She was there for my first cooking class and even entertained one of my students who visited Bangalore with an original cooking class ‘Ma- style.’ Nobody could make Ma’s Fried Fish Recipe the way she did. It was such an easy recipe, and oh so delicious. Coming home for lunch from college, the smell of Ma’s Fried fish Recipe would waft on the air towards our nostrils and we would rush to the dining table knowing we were in for an amazing lunch. Even today the smell of fish frying in peanut oil takes me back in time to an era when life was simple, delicious and uncomplicated. Love you Mummy. Happy Birthday in heaven.

I was thinking about her today and how everything I know goes back to her. Would like to share my favourite dish Ma’s Fried Fish Recipe that I learnt from her which we had innumerable times while growing up and later on in my own home.

Ma’s Fried Fish Recipe

1 kg sliced fish- sardines. mackerel, seer fish or pomfret – clean, wash and pat dry

Rice Flour or Semolina to roll the fish in

Oil for Deep Frying

Fish Masala For Ma’s Fried Fish Recipe:

1 tbsp chilli powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp turmeric

Coconut Vinegar to mix to a paste

Method For Ma’s Fried Fish Recipe:

Rub masala all over fish and marinade 30 minutes. Roll in rice flour or semolina and deep fry in smoking hot oil till crisp and golden brown as in image.

NB: Oil must be smoking hot for fish to be crisp and delicious.

Serve with dhal and white rice or rasam and white rice.

Sheer heaven!