Masala Pomfret Fry (Konkan Coast)

From Mumbai's Koli fishing families to the beach shacks of Daman and Diu, pomfret fry is the star of the west coast. A tangy red masala goes into the slashes of the fish, a coat of semolina makes it crunchy.

Video by Get Curried on YouTube. Our recipe below is our own home-style version, written in our own words – quantities and steps may differ from the video.

• Serves 4
• Prep 15 min
• Marinate 20 min
• Cook 15 min
• dairy-free · Spicy
• Famous in Mumbai, Daman & Diu

Ingredients

• 2 whole pomfrets (silver or black), cleaned and slashed – or sea bream
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste or lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 5 tbsp fine semolina (Weizengrieß) mixed with 1 tbsp rice flour
• oil for shallow frying
• lemon wedges and onion rings to serve

Method

1. Mix ginger-garlic paste, all spice powders, tamarind and salt to a thick paste.
2. Rub the paste all over the fish and into the slashes. Marinate for 20 minutes.
3. Press both sides of the fish into the semolina-rice flour mix.
4. Shallow-fry in hot oil on medium heat for 4–5 minutes per side until crisp and cooked through.
5. Serve with lemon, onion rings and a simple dal and rice or sol kadhi.

Tip: Turn the fish only once – it holds its crust better.

Shop the ingredients

Everything you need for this recipe is in stock at Farmah’s – order online or pick it up at Annenstraße 41, Graz.