Chonak Fry | Goan Style Rava Fish Fry Recipe

Name: Chonak Fry | Goan Style Rava Fish Fry Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 5 Chonak fish fillets; 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder; 1/2 tsp spicy red chili powder (Add as per taste); 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder; 1 tsp salt (or add as per taste); 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste; 2 tsp lemon juice; 1/2 cup fine semolina (Rava/sooji); 1/4 tsp turmeric (optional); 1/4 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder (optional); 3 tsp oil (add more if required)

Chonak Fry with step-by-step photos and a video recipe. This classic Goan rava fish fry recipe is made with fresh chonak (sea bass), simple spices, and a crispy rava coating. It is a quick and easy side dish that comes together in 20 minutes.

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TOTAL TIME 20

SERVINGS fish slices

Crispy chonak rava fry served with a bowl of rice and curry on the side.

This chonak fry recipe is spicy, tangy, and super crispy outside with soft, juicy fish inside. It is a popular Goan fish fry, often served at home and in local restaurants, and goes perfectly with rice, fish curry, or simple dal in a Goan thali.

This chonak rava fish fry recipe is so versatile and easy to make at home. If you do not have Chonak fish, you can substitute it with any firm fish, such as bangda (mackerel) or kingfish. More fish fry recipes that you might like are our Kingfish Fry and Mackerel Fry.

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Why You Need This Recipe
Ingredients And Substitutions
How to Make Chonak Fry (Goan Rava Fish Fry)
Cooking Tips
Storage Suggestions
Recipe FAQs
Other Fish Fry Recipes to Try!
Recipe Card

Why You Need This Recipe

Easy step-by-step instructions with a recipe video.
Ready in 20 minutes (excluding marination time), perfect for quick meals or sides.
No complicated steps, just marination and shallow frying.
Crispy rava coating with juicy fish inside.
Easy to customize with available ingredients.
Can be made ahead and stored for later.

Ingredients And Substitutions

individually labelled ingredients to make chonak fry are laid out on a table.

Chonak: Chonak is a popular fish in Goa. It is also known as the Giant sea perch or Asian sea bass in English. It has firm flesh and a very mild smell, which makes it perfect for frying. It holds shape well while cooking and absorbs masala beautifully. That's why it is one of the best fish for rava fry. You can substitute it with any firm fish like Mackerel or Kingfish.
For marination, I have used turmeric, red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, salt, and lemon juice for marination in this recipe. You can substitute lemon juice with tamarind pulp.
For crispy coating, I use rava (also called semolina). It gives the fish that signature crispy outer layer (kurkurit chonak fry).
Oil: Coconut oil gives authentic Goan flavour to the fish fry, but you can use any neutral-flavour cooking oil.

For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.

How to Make Chonak Fry (Goan Rava Fish Fry)

In a bowl, mix Kashmiri red chilli powder, spicy red chilli powder, turmeric, salt, ginger-garlic paste, and lemon juice.

Collage of two images for chonak fish fry masala. It shows spices for chonak fish fry in a plate and another image with smooth masala paste made with spices.

Add 1 teaspoon water and mix into a smooth, thick paste. Taste and adjust salt, spice, or lemon juice as needed. Fish fry masala is ready.

Apply the prepared fish fry masala evenly on both sides of the chonak fish fillets. Rest for 30 minutes.

Chonak fish marinated with spices for Goan fish fry.

Take fine rava (semolina) in a plate. Add turmeric and Kashmiri chilli powder for color. Mix well.

Coat each marinated fish fillet with rava on both sides. Rest for 5-10 minutes.

Coating chonak fish with rava for crispy texture.

Heat 3 teaspoon oil on a tawa on medium heat to shallow fry the fish. Place the rava-coated fish on a hot tawa. Cook without flipping until the base turns crispy. Do not move the fish too much while frying. This helps get a crisp crust.

Shallow frying chonak fish in pan until crispy.

Turn and cook the other side until crisp, golden, and fully cooked. Remove and fry the remaining fish in batches. If necessary, lower the heat and cook until the fish is cooked crispy and golden.

Crispy chonak rava fry Goan fish fry ready to serve.

Serve crispy chonak fry with rice and curry.

Cooking Tips

Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry the rava-coated fish in batches for even cooking.
Cook on medium heat so the fish cooks inside without burning outside. If necessary, lower the heat and cook until the fish is crispy and golden.
Never cook the fish on high heat. It will burn the outer rava coating, and the fish will remain uncooked inside.
Use a wide spatula to flip the fish gently. The fish is delicate when hot, so handle it carefully to prevent it from breaking.

Goan style chonak rava fish fry served with rice and curry.

Storage Suggestions

Store marinated fish properly. Place the marinated chonak fish in an airtight container in the freezer. It stays good for up to 2 weeks in the freezer.
Before cooking: Thaw completely, coat with rava, then shallow fry fresh for the best crispy texture.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make chonak fry without rava?

Yes, you can skip rava, but rava gives a crispy texture. I would add rice flour if I am skipping rava. It is a perfect substitute and will give you the same crispy texture.

Which fish is best for rava fry?

Firm fish like chonak (seabass), kingfish, or mackerel work the best.

Why is my fish not crispy?

Too much moisture or low heat can make it soft instead of crispy. Always heat the tawa or pan on medium heat. Once it is hot, place the fish on it to fry.

Can I air fry chonak fry?

Yes, but the texture will be slightly different from tawa fry.

Other Fish Fry Recipes to Try!

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