Chonak Fry | Goan Style Rava Fish Fry Recipe
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.
Servings: 5 fish slices
Equipment
- 1 Heavy-bottomed pan
Ingredients
- 5 Chonak fish fillets
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon spicy red chili powder Add as per taste
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt or add as per taste
- 2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ cup fine semolina Rava/sooji
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric optional
- ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder optional
- 3 teaspoon oil (add more if required)
Instructions
- Prepare the masala: In a bowl, mix Kashmiri red chilli powder, spicy red chilli powder, turmeric, salt, ginger-garlic paste, and lemon juice.
- Make a thick marination paste: Add 1 teaspoon water and mix into a smooth, thick paste. Taste and adjust salt, spice, or lemon juice as needed.
- Marinate the fish: Apply masala evenly on both sides of the chonak fish fillets. Rest for 30 minutes.
- Prepare rava coating: Take fine rava (semolina) in a plate. Add turmeric and Kashmiri chilli powder for color. Mix well.
- Coat fish with rava: Coat each marinated fish fillet with rava on both sides. Rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Heat oil for shallow fry: Heat 3 teaspoon oil on a tawa on medium heat. Place the fish on a hot tawa. Cook without flipping until the base turns crispy.
- Flip and cook until golden: Turn and cook the other side until crisp, golden, and fully cooked. Remove and fry the remaining fish in batches. Serve crispy chonak fry with rice and curry.
Video
Notes
- Use a thick masala paste: Do not add too much water. A thick coating sticks better to the fish.
- Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry the rava-coated fish in batches for even cooking.
- Cook on medium heat so the fish cooks evenly on the inside without burning on the outside. If necessary, lower the heat and cook until the fish is crispy and golden.
- Use a wide spatula to gently flip the fish. The fish is delicate when hot, so handle it carefully to prevent it from breaking.
- Do not flip too early: Let one side turn crispy before flipping. This prevents the fish from breaking.
- Do not move too much: Let the fish sit and cook. This helps form a nice crust.
- Serve immediately after frying for the best crisp texture.