Fish Masala Fry

5 from 1 vote

Fish Masala Fry is a spicy Mangalorean tawa fish fry made with fresh fish fillets coated in homemade masala and shallow-fried until crisp. This spicy tawa fish fry, also known as Anjal Masala Fry, is from Mangalorean cuisine. Serve it as a side dish with dal and rice.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian, mangalorean

Servings:

Calories: 330kcal

Author: Preeti Nayak

Equipment

1 Tawa/Pan/Griddle

Ingredients

To marinate the fish

4 kingfish fillets
1 teaspoon turmeric
Salt to taste
2 teaspoon lemon juice

For masala

12 dried byadgi chilies
5 big garlic cloves
½ - inch ginger
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon black peppercorns 15 in number
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
a pinch of carom seeds (ajwain/owa) (skip, if you don't like the flavor)
6 fenugreek seeds (methi)
Salt to taste
A sprig of curry leaves
A small lemon-sized ball of tamarind

For fry

3 teaspoon oil or more to pan-fry the fish
1 tablespoon oil to fry the masala
A sprig of curry leaves

Instructions

Marinate the Fish

Marinate the fish with turmeric, salt, and lemon juice. Set it aside for 15 minutes.
4 kingfish fillets, 1 teaspoon turmeric, Salt to taste, 2 teaspoon lemon juice

For the Masala

Add all the masala ingredients to a mixer jar. Add a little water and grind to a fine thick paste. Homemade fish fry masala is ready.
12 dried byadgi chilies, 5 big garlic cloves, ½ - inch ginger, 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, ½ teaspoon black peppercorns, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds, a pinch of carom seeds (ajwain/owa), Salt to taste, A sprig of curry leaves, A small lemon-sized ball of tamarind, 6 fenugreek seeds (methi)
Apply a little masala to the marinated fish. Keep the remaining masala aside for later.
Heat a tawa on medium heat. Add oil and spread it evenly. Place the fish and fry until crisp on both sides.
3 teaspoon oil
Heat oil in the same tawa. Lower the heat. Add the remaining masala and cook on low to medium heat. Stir continuously and cook for 1 minute.
1 tablespoon oil
Add curry leaves and cook until the masala starts to release oil from the sides. If it starts to burn, add 1-2 teaspoons of water.
A sprig of curry leaves

For Fish Fry

Add the fried fish back to the tawa carefully. Spoon the tawa masala over the fish. Cook on low heat for 1 minute.
Hold the tawa handle and gently shake it to move the fish. No need to flip. Do this 1-2 times carefully, as the fish can break. Tawa masala fish fry is ready to serve.

Video

Notes

Choose the right fish. Use big, firm fish with thick flesh.
Avoid soft or delicate fish, as they may break while frying.
Grind the masala into a thick, fine paste. Don’t make it runny or watery. It should be smooth, not coarse. If it is too thin, it will take longer to cook in oil and won't roast nicely.
Byadagi chilies give bright color and mild heat. You can use any dry red chilies and adjust the quantity as per the spice level.
Adjust spice. Remove seeds or reduce masala for less heat. Add more if you like it spicy.
Cook on low heat. Always cook the masala and add the fried fish in tawa masala on low heat. High heat can burn masala.
You can store the masala paste in the freezer. It stays good for up to 15 days.

Nutrition