Fish Fry Kerala

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With Kerala being on the coast, fish is a huge part of the cuisine. Kerala fish fry is a super flavorful pan-fried fish that is an absolute delight to eat. Crispy on the outside with a tender, juicy inside makes for the perfect bite. Enjoy it with some pickled onions on the side and you might have just found your new favorite way to cook fish.

The Fish

Any fish will do, but my favorites are salmon, kingfish, snapper, and pompano. You want something firm, meaty, and slightly fatty, but not too delicate. Try to get thicker pieces, around ½ to 1 inch. I also recommend keeping the skin on, but skinless works too. The skin actually helps the fish stay intact, especially when flipping.

You can also make this recipe with a whole fish that’s been cleaned. Just make a few slits on both sides so the marinade can really penetrate.

The Cooking Process

Making Kerala fish fry is actually super easy. It breaks down into two simple steps: creating the marinade and then pan-frying. That’s really it!

The Marinade

The marinade is made up of a few aromatics, chili powder, black pepper, and coconut oil which are blended up in a food processor or smashed together in a mortar and pestle. Once the paste comes together, just apply it all over the fish and you’re halfway there. I always recommend giving the fish some time to marinate, where even 30 minutes is than nothing. But if you can let it go overnight, you'll unlock some incredible flavor.

The Fry

We’re going with a shallow fry here, which means the fish will be partially submerged in the oil. You want just enough so the oil comes a little way up the sides of the fish, around ¼ of the way or even slightly less.

Once one side is beautifully golden with a few slightly darker spots, flip the fish and add in the aromatics. Garlic and curry leaves, to be exact. Finish frying the second side until golden and cooked through, and that’s it! Your Kerala fish fry is ready to enjoy.

Recipe

Yields: 5 to 6 pieces