Name: Fish Koliwada
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 266⅔ g Boneless Fish Fillets, Basa or Rawas, cut into 1.5-inch cubes; 1⅓ tbsp Lemon Juice, for first marinade; 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste; ⅔ tbsp Kashmiri Chili Powder, gives the iconic red color; ⅓ tsp Red Chilli Powder, spicy; ⅛ tsp Ground Turmeric; ⅔ tsp Carom Seeds, ajwain, crushed (mandatory for seafood); 2 tbsp Gram Flour, besan; 1⅓ tbsp Rice Flour, for crispy crust; ⅔ tsp Chaat Masala, for garnish; ⅔ tsp Salt, to taste; as needed Cooking Oil, for deep frying

55 mintotal

25 min hands-on30 min hands-off

Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: High

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Method

First marinade: pat the fish chunks completely dry with kitchen paper. In a non-reactive bowl, rub the fish with the lemon juice, some of the ginger-garlic paste and salt. Leave it to rest so the lemon can work in.
Make the batter: in a separate bowl, whisk together the gram flour, rice flour, Kashmiri chilli powder, hot red chilli powder, turmeric, crushed carom seeds (ajwain), the remaining ginger-garlic paste and the rest of the salt.
Gradually incorporate a minimal volume of water to synthesize a highly viscous, tacky paste. Ensure the viscosity is robust enough to adhere tenaciously to the fish without breaking structure.
Add the marinated fish chunks, along with any juices they have released, straight into the thick batter. Toss gently by hand so every side is well coated in the bright red mixture.
Cover the bowl and leave it a while so the spices work into the fish.
Bring frying oil to an aggressive medium-high thermal threshold within a heavy kadhai.
Lower the coated fish into the hot oil carefully, one piece at a time. Keep them well spaced so the oil does not lose its heat, and leave them alone for the first part of the frying.
Sustain the frying process until the exterior achieves a structurally rigid, intensely crispy, and profoundly crimson crust.
Extract utilizing a professional wire skimmer and immediately banish residual oil via industrial paper towels.
While the outside is still very hot, dust the pieces generously with chaat masala. Serve immediately.

How to tell it's done

Expect a shatteringly crisp, structurally robust, heavily spiced crimson carapace that yields to an impossibly delicate, flaky, and steam-filled fish interior.

Getting it right

Tip

Chef's Tip: The architectural integrity of Koliwada fish depends on a hyper-thick, almost dough-like batter and the unmistakable medicinal punch of crushed carom seeds. Do not compromise the batter by adding excessive hydration.

What to serve it with

An aggressive, hyper-flavorful coastal street snack. Elevate the presentation upon a bed of shredded cabbage, accompanied by stark raw onion rings and a sharply acidic Green Chutney.

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Ingredients