Fish Amritsari

Fried version - small pieces served as starter

Named after its city of origin, fish Amritsari is a popular street food always served with a sprinkle of lime juice. This dish calls for frying the fish but you can grill it as well. Use any firm fish for this recipe which does not fall apart while grilling. The pictures shown have Tilapia (for grilled) and Sea bass (for fried). Cook small pieces as starters or a full fillet as the main dish.

Fish Amritsari grilled

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

3 Boneless fish fillets 

Marinade

2 tbsp gram flour (besan)
1 tbsp rice flour
2 tsp thick yogurt

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp Kashmiri chili powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1-2 tbsp kasuri methi palm crushed

1/3 tsp carom seeds (ajwain) lightly roasted and palm crushed

1 tsp cumin seeds and 2 tsp coriander seeds dry roasted and crushed fine

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 tbsp olive oil

1 inch tamarind
Oil for frying

1. Season the fish fillets with salt on both sides.
2. Soak tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the tamarind pulp.
3. Mix all the dry ingredients of the marinade together. Add ginger garlic paste, oil and tamarind pulp. If the marinade is too thick then you can add a little bit of water. If too thin then add some more gram flour. The marinade should be like a thick batter.
4. Marinate the fish in this batter for 2 hours.
5. Grill on a grill pan till fish is cooked through and crisp from the outside. 
6. Or you can deep fry it till crisp on the outside and fully cooked from the inside.
7. Serve with onion rings and a sprinkle of chaat masala(optional).