Katherine River Fish Fry with Lemon
Crisp, golden freshwater fish fillets pan-fried simply with butter and oil, finished with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 360 kcal
Equipment
- •Cast iron frypan
- •Shallow dish
- •Fish slice
- •Paper towels
- •Chef's knife
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- fat
- 20 g
- carbs
- 14 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 32 g
- calories
- 360 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Pat the fish fillets thoroughly dry using paper towels.
- 2
Cut the fish into even portions roughly 10 cm in length.
- 3
Whisk the plain flour, salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder in a shallow dish.
- 4
Dredge each piece of fish through the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess coating.
- 5
Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a heavy cast iron frypan over medium-high heat until foaming.
- 6
Place the fish gently into the hot pan without crowding the base.
- 7
Fry undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes until the bottom crust is golden and crisp.
- 8
Turn the fillets carefully with a fish slice and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until flaky.
- 9
Transfer the fried fish to a plate lined with paper towels to drain briefly.
- 10
Scatter with fresh parsley and serve straight away with juicy lemon wedges.
Chef's tips
Drying the fish skin and flesh thoroughly before flouring is crucial for a crisp crust rather than a soggy coating. Combining butter with high-smoke-point oil gives rich flavour without burning in a hot cast iron pan.
Ingredient substitutions
- barramundi fillets → sooty grunter, freshwater catfish, or flathead fillets
- plain flour → gluten-free plain flour blend or fine rice flour
- unsalted butter → an extra 30 ml vegetable oil for a dairy-free version
Storage
Keep leftover cooked fish in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a dry frypan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side until warmed through.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Crowding the frypan, which drops the temperature and steams the fish instead of crisping it.
- •Leaving the fish damp, which turns the flour coating pasty.
- •Flipping the fish too early before a firm crust forms, causing fillets to break apart.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Katherine River Fish Fry with Lemon?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
