Kolkata Fish Fry
Breadcrumb-coated, deep-fried bhetki fillets, a beloved Kolkata street and club-style snack showing the city's Anglo-Indian culinary influence.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 310 kcal
Equipment
- •Kadai for deep frying
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- fat
- 15 g
- carbs
- 18 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 26 g
- calories
- 310 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Mix the fish strips with lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, green chilli paste, black pepper and salt. Leave for 20 minutes.
- 2
Place the flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs into three separate bowls.
- 3
Dust each fish strip in flour, dip into beaten egg, then coat evenly in breadcrumbs.
- 4
Press the crumbs firmly onto the fish. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes to set.
- 5
Heat oil in a kadai (deep wok) until medium-hot.
- 6
Fry the fish in batches for 3–4 minutes per batch. Cook until golden brown and crisp all over.
- 7
Drain the fried fish on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- 8
Serve hot with kasundi (pungent mustard sauce), sliced onion and a lemon wedge.
Chef's tips
Chilling the coated fish helps the crust stick in hot oil. Fry in small batches to keep the oil hot and crispy.
Ingredient substitutions
- bhetki → any firm white fish fillet
Storage
Best eaten fresh; not suitable for long storage.
Reheating
Reheat in an oven or air fryer to restore crispness; avoid microwaving.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding too many fish strips at once, which drops the oil temperature and makes them soggy.
- •Skipping the chilling step, which causes the breadcrumb crust to fall off in the oil.
Serving suggestions
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