The green masala fish fry dish is a culinary excellence found in most Indian homes as it offers extraordinary taste and various flavor components. The fish pieces require salt and lemon juice to be applied first before they undergo a period of standing time. A spicy masala paste is applied to them using a mixture that includes fresh coriander and mint leaves along with green chilies, ginger, garlic, and a few additional spices which consist of turmeric, garam masala, amchur, and white pepper. The fish pieces undergo a frying process with minimal oil until they have a crispy outer layer and maintain their original meat texture inside. You can learn the complete recipe here to make green masala fish fry at your home kitchen.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Green masala fish fry is a popular and spicy fish dish enjoyed in many Indian households.
- Serve it with green chutney, sliced onions, tomato rings, lemon wedges, or steamed rice.
- Green masala fish fry tastes crispy, flavorful, tangy, and mildly spicy with aromatic herbs.
- Other similar recipes are tandoori fish, masala pomfret fry, fish kebab, and plain fish fry.
The Ingredients:
To marinate the fish pieces:
- 600 grams fish (any variety with fewer bones)
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
To make the masala paste:
- Coriander leaves (a fistful, with stems)
- 20 pieces mint leaves (pudina)
- 8 pieces green chilies (regular, whole)
- 2 pieces long green chilies (cut into small pieces)
- 1 piece ginger (1 inch size, cut roughly into small pieces)
- 20 garlic cloves (peeled, whole)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp water
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp dry mango powder (amchur)
- ½ tsp white pepper powder
- 1 tsp coriander seeds powder
- 4 tbsp rice flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp water
To fry the fish pieces:
- 4 tbsp cooking oil
To garnish the green masala fish fries:
- Coriander leaves (as required, finely chopped)
- Lemon juice (as required)
I came across this wonderful green masala fish fry recipe in a family get-together at my cousin’s place. While she was making the dish in her kitchen, the aroma dragged me towards it. Seeing my interest, she showed me the complete process of fish marination and frying because she noticed my interest in the cooking method. I documented all the cooking directions in my kitchen notebook while I wrote down the tips she provided for creating balanced flavors and perfecting the masala coating.
The following Saturday I made it at home following the exact steps and tips to surprise my husband and two sons. The fish fries came out perfectly crisp and tender. The flavor and taste were awesome, according to my husband and my sons were the silent appraisers, asking for more. All these made me feel so happy and I thought I was lucky to have attended that get-together and to have learned this wonderful recipe from my cousin.
How to Make Green Masala Fish Fry? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Marinate 600 grams of King fish with 2 tsp of lemon juice and 1 tsp of salt. Cover it and keep it aside for about 10 minutes.
Step 2: In a plate, take a fistful of coriander leaves with stems along with 20 pieces of mint leaves (pudina), 8 pieces of regular, whole green chilies, 2 pieces of long green chilies (cut into small pieces), a piece of ginger (1 inch in size, cut roughly into small pieces), and about 20 whole garlic cloves (peeled). Transfer them to a mixie jar and add 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 4 tsp of lemon juice, and 1 tsp of water. Make a fine paste.
Step 3: Transfer it to a plate and add ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, ½ tsp of garam masala powder, 1 tsp of dry mango powder (amchur), ½ tsp of white pepper powder, and 1 tsp of coriander seed powder to it. Follow it up with 4 tbsp of rice flour and ½ tsp of salt. Mix them all very nicely.
Step 4: Finally, add 2 tsp of water to it. Mix again and make a relatively thick masala paste.
Step 5: Coat all the marinated fish pieces nicely with the masala paste one by one on both sides. Cover it and keep it in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Step 6: Heat 4 tbsp of cooking oil in a frying pan over a medium flame. Put the coated fish pieces carefully in it one by one. Let it fry on one side nicely for 6 to 7 minutes on a medium to low flame, applying hot oil on its surface with the ladle carefully. Flip the fish pieces carefully and cook them again for 6 to 7 minutes more.
Step 7: Then, flip them a couple of times. Finally, fry them on a high flame for about 30 seconds. Remove them one by one to a plate when done.
Step 8: Garnish them with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves as required and squeeze some lemon juice. Your tasty and spicy homemade green masala fish fry is now ready to enjoy. Serve with green chutney, sliced onions, tomato rings, and lemon wedges.
Recipe Card
Green Masala Fish Fry
Ingredients
To marinate the fish pieces:
- 600 grams fish any variety with fewer bones
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
To make the masala paste:
- Coriander leaves a fistful, with stems
- 20 pieces mint leaves pudina
- 8 pieces green chilies regular, whole
- 2 pieces long green chilies cut into small pieces
- 1 piece ginger 1 inch size, cut roughly into small pieces
- 20 garlic cloves peeled, whole
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp water
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp dry mango powder amchur
- ½ tsp white pepper powder
- 1 tsp coriander seeds powder
- 4 tbsp rice flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp water
To fry the fish pieces:
- 4 tbsp cooking oil
To garnish the green masala fish fries:
- Coriander leaves as required, finely chopped
- Lemon juice as required
Instructions
- Marinate 600 grams of King fish with 2 tsp of lemon juice and 1 tsp of salt. Cover and keep it aside for about 10 minutes.
- In a plate, take a fistful of coriander leaves with stems along with 20 pieces of mint leaves (pudina), 8 pieces of regular, whole green chilies, 2 pieces of long green chilies (cut into small pieces), a piece of ginger (1 inch size, cut roughly into small pieces), about 20 whole garlic cloves (peeled). Transfer them to a mixie jar and add 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 4 tsp of lemon juice and 1 tsp water. Make a fine paste.
- Transfer it to a plate and add ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, ½ tsp of garam masala powder, 1 tsp of dry mango powder (amchur), ½ tsp of white pepper powder, and 1 tsp of coriander seeds powder to it. Follow it up with 4 tbsp of rice flour and ½ tsp of salt. Mix them all very nicely.
- Finally, add 2 tsp of water to it. Mix again and make a relatively thick masala paste.
- Coat all the marinated fish pieces nicely with the masala paste one by one on both sides. Cover and keep it in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Heat 4 tbsp of cooking oil in a frying pan over a medium flame. Put the coated fish pieces carefully in it one by one. Let it fry on one side nicely for 6 to 7 minutes on a medium to low flame, applying hot oil on its surface with the ladle carefully. Flip the fish pieces carefully and cook it again for 6 to 7 minutes more.
- Then, flip them a couple of times. Finally, fry them on a high flame for about 30 seconds. Remove them one by one to a plate when done.
- Garnish them with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves as required and squeeze some lemon juice. Your tasty and spicy homemade green masala fish fry is now ready to enjoy. Serve with green chutney, sliced onions, tomato rings, and lemon wedges.
