Puti Fish Fry is a simple Bengali-style recipe that needs very little to create a sense of fullness and satisfy your taste buds. The fried fish turn wonderfully crispy in hot mustard oil and the sharp taste is further enhanced by the spices and lemon juice. The shallow slits made on the fresh fish allow infusion of spices deeper inside.
At a Glance:
- Puti fish fry is a popular dish in India, especially in Bengal.
- It can be served with steamed rice, salad, pickles, chutney, or lemon wedges.
- Puti fish fry tastes mildly sweet and delicate.
- Forty-five minutes is what it takes me to make this dish, including 10 minutes of cooking time after 15 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of resting time.
- You can replace puti fish with other fish varieties for a few alternatives such as mourala fish, pomfret, parshe, amudi, pabda, topse, bhetki, sardine, and mackerel.
The Ingredients:
- Japani Puti Fish: 7 pieces (washed properly and slit each piece at 3-4 places)
- Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
- Kashmiri chili powder: 1 tbsp
- Black pepper powder – ½ tbsp
- 1 lemon cut into halves
- Mustard oil 4 tbsp
- Salt to Taste
How to Make Puti Fish Fry (Step by Step Images)?
1. Marinate the fish with some salt, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, black pepper and juice of one-half of a lemon. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
2. Place a deep-frying pan on the gas stove. Pour the mustard oil into it.
(Pro Tip: Let the mustard oil become properly hot before adding the fish. Otherwise, the pieces may absorb excess oil and turn soggy.)
3. Add fish pieces one by one to the hot oil.
4. After one side gets brown, turn them upside down and fry the other side till golden brown. Repeat the process after all pieces are deep fried.
5. Serve them on a plate and garnish with sliced lemons.
Put Your Own Spin
- Sometimes I add nigella seeds to it when I want a further enhancement in taste.
- I experimented with green chili paste into the marinade. It added a nice hotness.
- I fry the fish a bit darker when serving guests. It gives a nice roasted flavor.
Puti Fish Fry Recipe Tips & Tricks for Success
Q: My Puti fish is browning too quickly?
A: Reduce the heat slightly when the oil is hot enough in Step 4 and continue frying the fish until it is fully cooked to prevent the spices from burning on the pan.
Q: My fried fish is becoming soggy after cooking. Why?
A: I found a trick to this the hard way. I place the pieces on a wire rack to drain but not for too long.
Recipe Card:
Puti Fish Fry (Puti Mach Bhaja)
Ingredients
- 7 pieces Japani Puti Fish washed properly and slit each piece at 3-4 places
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1/2 tbsp Black pepper powder
- 1 piece lemon cut into halves
- 4 tbsp Mustard oil
- Salt to Taste
Instructions
- Marinate the fish with some salt, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, black pepper and juice of one-half of a lemon. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
- Place a deep-frying pan on the gas stove. Pour the mustard oil into it.
- (Pro Tip: Let the mustard oil become properly hot before adding the fish. Otherwise, the pieces may absorb excess oil and turn soggy.)
- Add fish pieces one by one to the hot oil.
- After one side gets brown, turn them upside down and fry the other side till golden brown. Repeat the process after all pieces are deep fried.
- Serve them on a plate and garnish with sliced lemons.
