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Tawa fish fry, a favorite among the array of Indian fish preparations, consists of small pieces of Indian Basa or Bhetki fish, which are marinated in ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala, lemon juice, and fresh coriander leaves. A sprinkling of corn flour and rice flour makes the fish golden and crunchy upon shallow frying on a tawa with curry leaves and green chilies. Follow my simple recipe below for a complete procedure on how to prepare tawa fish fry at home.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Tawa fish fry is a very popular non-veg snack item in India.
Serve them hot with green chutney, fresh salad, mustard sauce, tomato ketchup, onions rings and lemon wedges.

Tawa fish fry offers a spicy, earthy, tangy, and crispy taste experience.
Other similar recipes are fish fry, fish kebab, fish tikka, fish nuggets, and fish masala fry.

The Ingredients:

To marinate the fish pieces:

500 grams fish (Indian Basa or Bhetki, cut into small pieces)

1 tsp ginger garlic paste
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
½ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp corn flour
1 tbsp rice flour
2 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)

To fry the marinated fish pieces:

3 tbsp cooking oil
10 pieces curry leaves
4 pieces green chilies (cut into thin slices)
Coriander leaves (a few, finely chopped)

I stumbled upon this tawa fish fry recipe almost accidentally when I was chatting with a next-door neighbor, who is a brilliant home cook and always tries out different fish recipes. We were talking about quick and delicious non-veg meals when she just casually gave me this straightforward fish fry recipe to try. She told me the ingredients like a teacher and even wrote down the quantities for me in my tiny kitchen diary. I thought it was great that it called for very few spices and could be made in no time without deep-frying, which was just the thing for my normal everyday cooking.

I actually tried it for lunch the very next weekend when my husband and sons were at home. The fish was just as perfect as she said, a lovely crisp coat on the outside and tender inside. The whole kitchen was filled with the smell of the fish, and as soon as my husband came in, he asked me what I was making that smelled so good. Both of my sons not only liked it but even asked for seconds which was just great. I really felt so fortunate and grateful that I chanced upon a recipe so simple yet so good for my family.

How to Make Tawa Fish Fry? (Step by Step Guide with Images)

Step 1: Take 500 grams of Indian Basa or Bhetki fish, cut it into small pieces on a plate, and add 1 tsp of ginger garlic paste, ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, 1 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ tsp of red chili powder, ½ tsp of garam masala powder, 1 tsp of corn flour, 1 tbsp of rice flour, 2 tsp of lemon juice, ½ tsp of salt, and 1 tbsp of finely chopped coriander leaves.

Step 2: Mix everything nicely with the fish pieces. Cover and keep it aside for about 10 minutes.

Step 3: Now, to fry the marinated fish pieces, heat 3 tbsp of cooking oil in a pan over a medium flame and put in about 10 fresh curry leaves in it. Let them crackle. Then, add 4 pieces of green chilies (cut into thin slices) to it.

Step 4: Add the marinated fish pieces one by one. Let them fry on one side for about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the carefully and let them fry on the other side for about 4 to 5 minutes as well, this time on a high flame. Flip them for a couple of times until the fish pieces turn crispy.

Step 5: Switch off the flame when done and sprinkle a few finely chopped coriander leaves on top. Remove the pieces on a plate one by one.

Step 6: Your spicy and crispy tawa fish fry is ready to enjoy. Squeeze a little bit of lime juice on top and serve them hot with green chutney and lemon wedges.