Fish Tava Rawa Fry

This fish tava (Skillet) fry needs no introduction. You can use pomfret/golden pompano, rainbow trout/ halibut/orange roughy/kingfish, actually any firm fish is perfect. This is the basic "go to recipe" and all the variations I use on a regular basis.

Golden Pompano Tawa Rawa Fry

"Go to" Basic Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fish washed, cleaned and cut into pieces, or fillet.

• 2 tsps chilli powder (more or less depending on your spiciness level)

• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (Haldi)

• 1/2 - 1 tsp hing powder (asofoetida)

• salt to taste

• rice flour or fine Rawa (sooji, cream of wheat) for dusting

• few roasted or fried curry leaves for additional flavor (optional)

• oil (as needed)

Steps

1. Cut, clean fish thoroughly and apply salt to taste, chilli powder, hing and turmeric powder and keep aside for about 15 minutes to let the spices meld into the fish. Keep it in the fridge if you wish to keep it longer.

2. Dust the fish with rice flour or your choice of coating

3. Heat a Tawa (griddle) on medium heat and brush some oil on it and place the fish on it, drizzle or mist some oil on it and cook covered for at least 3 minutes. Flip it over and drizzle or mist some oil again, cook uncovered, till cooked. Check for doneness and remove on to a plate.

4. Crumble some roasted or fried curry leaves on the fish for additional flavor. (Sometimes, I just add the curry leaves on to the griddle or even roast the curry leaves and crumble them into my marinade.)

5. This fish can be deep fried as well, but I choose to Tawa Fry it, tastes just as good.

6. Flavorful Fish fry is ready!

Notes

Any white firm fish can be used. Some of our choices are halibut, pomfret, rainbow trout, sea bass, lady fish, smelts. I am sure your family has your favorites, do try with your choice and give your feedback in the comments.

This marinade can be used with shrimp and jumbo prawns as well, which I seldom prepare due to my allergies even to touch shell fish. I have to say fried prawns do taste really good.

Variations of fish fry

• grind a masala (paste) with red chillies (depending on your spice level), 1 whole pod of garlic, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds, 4 pepper corns, 1 tsp turmeric pd., 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp, 1 tsp asafoetida (hing) pd, salt to taste. Coat the fish as needed, the extra masala paste can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Coat with rice flour and deep fry, shallow fry in hot oil or Tawa fry, your choice.

• grind a masala (paste) with red chillies (depending on your spice level), 5 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1/2 turmeric powder, to a fine paste. Next add in 1/2 cup of rice (soaked for at least an hour) into the blender and grind the rice into a coarse (like sooji or cream of rice) consistency. This paste can be stored in the refrigerator and used as needed. Coat the fish as needed and deep fry.

• Green masala fry - Grind 1/2 cup cilantro, 4 - 6 garlic cloves and 6 green chillies (or more if you want) to a fine paste. Add in 1/2 tsp turmeric, juice of half a lemon (about 2 tbsps), 2 tbsps of greek yoghurt or hung curd and salt to taste. Apply this masala to the fish. Heat a flat bottomed pan and shallow fry. You can also wrap the fish fillet in a plantain or turmeric leaf and tawa fry or even steam it. If you are steaming it, please add in at least a tsp of oil to the paste.