Pomfret Fry.....My Style

After an overload of sweetness on the blog, i guess its time for some savory seafood.  Hmmmm sounds yummy. The recipe today is right out of my kitchen. I have not referred to anything from the internet or from anywhere else.

So lets get sizzling.

Today i am going to share my pomfret fry recipe (indian style). Very basic and simple yet absolutely delicious. Such recipes make everyday cooking so easy without compromising on the taste.

What makes this recipe even more easier is the pomfret itself. This fish can be cleaned quickly and easily.

Pomfret also known as butterfish is considered to be excellent source of protein, low in fat, high in vitamin D and few other minerals like calcium, iron and zinc.

First up.. clean the fish. Remove the scales. Unlike other fishes, pomfret has very few and small scales. Remove the head, fins, tail and clean the inside of the fish thoroughly by removing the guts. I personally don't use the head but if you like you can use it.  Finally rub the fish with salt and rinse it with water. Now carefully make 2 to 3 slits on the fish on both sides. This will help in better marination of the fish.

Clean pomfret with 3-4 slits made on both sides

The fish is now ready to be marinated.

My mom taught me the basic recipe for marination for all kinds of fish fry using turmeric, chili powder, pepper powder and salt. But i tweak the recipe once in a while for different flavor profile. Now there are several options for marination. The first is using turmeric, red chili powder, pepper powder, salt and lemon juice or water. Second option is same as first but instead you can add garlic paste for extra flavor.

And third is the same as second but you can add paste of coriander leaves to make a green chutney which is also very very delicious. You can also make stuffed pomfret fry. I haven't tried it but i will very soon and will share the recipe for sure.

Well today i am going to share the second option:

Ingredients are as follows:

2 medium sized pomfret (washed and cleaned)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
11/2 tsp of pepper powder
1 tsp of chili powder
Salt to taste
2 tsp of Lemon juice or water
Garlic paste or minced garlic
Oil for frying

I never measure my ingredients and generally eyeball them.....only for the savory indian food that i prepare but thats an absolute no no for me while baking.

So well yea i measured the ingredients carefully so that i can put it on the blog and mannnn it was difficult...hehehehe.... You can increase or decrease the amount of chili powder and pepper based on how spicy you want the marinade to be.

Mix turmeric, pepper, chili powder, salt, garlic paste and lemon juice to make a nice thick paste. Rub this marination on both sides of the fish. Set the fish aside for somewhere between half an hour to 1 hour.

In a pan add enough oil required for shallow frying, about 3-4 tbsp or so and heat the oil on a medium flame.

Once the oil is nice and hot add the fish. The oil should not not be too hot else the outside will burn and insides wont cook properly. Cover the pan with a lid.

After about 6-7 mins flip the fish and cook the other side for another 5- 6 mins. Once done the fish will have a nice sear on the outside and will be perfectly cooked from the inside.

And thats it....you are done. Serve hot with roti, chapatti or rice.


So until next time happy cooking :)