Fishy on me
Type: Hake, fillet with skin on.
–
How to order:
Request as above, 1 portion per person. Hake is generally one of the cheaper priced fish that you can purchase. I prefer to alternate between hake and kingklip for traditional fish and chips at home.
–
Fried fish always has that rep for being greasy. I’ve researched that thickness of the batter and temperature control is so important in achieving just the right ‘crisp’ on the outside. The batter has to be thin enough to cook through and the fish needs to be dropped into hot oil to avoid that greasy feeling.
–
Tips:
I prefer my fish with a light sprinkle of Maldon salt and a squeeze of lemon before serving. M, a good plash of vinegar and a dusting of chilli powder. Which are you?
–
INGREDIENTS
- 7 pieces of hake, skin on
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp fish spice
- Grind of salt
- Grind of black pepper
- 1 cup flour
- 2 tbsp Maizena (cornflour)
- Half a tsp salt
- Half a tsp turmeric
- Half a tsp chilli powder
- Quarter tsp baking powder
- Iced water, to create the batter
- Hot (sunflower) oil, for frying
- Egg, optional
Instructions
- Lay fish on a tray in a single layer.
- Pat with absorbent paper to remove excess water.
- Rub over the lemon juice.
- Sprinkle over the fish spice, salt and black pepper.
Make the batter:
- Add flour, baking powder and spices to a flat dish.
- Add iced water, a bit at a time to create a batter.
- The batter should not be thick neither should it be runny. The batter should adhere to the fish easily.
The oil should be hot.
Drop the fish gently in from one end, the skin side down.
The oil will immediately begin bubbling. Drop the temperature immediately to medium.
Turn the fish to cook the other side. Total cooking time will be approximately 4 minutes in total.
To ensure that your fish is served hot, place it on baking paper and leave in the oven while you continue to prepare the rest.