This wonderfully delicious and simple Punjabi recipe is from India’s Sikh community. Amritsar (located in Northern India) is the holy city of the Sikhs made famous by its Golden Temple.

Machchi Amritsari is deep fried fish coated in a spicy batter. This makes for a wonderful snack, side dish or an appetizer.


MACHCHI AMRITSARI

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 lbs firm white fish fillets (tilapia, cod, snapper…), cut into 2” pieces
1 tsp garlic, finely minced
½ tsp ginger, peeled and finely minced
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp garam masala
½ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ajwain (carom seeds), gently crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt (to taste)
4-6 tbsp all purpose flour (for dredging)
Oil for deep frying (vegetable or peanut)

BATTER
1 cup besan (Bengal gram or chickpea flour)
1 tsp salt (to taste)
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp red chili powder
juice of ½ a lemon
water as needed
1 tbsp HOT oil

Lemon wedges and freshly chopped cilantro leaves for garnish.

METHOD:

In a large mixing bowl, add the fish pieces along with the ginger, garlic, salt, turmeric, garam masala, red chili powder, ajwain, ground cumin & ground coriander. Stir gently to coat the fish evenly, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until needed.

In a deep cast iron skillet or wok, heat the oil on medium high heat.

To make the Batter:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the besan with the spices (salt, garam masala, red chili powder) and lemon juice. Add the water slowly and mix to form a fairly smooth but thick batter. Add 1 tbsp of the HOT oil to the batter and mix it in. This is the key to crispy and crunchy fish.

Lightly dredge the fish in all purpose flour, dusting off any excess. Then dip the fish pieces into the batter. Remove any excess batter and very carefully lower the fish into the hot oil. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry on medium low, turning the fish once. The fish should be golden on all sides and crispy. Remove and drain well. Serve with your favorite chutney or sauce.