Air fryer recipe · Starters
Amritsari Fish Fry
Punjab's beloved street-side fish, golden and crackly with carom and a whisper of chilli.
- 40 minTotal time
- 200°CAir fryer
- 2Serves
- Non-vegetarianDiet
Nutrition per serving
- 100kcal
- 5.4 gprotein
- 17.2 gcarbs
- 1.7 gfat
- 2.9 gfibre
Per serving, about 2 servings. Figures are estimates from standard ingredient databases, not medical, dietetic, or nutritional advice.
Ingredients
- Boneless basa or surmai chunks400 g
- Besan (gram flour)5 tbsp
- Carom seeds (ajwain)1 tsp
- Ginger-garlic paste1.5 tbsp
- Kashmiri red chilli powder1.5 tsp
- Lemon juice2 tbsp
Method
Pat and prime the fish
Blot the fish chunks completely dry with kitchen paper so the batter clings instead of slipping off. Toss them with lemon juice, salt and half the ginger-garlic paste, then rest 10 minutes to draw out any rawness.
Whisk the besan cloak
Mix besan with carom seeds, chilli powder, the rest of the ginger-garlic paste and just enough water to form a thick, clinging batter. It should coat the back of a spoon without dripping freely.
Coat every piece
Fold the fish into the batter so each chunk wears an even jacket. Let the coated pieces sit 5 minutes while the besan tightens and grips the surface.
Preheat and oil-mist
Preheat the air fryer and brush the basket with a thin film of mustard oil for that authentic Amritsari aroma. Arrange the fish in a single layer with gaps so hot air circles each piece.
Air-fry to a craggy crust
Air-fry at 200C for 14 minutes, flipping at the halfway mark and brushing with a little more oil for an even golden shell. Finish with a dusting of chaat masala and a squeeze of lemon. The fish is done when it turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
