The sea bass fish, also called Koduvai in Tamil, is an integral part of Indian cuisine. Found in shallower regions of tropical seas, this fish family includes about 475 species, mostly known for food. In Tamil Nadu and many coastal areas of India, it is a widely renowned delicacy that is a favourite.
If you enjoy eating fish, the pan-fried masala sea bass is a dish you must try. The fish is fried to perfection, with a crispy skin and succulent meat infused with herbs and spices. The signature marinade for this pan-fried masala dish is a legacy item, which will tantalize the taste buds. It consists of a tomato-chilli sauce, fried shallots, and cilantro to make a wholesome and delicious fish.
But before we jump into the recipe, let’s discover more about this fish.
What makes sea bass special?
Sea bass is an excellent fish to experiment on with a variety of flavours, as this white-fleshed fish doesn’t have a strong flavour of its own. It’s a succulent delicacy that comes with soft, buttery, and juicy meat that is ideal to soak up your favourite flavours. Even for those who don’t usually eat fish, this is an appetizing delicacy that can be prepared in various ways.
If you’re looking for the ideal cut of this fish for your cooking, we’ve got a wonderfully fresh range, be sure to check it out.
| Servings |
|
- 500 grams Sea bass fillets
- 2 tablespoons Kashmiri red chilli powder or Paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Grated ginger or ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic thinly sliced or as paste
- 1 tablespoon Vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 3 Dry Kashmiri chilies
- 7-8 Shallots
- 1 Lemon or lime
- Salt - to taste
- coriander leaves to garnish
Ingredients
|
|
- For the masala marinade, mix chilli powder, ginger, vinegar, garlic, turmeric powder, and salt with ¼ cups of water in a bowl. Marinate your basa fillets in this mixture for 20 minutes.
- Heat up a pan, add oil, and fry diced shallots over medium heat while stirring continuously. Once the shallots are brown and crispy, turn off the flame.
- Boil water in a pot, and cook the tomatoes and Kashmiri chilies till tender. Once the tomatoes and chilies are tender, cool them and peel the tomatoes. Keep only the tomato’s flesh.
- Puree the cooked and peeled tomatoes with the Kashmiri chilies and ¼ cup of water in a blender.
- Take a pan, heat it up, and add the blended tomato chilli puree. Reduce the blended puree into a thick paste.
- Heat up olive oil in a pan over medium flame, and fry the marinated sea bass fillets. Fry the sea bass skin-down.
- Once the skin side is crispy and well-fried, turn it over and fry the other side.
- Once the fish is cooked to a brownish colour on each side, take it out of the pan. Repeat this process for all the sea bass pieces.
- While serving, add a layer of tomato-chilli paste onto the plate, and place the sea bass fillet on top of the sauce.
- Garnish your dish with fried shallots, cilantro, and a lime wedge on the side.
Tips:
Ensure that you score your fish, so that the marinate deeply seeps into the fish. You can also marinate the fish overnight for enhanced flavour. Always start frying your fish with the skin-side down. Squeeze a dash of lime over the friend fillet before eating; the acidity of citrus truly complements the dish.
Happy cooking! If you found this recipe valuable, stay tuned for more.
nice dish
nice dish