This recipe reminds me of my mum getting fresh ‘Bombay ducks’ (fish) from the fishmongers and serving them with some tasty dal and rice.

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 tsp ginger (minced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli Kashmiri powder
½ tsp sea salt
1tsp cumin seeds (crushed)
3 tsp white wine vinegar
225g hake fish
60g semolina
200ml oil
½ lime wedge

Notes:

• Kashmiri chilli powder is mild but has a vibrant red colour and is used in loads of Indian recipes. If you don’t have it don’t worry, you can swap it with ¼ tsp of mild chilli powder if needed.
• Make sure the hake is not more than 2cm thick. You can slice it in half if it’s too thick. A thick fish will take longer to cook and might burn on the surface.
• You can try this recipe with any white fish: haddock, plaice, turbot, halibut, cod, etc.

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix the ginger, garlic, turmeric, chilli powder, salt, cumin seeds, white wine vinegar and mix thoroughly.
2. Add the hake to the same bowl and make sure it’s coated evenly with the marinade. Let it marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
3. Take a plate and put some of the semolina on it, place the marinated hake on top and cover with the rest of the semolina.
4. Turn the fish around on the plate a few times to make sure it is completely covered in semolina.
5. You need to shallow-fry the fish, so use a small frying pan for best results. Pour in the oil – it should be able to cover the bottom half of the fish while frying. Add more oil if needed.
6. Turn the heat to high, and once the oil starts to smoke, add the hake.
7. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for 3-4 minutes on one side until golden brown and crispy. Turn over and fry for another 3 minutes. You can flip the fish a few times if you think it’s not crispy or golden brown enough.
8. Once it’s cooked, place it on a paper towel to remove any excess oil and serve with a lime wedge.