Amritsari Fish with Mint Chutney & Basmati

Punjab's famous fried fish: firm white fillets coated in a carom-scented chickpea-flour batter and fried until crackly and golden, with tangy mint-yogurt chutney and a crunchy onion-cucumber salad.

Ingredients

• 1½ lb cod or other firm white fish, in 2-inch pieces
• ¾ cup chickpea flour (besan)
• ¾ cup plain yogurt (divided)
• 2 lemons
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 package mint
• ½ bunch cilantro
• 1 green chili
• 1 cucumber, sliced
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1½ cups basmati rice

From your pantry: ⅓ cup oil for shallow-frying, 2 tbsp cornstarch or rice flour, 1½ tsp chili powder, 1 tsp garam masala, ½ tsp ajwain (carom seeds) or dried thyme, ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (optional), 1 tsp chaat masala, 1½ tsp salt.

Instructions

1. Start the rice. Pat the fish dry and toss with the juice of 1 lemon, the ginger, garlic, chili powder, turmeric and ½ tsp salt. Set aside 10 minutes.
2. Blend the mint, cilantro, chili, ½ cup of the yogurt, a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt into a smooth green chutney.
3. Whisk the chickpea flour, cornstarch, ajwain, garam masala, fenugreek, ½ tsp salt, the remaining yogurt and 3 to 4 tbsp water into a thick batter that coats a spoon. Add the fish and turn to coat every piece.
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high until a drop of batter sizzles and rises right away. Fry the fish in batches without crowding, turning once, until deep golden and crisp and the fish flakes, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on a rack.
5. Toss the cucumber and onion with lemon juice and salt. Sprinkle the hot fish with chaat masala and serve with rice, the salad, the chutney and lemon wedges.

Tip: In Amritsar it's made with sole-like river fish or king mackerel; cod, tilapia, salmon or even shrimp all work. For a lighter version, air-fry battered pieces brushed with oil at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway.

Nutrition per serving

Adapted from Swasthi's Recipes.

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