Description
Fish pakora is a beloved South Asian street food, perfect for family gatherings or as a snack. This recipe provides a crispy coating with tender, flaky fish inside.
Ingredients
Scale
- 500g boneless fish fillets (tilapia or cod), cut into cubes
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1–2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
- 2–3 tablespoons gram flour (besan)
- 1 tablespoon rice flour
- Water (as needed, to make thick batter)
- Oil (for deep frying)
Instructions
- Start with fresh, boneless fish fillets. Rinse and pat them dry thoroughly with a paper towel. Excess moisture can interfere with the coating and oil temperature.
- In a large bowl, mix ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, red chilli powder, turmeric, cumin, coriander powder, salt, and garam masala. Add the fish pieces and gently toss to coat. Marinate for at least 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle gram flour and rice flour over the marinated fish. Add chopped coriander. Add a few teaspoons of water—just enough to form a thick coating around the fish pieces. The batter should cling tightly without dripping.
- Heat oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Test the oil with a small drop of batter; if it sizzles and rises, it is ready. Fry the fish pakoras in batches, turning occasionally until golden brown and crispy on all sides. This should take about 4–5 minutes per batch.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove pakoras and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with green chutney, tamarind sauce, or a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Notes
- You can air-fry or bake fish pakora for a lighter version, though the texture may vary.
- Leftover batter-coated fish can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before frying.
- Firm white fish like tilapia, cod, haddock, or basa work best for these crispy fish fritters.
- Adding rice flour makes the coating extra crispy for your fried fish snacks.
- Fry in small batches to avoid soggy pakoras.
- Adjust red chilli powder to suit your taste for spicy fish pakora.
- Pair with masala chai or as a starter for a South Asian meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snack
- Method: Deep-fried
- Cuisine: Pakistani, Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: N/A
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: N/A
- Unsaturated Fat: N/A
- Trans Fat: N/A
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: N/A