Spicy Fried Fish

Name: Spicy Fried Fish
Total time: 4 h 30 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: malay
Ingredients: 3 pieces Small fish (e.g., stone grouper, mackerel), cleaned and scored; 4 cloves Garlic, peeled; 20 g Ginger, sliced; 1 stalk Lemongrass, sliced; 50 ml Water (for blending); 2 tsp Salt; 2 tsp Chili powder; 2 tsp Cumin powder; 2 tsp Coriander seeds, ground; 2 tsp Tamarind water (or lemon juice); 2 tsp Turmeric powder; 2 tbsp Cornstarch (or tapioca flour); 500 ml Cooking oil (for frying); 15 leaves Curry leaves; 0.5 piece Cucumber, sliced (for garnish)

A recipe for delicious spicy fried fish, marinated in a blend of aromatic spices including ginger, garlic, lemongrass, chili, cumin, coriander, and turmeric, then shallow-fried until crispy and cooked through.

4h 30m 3 servingsMr. Hong Kitchen阿鸿厨房 Source

Extracted by chinwei271Extracted 3 Jul 2026

Nutrition· per serving · estimated

350

Calories

30g

Protein

15g

Carbs

20g

Fat

Scale recipe

3 servings

Original recipe

Ingredients15 items

Produce

🧄Garlic, peeled4 cloves

🫚Ginger, sliced20 g

🌿Lemongrass, sliced1 stalk

🌿Curry leaves15 leaves

🥒Cucumber, sliced (for garnish)½ piece

Seafood

🐟Small fish (e.g., stone grouper, mackerel), cleaned and scored3 pieces

Pantry

💧Water (for blending)50 ml

🍋Tamarind water (or lemon juice)2 tsp

🍚Cornstarch (or tapioca flour)2 tbsp

🌻Cooking oil (for frying)500 ml

Spices

🧂Salt2 tsp

🌶️Chili powder2 tsp

🌱Cumin powder2 tsp

🌿Coriander seeds, ground2 tsp

🧡Turmeric powder2 tsp

Instructions

1
Clean the fish by removing scales, guts, and gills. Trim any sharp fins or spines with scissors. Score the fish on both sides with diagonal cuts to help absorb the marinade. Pat the fish dry thoroughly with paper towels.
2
Slice the ginger, garlic, and lemongrass into smaller pieces. Place them into a blender with 50ml of water and blend until a smooth paste is formed.
3
Transfer the blended spice paste to a mixing bowl. Add salt, chili powder, cumin powder, ground coriander seeds, tamarind water (or lemon juice), and turmeric powder. Mix well until a uniform paste is formed.
4
Apply the spice paste generously all over the cleaned and scored fish, ensuring it gets into the cuts and the belly cavity. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer the fish to an airtight container. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to penetrate.
240:00 timer
5
Before frying, remove the marinated fish from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Lightly sprinkle and pat cornstarch (or tapioca flour) onto both sides of each fish.
6
Heat cooking oil in a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a small pinch of cornstarch into the oil; it should sizzle and float to the surface.
7
Carefully place the coated fish into the hot oil. Adjust the heat to medium-low to prevent the spices from burning too quickly. Fry the fish in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan.
8
As the fish fries, gently tilt the pan or use a ladle to baste the top surface of the fish with hot oil. This helps to set the crust and prevents the fish from sticking when flipped. Once one side is golden brown and crispy, carefully flip the fish to cook the other side.
9
During the last few minutes of frying (around 15 minutes total frying time), add the curry leaves to the hot oil around the fish. This will infuse a fragrant aroma.
10
Once the fish is golden brown, crispy, and cooked through, remove it from the oil and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Garnish with fresh cucumber slices and the fried curry leaves. Serve hot.

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