Food Blogs
Crisp-fried spicy John Dory Recipe
Prep Time | 30 minutes |
Cook Time | 60 minutes |
Servings |
MetricUS Imperial
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Ingredients
For the cucumber salad
- 1 small cucumber peeled, deseeded and thinly sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes deseeded and thinly sliced
- ½ medium red onion halved and thinly sliced
- 10 sprigs coriander
For the dressing
For the grilled tomato chutney
- 4 medium tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- tbsp about 1olive oil
- 1 small green chilli
- 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
- tsp ½toasted cumin seeds crushed
- 2 tbsp lime juice
For the John Dory
- 4 John Dory fillets each 100-120g/4-4½oz, skin on
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- pinch Salt
- Groundnut oil for deep-frying
- 1 tsp chaat masala
For the batter
- 1 tsp ½each ginger and garlic pastes mixed
- tsp ½ground turmeric
- tsp ½red chilli powder or crushed black pepper
- tsp ¼garam masala powder
- tsp ½dried mango powder
- tsp ¼ajwain seeds optional
- 100 gram g/4ozflour
- 1 tbsp Cornflour
- 120 oz ml/4flsparkling water
For the crushed peas
Ingredients
For the cucumber salad
For the dressing
For the grilled tomato chutney
For the John Dory
For the batter
For the crushed peas
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Instructions
- For the cucumber salad and the dressing, mix together all the ingredients for the cucumber salad together. In a separate bowl, mix the ingredients for the dressing, adding just enough lime juice and oil to slacken the jam, and to your taste. Chill the salad and dressing.
- For the grilled tomato chutney, preheat the grill. Lay the whole tomatoes and garlic on a baking tray and drizzle with a little olive oil. Grill until well charred. Peel the garlic, then place on a large chopping board with the tomatoes and the rest of the chutney ingredients. Chop together finely to combine. (Or pulse in a food processor to a chutney consistency.) Keep chilled until required.
- For the John Dory, marinate the fish in the lime juice with a pinch of salt for 20 minutes.
- For the batter, mix the garlic and ginger pastes and all the dry ingredients in a bowl, then slowly pour in the sparkling water, whisking as you do so. Wipe the fish with kitchen paper to remove excess moisture, then add the fish to the batter. Leave for ten minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the crushed peas. Lightly blanch the peas in boiling salted water for one minute, then drain. Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan. Add the asafoetida and, as it foams, add the cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds crackle, add the chilli flakes and the blanched peas. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then stir in the stock (or water) and cream, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat and, with a wooden spoon, crush the peas. Keep warm while you fry the fish.
- To fry the fish, heat the groundnut oil in a deep heavy-bottomed saucepan, until a breadcrumb sizzles and browns when dropped in it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous - do not leave unattended.) Deep-fry the fillets for 3-5 minutes or until golden and crisp on both sides. Carefully remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with the chaat masala.
- To serve, toss the cucumber salad with dressing to taste. Spoon the crushed peas onto each of four large warm plates. Place the fish on top, then pile some of the cucumber salad on the fish. Spoon a little tomato chutney around each plate.