Surmai Fish Fry With Pathare Prabhu Masala Powder.

“Surmai (Visonu / King Fish) Fish Fry With Pathare Prabhu Masala Powder” … A spicy ~ aromatic ~ crispy tava fried fish … Goes very well with simple Dalitoy ~ Sheetha (Dal – Chawal) … Yummy Yumz … 

** Fish fry is something that is almost every fish eaters favorite item that is enjoyed as a side dish even with simple Dalitoy-Sheetha (Dal-Chawal). It is a misconception with many people that we GSB Konkani's do not eat fish. The Brahmin tag that gets included in the GSB (Gowd Saraswat Brahmin) leads many to think so. A century back or so we GSB’s who were inhabitants of a place near Rajastan in Northern India in the banks of river Saraswati came upon a calamity of shortage of food. It was during that time onward that people started to eat fish that were available in plenty in the flowing river of Saraswati for survival. It is believed that we were granted this request by holy people as if not done the community would be diminished. Due to further calamity we migrated from there to Bengal, from Bengal to Goa and then towards more Southern parts of India upto the holy place of Cochin when the community faced back to back continuous disaster. Throughout this phase of travel, we picked up the food habits of that particular place for survival. Now that out community has migrated all round the world and prospered, so also the eating habits have varied and rightly so as each one has to make best of what is available within their vicinity. Coming to fish, those who started relishing fish have always loved them and my family is one of them. Even after my marriage, I found to my relief that my husband simply loved fish and it really was a boon as I could not think of compromising on it. 

** Recently, I had prepared and posted the recipe of Pathare Prabhu Masala Powder, I will give the link to the same below the recipe, you can check up on the same. By and large chilly powder along with some spices is made into a paste and applied to fish and fried after dusting it with either rava or rice flour. For a change I used this PP masala powder instead and the fish fry turned out really awesome. I have posted many variation in fish fry masala before and this is the next one added on to the list. All of you who love the crispy fried fish piece along with your lunch / dinner are sure to love this one. So go ahead and prepare the same and relish with your family and friends. You can also apply the masala and put it in a tight stainless steel box and freeze it for a day or two if hard pressed for time. Just remove it from freezer a few hours before the need to fry them and half your work is done. Why Stainless Steel Box ?? A good question, Because it is odor free, nature friendly, long lasting, better than plastic on health issues. So avoid plastic as much as possible to maintain a good healthy atmosphere for our coming generations. 

** For the Surmai Fish Fry Recipe ...... 

** Gently wash and pat dry with a clean towel 8-10 medium sized pieces of Surmai (Visonu / King Fish). 

** Note : You can use any fish that you like too. Goes very well with all types of fishes. But somehow I find surmai fish fry the best and I am always partial to it. But you may prepare the same with any fish of your choice.

** In a small bowl add in 3 tablespoons of Pathare Prabhu masala + 1 tsp of kashmiri red chilly powder + 1 tsp of vinegar + salt to taste and mix well. Add in little water and bring to a thick applicable paste. You can check the picture posted.

** Now apply this masala paste to each piece of fish on both sides (a thin layer) and put it in a steel box. Cover and keep aside for an hour. If you are going to fry after more than few hours, put the box in fridge and remove 30-40 mins before you need to fry. 

** Add in 3 – 4 tblsp of fine rava (sooji / chiroti rava / wheat germ), pinch of salt, pinch of red chilly powder and mix well. Dust the marinated fish pieces with this mixture on all sides. 

** Heat 2-3 tblsp on a non stick pan, when hot lower the heat and add in the fish pieces that are kept ready for frying. Fry them crisp on medium flame, flipping them over twice till all sides are equally and evenly browned. Remove into an absorbent paper for the excess oil to drain off. Continue with remaining fish pieces till the required number of fishes are fried.

** “Surmai (Visonu / King Fish) Fish Fry With Pathare Prabhu Masala Powder” is done and ready to be served. Always serve frish fries hot and immediately from the tava, they taste the best that way. The fish turns out not only crispy and aromatic but tasty too. In case you have guests, you can always apply the masala to the fish pieces, arrange them neatly in a box and put them in fridge if for few hours or in freezer if more than 4-6 hours. Do try this out, tastes simply yumz.

** For the Pathare Prabhu Masala Powder Recipe, Follow the link given below … 

http://gayathrifoodbytes.blogspot.in/2017/11/pathare-prabhu-masala.html#more

** An earnest Request : There are many more recipes of similar type in the blog. For all my Recipes, use the search option or the label section in the Blog. If you are still not able to find it please leave a message in comment section or mail me the same. You can also go to my page (add on the left side of blog) and leave a message and I will try my best to get back to you as soon as possible … Thank you. I have also started a food group by the name "KONKANI DELICACIES" the link of which is posted on the left side of the blog page. Do join us in our culinary journey.