POMFRET FRY - GOAN STYLE

    Goa a small state in the Western Coastal region in the Arabian Sea is one place tourist flock for the beauty, culture, entertainment and all the more for food.  The bright sunshine, clean, sand spread beaches, cool coconut trees and a wonderful cuisine add highlights to this beautiful place.   Goa has a long history and reminiscent memories of culture, architect and food left from Portuguese settlement. As said visit Goa for 'Good Mood and Good Food'.
     Goan Cuisine is unique to itself with a wide array of Seafood, Coconuts, Jaggery, Beef, Pork, Spices, Vinegar and their own speciality the FENNY (Goan special country liquor usually prepared from Cashew Apples).  Though some food is similar to Kerala Cuisine from parts of Cochin (which was also a Portuguese Settlement), the spices used in Goan Cuisine gives a twist to the flavour. Like any other cuisine and culture, Goan cuisine also has taken its twist and turn of adaptation with the use of local produce and adapting to the nature of prevailing neighbourhood cuisine culture.
      If there is one seafood favourite all around the world then, it would surely be this Pomfret Fry. And when it is prepared in Goan style, the taste of the fish is enhanced with tropical spices like pepper, fenugreek and fennel giving it an overwhelming flavour and an extra note of aroma.
     But absolutely it means only to people who love fish and seafood. My son used to run behind the fishmonger when he was a kid, asking him to stop so that I can buy fish for him.  But suddenly things changed, and he totally started to avoid eating them.  Even the smell of fish makes him run out of the place. Even now he never comes to the wet market or to the seafood section in the market.
     But for an exception, he wouldn't mind eating seafood like prawns and crabs and Steamed Seabass/Pomfret or Ikan Bakar Pari (Grilled Sting Ray).  But I have never been successful in insisting him to eat fish in any other way.  Even my daughter gets sceptical eating fish at times, literally only at times.  On other occasions and for certain recipes and fishes she loves them.  So I usually make sure to buy their favourite fishes and prepare the way both of them likes.
     Pomfret Fry is one of my daughter's favourite dish and all the more she likes them prepared as Meen Pollichathu in Kerala Style, since our visit to Kallu Shap (Toddy Shop) near Cochin. This Goan style fish fry is a simple marinade prepared with basic spices with a slight note of tanginess from tamarind.  Marinated Fish can be deep-fried or shallow fried to your preference.  Serve it along with Rice, Fish Curry or Simple dhal or veggie curry. 


Cuisine - Goa (India)
Course - Side Dish/Appetizer
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 2
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 15 - 20 Minutes
Marination Time - 30 Minutes to 1 Hour
Cooking Time - 10 - 15 Minutes.

INGREDIENTS :

 

METHOD :

• Clean the fish and draw 3-4 incisions with a sharp knife all over the fish.
• Dry Roast the Fenugreek Seeds and Fennel Seeds on a very low flame until the spices splutter and turn aromatic.
• Cool and grind the roasted spices into a fine powder. 
• Mix all the ingredients mentioned under 'To Marinate', adding Tamarind Juice into a paste.
• Marinate the fish with the Spice Paste and keep it aside for 30 minutes - 1 hour.
• Heat oil in a pan and fry the fish on medium low flame for about 3 minutes.
• Gently flip the fish and fry the other side for about 3 minutes or until it is fried on both the sides.
• Remove from oil and drain it on a paper towel.
• Serve hot Garnished with Onions and Coriander Leaves and with a drizzle of Lemon Juice over it.
• Goes well with steamed White Rice accompanied with Dhal, Curries, Non-Veg Curries/Gravies.

NOTES:

• Any type of fish- small/big variety can be used for this recipe.
• I have prepared the dish with white Pomfret, even fish pieces can be used for the purpose.
• Adjust spices as per your taste and fish’s size.
• Can marinate the fish overnight and leave it in the refrigerator. 
• Adding Semolina/Rice Flour is purely optional, I haven't used it in this recipe.
• If, leaving it in the refrigerator add Semolina/Rice flour just before frying the fish.
• Can Deep Fry or shallow Fry the fish to your preference.
• I usually shallow fry the fish.