Vanjaram Fish / Seer/King Fish Fry

Vanjaram Meen or Seer/King Fish Fry

Vanjaram fish fry is the basic fish fry which any sea food lovers would love. I personally love to cook small fishes for both fry and kuzhambu. I prefer to fry this vanjiram fish than kuzhambu as small fishes have better flavour for kuzhambu than big ones. Vanjiram fish fry is easy dish yet a special dish on any weekend lunch preparation.

I make a unique kitchen and stove preparation to fry this fish. this is to avoid any oil being spluttered on the walls. I stick news papers on the walls around the stove. Later I discard the news papers.

The taste of this fish fry is in the ingredients added to the marination. they should be mild and flavourful as well as not too strong to over power the original fish taste. I feel that garam masala or ginger-garlic paste should be avoided to fish fry as it makes fish fry less different from other chicken or mutton dishes. 

Let us see the ingredients for marination which lets the fish fry to taste like fish fry.

Ingredients:

• Fish (Vanjaram/Seer fish) - 4 slices (400 to 500 grams)
• Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
• Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt for taste
• Tamarind extract (thick) - 2 tablespoon
• Curry leaves - 2 sprigs finely chopped
• Garlic (paste) - 1 teaspoon

Procedure:

• Wash the fish 4 to 5 times. Drain the water.
• To the fish, add the above ingredients for marination.
• Let it marinate for minimum 1 hour in fridge.

Frying the fish:

• Stick news papers around the stove to avoid oil spluttering all over the stove and wall.
• Heat 2 table spoons oil in a tawa or pan.
• Shallow fry the marinated fishes slices one or two at a time as per convenience.
• Fry them till the slices are red and well roasted. 
• Thus the Tamil-cuisine famous vanjiram fish fry is ready to be served.

I generally do not club this fish fry with other non vegetarian dishes. This vanjaram fish fry makes a good side dish for any light rice or fried rice.

Happy cooking !!