Kerala Style Air Fried Fish Masala

Name: Kerala Style Air Fried Fish Masala
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 pcs Small Onions ((roughly chopped)); 1 inch Ginger; 5 cloves Garlic; 1 tsp Red chili powder; 1/2 tbsp Coriander powder; 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder; 1 tsp Salt; 2 sprigs Curry leaves; 2 pcs Pomfrets Fish ((or any of your choice)); 12 bunch Coriander leaves; 1/2 cup Mint leaves; 10 pcs Garlic cloves; 5 pcs Green chilies; 2 tsp Salt; 1/2 pcs Lemon juice; 1 cup Water; 1 pcs Large Onion rings; 1 tsp Red chili powder; 1/2 tsp Salt; 1 tbsp Chaat masala; 1/2 tsp Black pepper powder; 1/2 pcs Lemon juice; 1 tbsp Green chili ((finely chopped)); 1 tbsp Coriander leaves ((finely chopped))

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Coated in a simple blend of spices and cooked to perfection, this Kerala style air fried fish masala is a lip-smacking appetizer you need to try out. The recipe is super easy and straightforward, and all you need is a handful of ingredients and a few minutes of kitchen time to put it all together.

Delicious Kerala Style Air Fried Fish Masala served with Onion salad and chutney

Sounds interesting? Scroll down and read on to discover everything you need to know about making it the right way.

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Ingredients For the Recipe
How to Make the Air Fried Fish Masala
Frequently Asked Questions
Tips & Tricks to Make the Air Fried Fish Masala
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Ingredients For the Recipe

You’ll need three simple sets of ingredients to make the fish, the chutney and the salad.

For the Fish

Onions (roughly chopped): 1 small onion
Ginger: 1 inch
Garlic: 4-5 cloves
Red chili powder: 1 tsp
Coriander powder: ½ tbsp
Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
Salt: 1 teaspoon or as per taste
Curry leaves: 2 sprigs
Fish: 2 pomfrets (or any of your choice)

For the Green chutney

Zoom in image of Kerala Style Air Fried Fish Masala

Coriander leaves: A bunch
Mint leaves: ½ cup
Garlic cloves: 8-10
Green chilies: 3-5
Salt: 2 tsps or as per taste
Lemon juice: Half a lemon
Water: If required

For Onion Salad

Onion rings: 1 large onion
Red chili powder: 1 tsp
Salt: ½ tsp
Chaat masala: 1 tbsp
Black pepper powder: ½ tsp
Lemon juice: Half a lemon
Green chili (finely chopped): 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves (finely chopped): 1 tbsp

How to Make the Air Fried Fish Masala

Once you have all your ingredients ready, here’s the process you’ll need to follow to make the air fried fish masala from scratch.

Pre-heat the air fryer at 400°F for 5 minutes.

Blend onions, ginger & garlic into the thich paste

Add red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and salt into the blender

Take a blender and add the onions, ginger, garlic, red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Blend it into a smooth paste. The paste has to be thick in consistency so that you can put it on the fish. If the paste is too thick, add a little bit of water.

Marinate the fish with the paste earlier made

Take the fish on a plate and add the marinade and properly apply it on the fish.

Next, spray the air fryer basket with oil. Next, put the marinated fish inside.

Sir fry the marinated fish into air fryer for few minutes until its properly cooked

Air fry the fish at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until they are properly cooked.

Add all the ingredients for the chutney into the blender

For the green chutney, blend all the ingredients together. Add water to adjust the consistency of the chutney.

Add all the ingredients for the onion salad into the bowl and mix well

For the onion salad, mix all the ingredients together.

Crisp Kerala Style Air Fried Fish Masala served with chutney as side dish

Serve the fried fish hot with green chutney and spicy onion salad. Serve it as a side dish with steamed rice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Other Kinds of Fish Are Best For This Recipe?

While the Kerala style fish is best made using pomfret, you can use any other white fish as a substitute. Haddock, Tilapia, cod, king fish, Spanish Mackerel, Flounder, Grouper are all great choices that work just as well, and are easy to work with too.

Can I Prep the Dish in Advance?

You can prepare some parts of the recipe in advance. The marinade can be put together in a bowl and stored overnight in the refrigerator. You can also make the chutney beforehand and refrigerate it for days- it can pair nicely with a lot of different appetizers.

How Do I Put the Leftovers to Use?

Got any leftovers that you want to reuse? You can create a simple curry using this Indian curry base, put the fish pieces inside and serve it as a fish curry. You can also separate the fish off the bone, set it aside, and use it as a filling for your homemade tacos or wraps.

Tips & Tricks to Make the Air Fried Fish Masala

While making the fish and the sides is super easy, you might want to keep these tips and tricks in mind.

Regardless of what kind of fish you’re using for the recipe, remember to cut it into thin slices, ideally each of the same size, so that they are all cooked to perfection.
To lend a delicious tangy and sweet flavor to the fish, add a bit of tamarind paste to the marinade.
Layer a sheet of parchment paper in the air fryer basket to keep the marinade and the fish from sticking to its side while it is being cooked.
Don’t have an air fryer? You can use your oven and bake the marinated fish too.
To help the spice marinade penetrate into the fish, you can also use a sharp knife to cut a few gashes into the surface of the fish, and then add a bit of the marinade into them too. This way, the fish will be evenly seasoned and bursting with flavor.
Don’t want to whip up the chutney and salad but still want to elevate the fish in terms of look and flavor? Prepare a simple tempering of curry leaves, sliced onions, mustard seeds and red chilli flakes in minimal oil and use it as a topping for the fish.

Crunchy Kerala Style Air Fried Fish Masala

Serving Ideas & Suggestions

The crispy and flavorful Kerala style air fried fish masala tastes great on its own, or when paired with any chutney or dip of your choice. The onion salad acts as a nice and refreshing side, but if you don’t have the time to whip it up, you can totally skip it too.

Loved how easy it was to put this flavorful appetizer together? On the hunt for some more such easy and fun recipes? Here are a few handpicked ones you can check out.

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