How to fry Kingfish Indian-style? Surmai Masala Fry

King Fish rawa masala fry is a delicious Indian seafood dish that is easy and quick to make. Serve with a kachumber salad, dal, rice, or unleavened bread called roti and you have a wholesome meal.

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Surmai as it is locally called here in Mumbai, Maharashtra is also known as Seer Fish or King Fish or Indo- Pacific King Mackeral and belongs to the family of mackerels. There are many varieties of King Fish or King Mackeral all over the world, but the Indo-Pacific King Mackeral is found in the Indian Ocean and it is quite a popular fish on the menu of seafood restaurants around India. In different parts of India, it is known by different names, in Goa, it is called Iswan or Viswon, in North Kerala, it is called Ayakoora and in South Kerala, it is called Ney-meen.

This fish has a great flavour and taste, and it’s wholesome too. It can be prepared in the form of slices or steaks which is a lot better than the mudskippers, don’t you think? With just a few spices, this Surmai Masala Fry recipe is easy to make and hardly takes any time. Why not try this easy masala fry recipe at home and give your family a wholesome meal?

What Ingredients Do You Need to Fry King Fish?

You need just a handful of ingredients to fry Seer fish, firstly you need the fish of course, and a little turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, semolina, and vinegar or lemon.

How To Fry King Fish Indian Style?

This surmai fish masala fry recipe is pretty simple. Once you have your fish washed and cut into slices, put them into a bowl and add turmeric, red chilli powder, salt, semolina or rawa, and also vinegar. If you do not have vinegar, you can add lemon juice instead.

You can also coat the fish with rawa(semolina) just before frying the fish, so it gets more crispy. We prefer not to add too much semolina, just a little bit to get the crust. But if you want to eat the fish like it’s served in hotels, you can add more semolina.

Allow the fish to marinate for about 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how much time you have, and then shallow fry in a frying pan or tava as we call it with hot oil.

Fry for about 4-5 minutes on one side and turn over fry for about the same time on the other side. Don’t over fry the slices.

Sprinkle with lemon or sour lime juice before serving. This Surmai fish fry makes an amazing meal when served with a fresh salad, dal and rice or even rotis.

Tips for Surmai fry Fish

• If you want it gluten-free, replace the semolina with rice flour or cornmeal.
• If you do not have vinegar for the marinade, you can use lemon juice instead.
• Allow the fish to marinate for about 10-20 minutes or longer for more flavour.
• If you prefer it more crispy, coat with rawa again just before frying the fish. (We prefer not to, but you can!)
• You can replace the red chilli powder with East Indian bottle masala, agri masala, Malwani masala, or gavran masala.
• You can use sour lime or lemon instead of vinegar when marinating.
• Serve with a lovely dal, rice and a fresh onion salad for that perfect meal.
• Sprinkle the fish with sour lime or lemon juice.

Questions About Surmai Fish

What is Surmai called in English?

‘Surmai’ fish which is a Maharashtrian term is called Seer Fish or King Fish or King Mackeral in English.

Is King Fish good for Health?

Surmai or King Fish has quite a few nutritional benefits and is good for health.

Is Surmai High in Mercury?

Surmai or King Fish is loaded with vitamins and proteins, but according to leading websites it’s also supposedly high in mercury depending on the charts. It rates lower on the mercury scale than mackerel and other fish. So it’s still edible. But if you want to be absolutely sure, check with your nutritionist if you need to.

How long Should I fry Surmai? How Long To Fry KingFish?

You can pan-fry or shallow fry the fish for about 4-5 minutes on each side.

What can I substitute for red chili powder?

Instead of red chilli powder, you can use any of these – bottle masala, agri masala, Malwani masala, or gavran masala.

What’s the difference between Rawa Surmai Fry and Surmai Tawa Fry?

Both are the same dish using different names. The rawa refers to the semolina used to coat the dish while the tawa refers to the cast iron skillet in which it is cooked. Some could also say that when it’s a tawa fry the surmai is cooked with an excess of oil.

How do you check if the surmai fish is fresh?

To check if the surmai fish is fresh first check that the eyes are whole and transparent. They shouldn’t look like they’ve sunk in. The gills should be bright and red in color instead of dark brown. And the fish should be firm to the touch.

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