Chilli Fish Recipe - Indian Chinese Chilli Fish Recipe

Chilli Fish is one of amma's specialty Indo-Chinese Recipes. Like I mentioned in the fried rice recipe post, amma is an expert in making manchurian and related recipes. There's really no secret sauce (literally!) to her recipes, they just work excellently and this Chilli Fish is no exception. Maybe those of you who are off lent tomorrow can try Chilli Fish for Easter lunch?

We also make the same dish with Prawns and call it Chinese Fried Prawns. That's a dish from my childhood that I have fond memories of. You can serve the batter-fried prawns with ketchup as a starter or go on to make Chilli Prawns with it following the recipe below. Either ways, it's delicious. PS: the pic above is of Chilli Prawns.

Although Indo-Chinese sauces are easily available in Singapore, I find that the Indian brands like Sil or Ching's Secret (I am guessing that's an Indian brand) seem to work better for me and taste more "authentic" like you get in Indo-Chinese restaurants in India.

I have had a few failures when making manchurian and chilli something but after this Gobi Manchurian recipe, flops are history. I learnt from the best (my sister makes amazing manchurian too) after all!

Interested in a Chilli Chicken Recipe instead?

INDIAN CHINESE CHILLI FISH RECIPE

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 4
Recipe source: Amma

Ingredients:

• 250 gm of cut into small cubes, deboned fish (any fish with a firm flesh would do, or use deveined prawns)
• 3 tbsp + 1 tsp of cornflour / corn starch
• 3 tbsp of maida / plain flour
• 1 tsp + 1 tsp of ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp of black pepper powder
• 1 capsicum / bell pepper, cubed
• 1 onion, cubed
• 1/2 to 1 tbsp of soya sauce
• 1 tsp of green chilli sauce
• 1 tsp of tomato sauce
• A small bunch of spring onions or coriander leaves, chopped fine

How to Make Chilli Fish

1. Make a thick batter of 3 tbsp cornflour + flour + 1 tsp ginger garlic paste + salt + pepper powder + water
2. Dip the fish pieces in this and shallow fry in oil until golden brown (in small batches without crowding the pan)
3. Drain and set aside
4. In the same oil, add the onions and capsicum. When the onions start to turn pink, add the ginger garlic paste and saute until fragrant
5. Turn heat to high and add the soya sauce, chilli sauce and tomato sauce (keep them ready by your side to prevent the rest of the dish burning)
6. Mix well and reduce heat. Add the fried fish pieces
7. Mix well and cook on low heat. Meanwhile, mix the 1 tsp cornflour in 4 tbsp water without lumps. Add to the fish mixture and cook until the sauce thickens and coats the fish
8. Add chopped coriander leaves or spring onions and remove from stove
9. Serve hot with fried rice