What Baba Cooked

I’ve been making beer battered fish for a very long time, but it took me a while to get it spot on. Adding whisked egg whites really does make for a light fluffy batter, and coating the fish in flour before dipping it in the batter makes sure the batter doesn’t slide off the fish when it hits the oil. This is the recipe I swear by, brought to you after almost twenty years trial and error. By the way, this amount makes A LOT of batter, but since it’s the perfect amount of flour to a bottle of beer it’s just easier.

Ingredients:

• 300 g self raising flour
• 1 tspn sea salt
• 2 tbspn olive oil
• 2 tbspn wine vinegar
• 355 ml beer
• 4 eggs whites
• 1 kg white fish fillets (I use flat head or ling, though ling may take a little longer to cook as it’s thicker and more dense)
• 3 tbspn plain flour
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Vegetable oil for deep frying

1. Put the flour into a large, deep bowl. Add the olive oil and vinegar and whisk through. Add salt, and slowly add the beer, whisking to combine. When the mixture is just combined cover with plastic wrap and put aside. It will still be a little lumpy. Leave it at room temperature for an hour.

2. After an hour, whisk the egg white until stiff peaks form. Gently fold through the batter with a large metal spoon.

3. Heat the oil to a high heat, about 190 C. Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper, lightly coat in flour, and dip in the batter. Wipe off the excess on the inside of the bowl.

4. When the oil is ready drop the fish in. Shake the pan or deep frying basket gently so it doesn’t stick. Cook for two to three minutes a side, depending on the thickness of the fish. Transfer to a wire rack to drain.

5. Serve immediately with hot chips and lemon wedges.