Crunchy Cape Malay Curried Fish Bites
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4
Description
Cape Whiting coated in a light, crunchy Cape Malay spice-infused batter, served with a curry mayo and fresh sambal for the perfect sharing platter.
Ingredients
Fish
2 x 500 g boxes Sea Harvest Cape Whiting Portions, defrosted and cut into 4 pieces each
Seasoned Flour
1 C (250 ml) cake flour
2 Tbsp (30 ml) Cape Herb & Spice Cape Malay Curry Spice
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
¼ tsp (1.25 ml) freshly ground black pepper
Batter
1 C (250 ml) cake flour
¼ C (60 ml) cornflour
1 Tbsp (15 ml) Cape Herb & Spice Cape Malay Curry Spice
1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
½ tsp (2.5 ml) bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp (5 ml) ground turmeric
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
330 ml ice-cold soda water
For Frying
Vegetable or sunflower oil
Sambal (Optional)
½ red onion, finely chopped
100 g cherry tomatoes, chopped
10 g fresh coriander, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cape Malay-spiced Curry Mayo
1 cup (250 ml) good-quality mayonnaise
1½ tsp (7.5 ml) Cape Herb & Spice Cape Malay Curry Spice
1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard
2 tsp (10 ml) lemon juice
1 tsp (5 ml) honey
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
1 Tbsp (15 ml) double cream plain yoghurt (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To Serve
Lemon wedges
1 Tbsp (15 ml) chopped chives (optional)
Instructions
Fish
Once defrosted, pat the Sea Harvest Cape Whiting Portions dry with paper towel and cut each portion into 4 even pieces. This helps the fish cook evenly and allows the batter to adhere more effectively.
Seasoned Flour
In a shallow bowl, combine the cake flour, Cape Herb & Spice Cape Malay Curry Spice, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Toss the fish pieces in the seasoned flour until lightly coated, then shake off any excess flour. This creates a dry surface that helps the batter adhere to the fish.
Batter
In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, cornflour, Cape Herb & Spice Cape Malay Curry Spice, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, turmeric and salt.
Gradually pour in the ice-cold soda water, whisking gently until just combined. Do not overmix – a few small lumps are perfectly fine and will help create a light, crisp batter. Keep the batter chilled until ready to use.
For Frying
Heat the vegetable or sunflower oil to 180 °C in a deep saucepan or fryer.
Dip each floured fish piece into the chilled batter, allowing any excess to drip off before carefully lowering it into the hot oil.
Fry in small batches for 3–4 minutes, turning occasionally, until the batter is crisp and deep golden brown and the fish is cooked through. Avoid overcrowding the pan, as this will lower the oil temperature and reduce the crispiness of the battered fish.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack or paper towel while frying the remaining batches.
Sambal (Optional)
Combine the red onion, cherry tomatoes and fresh coriander in a small bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then toss to combine. Set aside until ready to serve.
Cape Malay-spiced Curry Mayo
Combine the mayonnaise, Cape Herb & Spice Cape Malay Curry Spice, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, grated garlic and yoghurt (if using) in a medium bowl.
Whisk until smooth and evenly combined. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Adjust the flavour with a little more lemon juice for freshness or honey for sweetness, if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
To Serve
Serve the crunchy curried fish bites immediately with the Cape Malay-spiced curry mayo and sambal for dipping. Garnish with the chopped chives, if using, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.
