Ever wondered how to make Crispy fried Pomfret that is so crispy that even the fins and tail can be eaten? Come and find out the secret to the 'magic powder' used and make it for yourself!
Wash the pomfret and use a sharp knife to make diagonal criss-cross cuts across the body 1-inch apart to form a diamond shape. Then use a kitchen towel to pat the fish fry, both outside and inside
Rub 1/4 tsp salt on the fish skin as well as the inside of the fish. Then coat the whole fish generously with corn flour on both sides.
Make sure you coat the fish with corn flour inside the diagonal grooves too.
COOKING METHOD
In a wok, add in the oil and heat over high fire.
When the oil is boiling, shake off the extra flour from the fish and place it in the oil to fry for about 3-4 mins.
Turn the fish over and fry for another 3-4 mins.
Remove and place the fish on a kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil.
Transfer the fish on a serving dish and serve hot with balachan chilli (optional) and lime (optional).
Notes
MARKETING TIPS
Buy Black Pomfret for this dish. There are many types of pomfrets (white, golden, black, silver, Chinese), but the best pomfret for this dish is the Black Pomfret because the meat tends to be firmer, so its great for frying but I would not steam the Black pomfret for that same reason.
Pat the fish dry before frying, otherwise it will not be crispy.
COOKING TIPS
Tilt the wok around if you are using less oil to deep fry the pomfret like I do in the photos above so that the whole fish can cook evenly. To make the fin and tail crispy, be sure to tilt the wok in such a way that the tail and the fin of the pomfret are fully immersed in the oil while frying.
You need to use high heat to deep-fry the fish so the outside is crispy while the inside remains tender and moist. But make sure the fish doesn't get burnt during frying. Watch the fire and lower the heat if necessary.