Golden Anchovies (mandeli) fish fried in Goan style! Who doesn’t like crispy fried fish as a side dish with their meal. Sometimes I just mix fried fish with rice and have them as a whole meal by itself. At our place we mostly fry fish with this recipe and even sometimes chicken is fried the same way.
It’s a simple recipe with simple ingredients but tastes out of the world. Don’t go on my words but try making this at home for knowing how it tastes. Semolina gives a nice crunch from outside, the spice powders gives a nice tangy, spicy flavor to the fish.
You could use any fish lime mackerel, pomfret, prawns etc with the same recipe. For prawns don’t cover with semolina just fry them.
You could check some more goan recipes on my blog like goan fry prawns, goan shark fry and goan pomfret recheado.
Mandeli Fish Fry recipe details and printable version below:
- 3 tbsp oil for shallow frying
- 18 golden anchovies (mandeli fish)
- 2 tbsp kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1 tbsp vinegar (sirka)
- 2 tbsp roasted semolina (rava)
- sea salt as per taste
- Clean the fish and add some salt to it for 10 mins. Wash the fish again.
- Combine turmeric powder, chili powder, vinegar and salt. The mixture shouldn't be too thin nor thick.
- Rub the spices over the fish, marinate for fifteen mins.
- Spread semolina over a dish. Coat the marinated fish with semolina from all sides.
- Put oil in a shallow frying pan. Once oil is hot shallow fry the coated fish until crisp and golden brown from both sides.
- Serve hot with rice or pao (bread), Squeeze some lemon juice over the fish before serving.
2.Fry the fish on high heat for few mins then reduce the heat else they might burn.
3.Sprinkle some coriander leaves, squeeze some lime juice and serve the fish.
Masood says
Hi Maria, please tell me in the same way how we can prepare prawns.
maria says
everything same, just that add prawns just 3 mins before switching the has off as it takes only 2 to 3 mins for prawns to cook.
Christina says
Hi,
Awsome too tasty .. i have expereinc.
maria says
thanks Christina 🙂
Reva says
Lovely! I have a question – how dod you clean Mandeli? Do you leave the head on or does the fish-wala cut it for you?
maria says
Reva pass water through mandeli remove their head in slanting way and remove the slimy part post you cut their head if any. Also chop the hard part of tail. Remove their scales with the help of knife. Rub some salt over them and they are ready to be prepared for any dish. Hope this helps you 🙂 …. I sometimes get it cleaned from the vendor sometimes clean at home.
Reva says
That is really helpful, thank you! I am definitely going to make this as well as the mandeli curry recipe!
maria says
You are welcome Reva 🙂 surely try them and keep me posted… take care.