Step 1: You will need:
* 2 fish fillets (cod, haddock, or any other white fish)
* 1 ½ ltr vegetable oil or ground nut oil
* 140 g flour
* 50 g corn starch
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1 egg
* 250 ml beer
* 1 tsp salt
* salt and pepper
* French fries to garnish
* 1 saucepan
* 2 bowls
* 1 whisk
* 1 slotted spoon
* 1 large fork
* 1 tray
* kitchen towel
* Preparation Time:
* 10 minutes
* Cooking Time:
* 15 minutes
Step 2: Preheat oil
Begin by pouring all the oil into a large pan. Turn to a medium high heat. Let it heat until it becomes hot enough to fry, but it must not be smoking hot!
Step 3: Make the batter
Now into a bowl, add the flour, the corn starch, the salt and the baking powder. Mix them together, until evenly combined and set aside.
Step 4: Mix the egg and beer
Next, place the beer into a bowl. Add the egg. Whisk it together well until the egg and beer are evenly combined.
Step 5: Complete the batter
Place the beer mixture into the bowl containing the flour mixture. And whisk well for a couple of minutes, to ensure that it combines smoothly, and is lump free. Then set it aside. You can now prepare your fish.
Step 6: Prepare fish
Take a fillet and pat it dry using a piece of paper towel. This will help it fry better. Any excess water will only make the fish less crispy. Next, run your fingers along its surface to ensure there are no small bones remaining. This is especially important if you are cooking for little children. Set it aside. And repeat with the other fillet.
Step 7: Batter and fry
Before cooking the fish, it’s wise to check that the oil is at the correct temperature to fry. Test it by dropping some of batter into the oil. If it fries immediately, without burning, it’s at the correct temperature. Then with your large fork, dip one of the fillets into the bowl of batter and coat it completely. Carefully place the fillet into the hot oil, taking special care not to burn yourself in the process.
Make sure not to overfill the pan with fish. This will cause the temperature of oil to drop, making the batter less crispy and it can also make the fillets stick together in a lump!
Step 8: Turn the fish
Let the fillet fry for roughly 4-7 minutes, depending on its size. Flip it at least once during this time, to ensure that it’s cooking evenly. When the batter becomes a light golden brown, remove it from the pan. Transfer it to the tray lined with paper. Repeat exactly the same frying process with the remaining fillet.
Step 9: Serve
Your fish in beer batter is now ready to serve. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. Traditionally, it goes well with chips or "French fries". This recipe can be found, here on the Video Jug website.
