Easy Tandoori Pomfret Fry Recipe
Tandoori pomfret fry flavored with exotic Indian spices, cooked on stovetop and finished in the oven! This recipe gives you perfectly grilled pomfret tandoori that is not greasy with oil. (It works for any fish, whole or fillets.)
Author: Sheeba
Ingredients
Pomfret fry
- 2 whole pomfret (aka butterfish/pompano) about 300 grams/ 10.6 ounces each
- 1 tablespoon ghee or melted butter
First marinade
- 1½ teaspoons ginger garlic paste (note 2)
- ½ teaspoon pink salt (note 3)
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Fish tandoori masala
- 1 tablespoon yogurt
- 1 tablespoon mustard oil
- ½ teaspoon chili powder (note 4)
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder (note 5)
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1½ teaspoons roasted besan or chickpea flour (note 6)
STEP BY STEP IMAGES
Scroll back to find detailed recipe photos!
Instructions
Prepare the fish
- Remove the head and tail. Place the pomfret on a chopping board and slice it horizontally, leaving one end of the fish intact.2 whole pomfret (aka butterfish/pompano)
- Open up and clean the inner part of the fish by removing the guts. There’s no need to remove the skin.
- Make deep cuts across the pomfret diagonally (as shown in the pictures in the post above).
First marination
- In a small bowl, mix ginger garlic paste, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.1½ teaspoons ginger garlic paste, ½ teaspoon pink salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Season the fish with the marinade, including the inner layers and the slits. Let it sit for 5 minutes while you prepare the second marinade.
Fish tandoori masala
- Take all the ingredients for tandoori marinade in a small bowl. Whisk everything together until you get a homogenous mixture.1 tablespoon yogurt, 1 tablespoon mustard oil, ½ teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon garam masala, 1½ teaspoons roasted besan or chickpea flour
- Coat the fish with the marinade. Ensure that you cover the inside and the slits too. Let them marinate for 30 minutes. (note 1)
Pan-fry/grill the pomfret
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/392°F.
- Heat a grill pan or a regular pan. Brush with oil, ghee or melted butter.1 tablespoon ghee or melted butter
- Brown the fish for about 2 minutes on medium heat. Flip and brown the other side for 2 minutes.
Bake pomfret in the oven
- Place the browned pomfrets on the oven grill. Baste with ghee/ melted butter. Grill in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove the fish from the oven. Flip and baste with ghee. Return it to the oven and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the fish from the oven and serve garnished with onion rings, lemon wedges, and coriander leaves.
- Serve with tandoori green chutney, avocado chutney or green mango chutney.
Video
Notes
- Marination: If you have the time, marinate the pomfret for up to an hour for the best results.
- Ginger garlic paste: Blend chopped ginger (1-inch piece) and garlic (4 cloves). A smooth paste works better.
- Pink salt is more flavorful. If not available, you can substitute with the same amount of regular salt.
- Chili powder: I’ve used regular one for the heat. Cayenne pepper can also be used.
- Kashmiri chili powder: This is for the flavor and color. Paprika is a close alternative.
- Besan or chickpea flour helps the marinade stick to the fish and keeps it crisp. You can either buy roasted besan or roast it yourself. (Dry roast in a small pan on low flame for about 5 minutes.)
- You can find more recipe variations, tips, and pictures in the post above.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Tandoori Pomfret Fry Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
424.3
% Daily Value*
Fat
19.5
g
30
%
Saturated Fat
5.7
g
36
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
6.6
g
Cholesterol
20.5
mg
7
%
Sodium
615.9
mg
27
%
Potassium
109.5
mg
3
%
Carbohydrates
10.3
g
3
%
Fiber
1.5
g
6
%
Sugar
1.1
g
1
%
Protein
52.7
g
105
%
Vitamin A
465.6
IU
9
%
Vitamin C
2.2
mg
3
%
Calcium
630.2
mg
63
%
Iron
3.7
mg
21
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.