Fish & chips is a classic British dish that's a must-have when you're in the UK! The combination of battered deep-fried fish fillets with thick-cut chips is always a treat. If you've visited London before, you may be familiar with Poppies' Fish and Chips, which is an iconic eatery and has been around since 1952! Poppies is also particularly well-known amongst Muslim travellers as their batter doesn't use beer (which is commonly used in fish and chips) ?If you're missing Poppies' yummy fish and chips, it's time to recreate your own at home with our halal fish and chips recipe!
Ingredients
For the fish:
- 500g cod (or whatever fish you prefer. You can usually find cod fillets in the frozen section of the supermarket!
- Salt & pepper
For the batter:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup rice flour, plus some extra
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup cold soda water
For the chips:
- 4 large Russet potatoes, cut into thick pieces and left to soak in a bowl of water until ready to fry (this helps remove excess starch!)
- Salt
- Oil for frying (canola, sunflower, rapeseed or any flavourless oil works!)
Equipment
- Thermometer
Directions
- Drain the potatoes thoroughly, then carefully pat dry with paper towels. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
- Heat oil in a large heavy pot to 160 degrees Celsius.
- Drain the potatoes and blot them with paper towels.
- In batches, fry the potatoes for 2 - 3 minutes until softened (not cooked through, the colour should still be pale!). Remove and let them cool.
- Increase the temperature of the oil to 190 degrees Celsius.
- In batches, fry the potatoes again for 2 - 3 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Remove and place on a rack over a baking sheet. Place in the oven to keep warm.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, rice flour and salt. Mix well. Add the beaten egg and cold soda water, and mix just until all the dry ingredients are combined with the liquid - it's ok to have small lumps! In a separate bowl, add more rice flour.
- Heat the oil in your pot again to 190 degrees Celsius.
- Cut your fish to your preferred size. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Take each piece of fish and dredge lightly in the rice flour, then dredge in the batter. Carefully drop the battered fish into the preheated oil and fry for 4 - 5 minutes until golden brown on all sides. Try not to overcrowd the pot and do just a few fillets (depending on the size) in one time. Remove the cooked fish and drain on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of your fish.
- Serve immediately. For the chips - remover from the oven and sprinkle generously with salt before transferring to a bowl or plate. Serve with your favourite tartar sauce or other condiments on the side.
Notes:
- For the potatoes, you can also soak the cut pieces in water for several hours or even overnight.
- You can add more soda water for a runnier batter - that would result in a less thick coating on the fried fish.
