Fish and Chips with Tartar Sauce

Ingredients

• 600 g Boneless white fish fillets (Patted dry with paper towels)
• 1 cup All-purpose flour (For the batter and for lightly dusting the fish)
• 0.25 cup Cornstarch (Also known as cornflour)
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 0.5 tsp Salt (For the batter; reserve a little for sprinkling over the fish and salting the cooking water)
• 1 tsp Ground red chili
• 0.5 tsp Paprika
• 1 cup Cold sparkling mineral water (It should be very cold)
• Oil for frying (Enough for deep-frying)
• 800 g Large potatoes (Peeled and cut into thick sticks)
• 4 tbsp Mayonnaise
• 2 Small pickles (Finely chopped)
• 1 tsp Prepared mustard
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1 tbsp Fresh parsley (Chopped)
• Salt (For the sauce, to taste)
• Black pepper (For the sauce, to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Mix the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, ground red chili, and paprika in a bowl. Gradually add the cold sparkling mineral water and whisk until smooth, with a consistency thick enough to coat the fish.

2. 2

   Prepare the tartar sauce by mixing the mayonnaise, chopped pickles, prepared mustard, lemon juice, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. 3

   Pat the fish fillets very dry with paper towels. Lightly dust them with flour and a pinch of salt.

4. 4

   Dip each fillet into the batter and turn it to coat completely. Let the excess batter drain briefly.

5. 5

   Heat enough oil in a pot or deep fryer to approximately 175 °C. Fry the fillets for 4–6 minutes, turning them if necessary, until golden and crispy and the fish is completely cooked.

6. 6

   Remove the fish from the oil and place it on paper towels to absorb excess grease. Keep it warm while preparing the potatoes.

7. 7

   Peel the potatoes and cut them into thick, evenly sized sticks.

8. 8

   Bring plenty of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 5–7 minutes, until they begin to soften but still hold their shape.

9. 9

   Drain the potatoes and spread them out in a single layer. Let them dry completely before frying; this helps them become crispier and prevents splattering.

10. 10

    Fry the potatoes in batches in the hot oil for 4–5 minutes, until pale and soft but not yet browned. Remove them and drain on paper towels.

11. 11

    Serve the crispy fish with the French fries and chilled tartar sauce. Season the fries with additional salt if desired.

Notes

The post describes a first fry for the potatoes; for more golden and crispy fries, they can be fried a second time until golden. Handle the hot oil carefully and do not overcrowd the pot.

Nutrition per serving

• main course
• seafood
• fried
• British food
• crispy
• tartar sauce
• French fries
• comfort food