Meen Fry

Name: Meen Fry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Indian (Kerala)
Ingredients: 800g firm fish (pomfret, sardine, or tilapia), cleaned whole or cut into steaks; 3 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 3 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder; 1 tbsp coriander powder; 1 tsp turmeric powder; 1/2 tsp black pepper powder; 1 tsp fennel powder; 4 green chilies, slit lengthwise; 8-10 curry leaves; 3 tbsp coconut oil; 2 tbsp lime juice; Salt to taste

🍗 Non-veg🌾 Gluten-free📊 Medium

Traditional 39. Meen Fry recipe

⏱️15 minPrep

🔥25 minCook

🕒40 minTotal

🍽️6Serves

🧺 Ingredients

👩‍🍳 How to make Meen Fry

Marinate fish (30 mins total in parts): Make paste with ginger-garlic paste, 2 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder, 1/2 tbsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric, salt, and 1 tbsp lime juice.
First marination (20 mins): Rub marinating paste on fish pieces, inside slits if using whole fish. Let sit for 20 minutes for flavors to penetrate.
Second marination (10 mins): Mix remaining Kashmiri chili powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder, fennel powder with 2 tbsp water to form thin paste. Rub over marinated fish. Let sit for 10 more minutes.
Shallow fry fish (12 mins total, medium-high then medium heat): Heat coconut oil in wide shallow pan. Working in batches, place fish pieces in hot oil. Fry on first side for 4-5 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Turn carefully and fry on other side for 4-5 minutes. Fish should have crunchy exterior and cooked-through interior.
Brown aromatics (2 mins, medium heat): In same oil, add curry leaves and green chilies. Fry for 1 minute until fragrant.

📖 Cultural notes

Meen Fry is Kerala's iconic street-side dish, representing the perfect balance of crispy exterior and moist interior, served at temples and celebrations throughout the state. ---

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