Maharashtra · Snack

Fish Koliwada

Name: Fish Koliwada
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian (Maharashtra)
Ingredients: 600 g firm fish fillets (surmai/kingfish, or pomfret, or basa), cut into 4–5 cm chunks; Marinade (double-coat technique):; First marinade (absorbs into fish):; 1 tsp turmeric; 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder; 1 tsp lemon juice; ½ tsp salt; 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste; Second marinade / batter (outer coat, applied before frying):; 80 g besan (chickpea flour); 30 g rice flour; 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder (for deep orange-red colour); ½ tsp garam masala; ½ tsp ajwain (carom seeds); ¼ tsp baking soda; 1 tsp salt; 2 tsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped; Water — enough to make a thick coating batter; Oil for deep frying; The double-coat technique is what makes Koliwada different from standard fish pakoda — the first marinade flavours the fish inside; the outer batter provides the crispy crust; Use firm fish — delicate fish like sole breaks apart in batter; Medium heat is essential — hot oil burns the batter before the fish cooks through

🍗 Non-veg📊 Medium

Fish Koliwada — a Maharashtra snack recipe made with firm fish fillets , cut into 4–5 cm chunks, turmeric, Kashmiri red chilli powder. Ingredients, step-by-s…

⏱️50 minPrep

🔥15 minCook

🕒65 minTotal

🍽️4Serves

🧺 Ingredients

👩‍🍳 How to make Fish Koliwada

First marinade: Apply first marinade (turmeric, red chilli, lemon, salt, ginger-garlic) to fish pieces, coating all sides. Rest 30 minutes at room temperature.
Second marinade batter: Mix besan, rice flour, red chilli, garam masala, ajwain, baking soda, salt, lemon juice, coriander, and water to make a thick batter that coats a spoon thickly.
Coat fish: Dip marinated fish chunks into the batter, coating all sides completely. The batter should cling thickly.
Fry: Heat oil to 175°C on medium-high. Gently lower 4–5 pieces at a time into the oil. Fry for 4–5 minutes on medium heat, turning once carefully with tongs, until the batter is deep orange-golden and crisp. The fish inside should be flaking but not dry.
Drain and serve: Drain on kitchen paper. Serve immediately with lime wedges, raw onion rings, and green coriander chutney.

Nutrition (approx, per serving)

Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat	Fiber
265 kcal	30g	18g	8g	1g

📖 Cultural notes

Fish Koliwada is named for Mumbai's ancient Koli fishing villages — small communities that were surrounded by the growing colonial city of Bombay and eventually swallowed by it. Today, Versova Koliwada in Andheri, Madh Island Koliwada, and Worli Koliwada still exist as fishing villages within the megacity. The Koli fisherwomen who sell fresh fish at Sassoon Docks, Dadar market, and other Mumbai fish markets are considered custodians of Mumbai's original seafood tradition. Fish Koliwada was originally a home preparation; it entered restaurant menus in the 1980s through Mumbai's iconic seafood restaurants. ---

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