Our favourite way to prepare small fish is with a simple marinade of turmeric, salt, lime and sometimes a touch of Pachkalshi masala. Dusted with some rice flour and dropped in hot oil. Fried until they make the loudest crunch when you bite into them. Topped with crunchy garlic, and a generous squeeze of lime.
Pomfret, kingfish, prawn and crab recieve their well deserved praise, often pushing small varieties further down on the popularity scale.
At Paisley, we're more than elated when we're asked to cook local varieties of small fish, like mandeli, bhiljya or bagde. Not only are they extremely healthy, they also have low levels of contaminants. They have a rapid growth, making them a sustainable choice over larger varieties.
When are you coming over for a plate of fried fish with a side of chilled kokam and lime soda?