Shan Fish Fry Masala Recipe is a crispy fried snack made from fish fillets coated with a chickpea flour batter and deep-fried. it is similar to pakora, aloo tikki, and samosa.
It is a portion of popular street food in south India typically eaten with a spicy, savory, and tangy taste. This recipe is very easy to prepare, and it takes less than 20 minutes to cook.
All you have to do is follow the recipe, and it will not fail! This recipe uses coconut oil for frying, which gives a unique flavor to fish fry masala.
What Is Shan Fish Fry Masala Recipe?
Shan fish fry masala recipe is a popular street food originating from the Kozhikode district of Kerala. They call it by different names like shan bhajan, pappadavada, and olan.
It is made from deep-fried fish coated with chickpea flour batter after being dipped in a spice mixture called “saya.” Traditionally, the spices used for making saya include white poppy seeds, coconut, mustard seeds, asafoetida, and curry leaves.

How To Make Shan Fish Fry Masala Recipe?
Ingredients
- 300 grams of small shan fish fillets
- 1/3 cup chickpea flour (malai flour)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Three teaspoons of thin coconut milk (optional) *
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon oil for shallow frying
- For the spice mixture (saya)
- 2 tablespoons white poppy seeds / Kashmiri chana dal
- 1.5 teaspoon grated fresh coconut or unsweetened dried coconut powder
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- One teaspoon curry leaves (optional) *
- pinch of asafoetida *(omit if you don’t like it.
Direction
1. Heat the oil for shallow frying in a pan.
2. Wash the shan fish fillets and cut them into small pieces.
3. Mix the dry ingredients with water to get a thick batter (masala).
4. Mix lemon juice and thin coconut milk to give it a spongy feel, making the crust crispy without adding more water. If you are using any more water, then later on in cooking, it would make it soggy and tasteless.
5. Mix the spice mixture with the fish.
6. Put a small amount of oil in your palms, dip the fish pieces in it, and gently coat it with a spoon to make it evenly coated.
7. Then coat it with the chickpea batter mixture (masala).
8. Put a few pieces at a time on medium flame in hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides (approximately 5 min). You can also deep fry them for 2-3 minutes for better results.
9. Leave it on kitchen paper to drain all the excess oil.
10. Serve this with a tangy white sauce with thin coconut milk, mustard seeds, asafoetida, and curry leaves. You can also squeeze lemon juice on it.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 3 cups
Nutrition Fact Of Shan Fish Fry Masala Recipe
Nutrition | Amount |
---|---|
Calories | 322.9 g |
Carbohydrates | 17.8 g |
Protein | 14.6 g |
Fats | 20.5 g |
10 Amazing Health Benefits Of Shan Fish Fry Masala Recipe
1. Shan fish fry masala recipe is rich in omega 3 fatty acids.
2. These fish are high in calcium, iron, and protein.
3. Crushing the poppy seeds with mortar and pestle helps get rid of the linoleic acid, leading to colon cancer.
4. Poppy seeds are very helpful for people who inherently have problems with constipation because it stimulates peristalsis (the movement of intestines) and its lubricating effect on the intestinal walls.
5. It is good for the skin because of its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties.
6. Poppy seeds also help relieve menstrual cramps in women because they contain prostaglandin.
7. It helps to reduce the risk of breast cancer in women because of its phytoestrogenic properties, i.e., it gets bound to the estrogen receptors on the breast cells and increases their growth rate but not in a cancerous way.
8. It is also good for the eyes because it reduces inflammation and swelling in the retina.
9. It also helps with the puffiness of the eyes by burning fat and promoting increased oxygen absorption through the bloodstream into cells.
10. It helps in lowering high blood pressure because it is a diuretic, making you urinate more often, thereby allowing excess fluid to be excreted from your body which causes hypertension (high blood pressure).
Is It Good For Children?
Shan fish fry masala is good for children because it contains high amounts of vitamin b12, calcium, iron, and zinc, which all play a role in the growth and development of a child and the maturation of brain cells.
Is It Good For Pregnant Woman?
This is also good for pregnant women because it contains iron, calcium, and zinc, essential for pregnant women for the proper development of the fetus and the proper nutrition of the body.
Is It Good In Ulcer Patients?
Shan fish fry masala is high in iron and proteins, which helps heal stomach ulcers faster than normal.
How To Store Shan Fish Fry Masala Recipe?
You can store shan fish fry masala at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
Can I Freeze Shan Fish Fry Masala Recipe?
You can freeze shan fish fry masala in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Can I Make It Without Coconut?
Yes, you can make this without coconut if you do not have it at home. Just replace this with asafoetida, coriander powder, and cumin seeds.
Conclusion
Shan fish fry masala recipe is a tasty dish that can be eaten as snacks or served as a side dish for rice or chapati. It is really easy to make, and the spices used in this recipe give an amazing taste. This coconut-based masala is full of nutty flavor and texture.