Ingredients Nutrition:
- 4cod fish fillets or 4haddock fillets
- 6ounces plain flour
- 1teaspoonbicarbonate of soda
- 1(8 fluid ounce) bottlebritish beer, Small
- 1⁄2lemon, juice of
- salt & pepper
- extra flour
- 3lbs potatoes, peeled & chipped
- good quality cooking fat or oil
Procedure:
- Heat fat up in a chip pan or automatic deep fat fryer – mine has a chip setting which is 190°C.
- Peel the potatoes and cut into chunky sized chips. Rinse and dry thoroughly.
- Fry chips for about 3 minutes until soft but NOT coloured. Drain and shake well and set to one side.
- Put some flour onto a plate. Dredge the fish fillets in the flour thoroughly – this is VERY important, it stops the batter sliding off when fried! Leave the fish fillets in the flour whilst you make the batter.
- Some people say you should make the batter at least one hour before – I have found little difference – so make it before if it is convenient or now!
- Put flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and pepper into a large roomy bowl. Add the beer gradually, stop when you have a thick coating type of batter. Drink any beer that is left! Whisk thoroughly until it is smooth and there are no lumps.Add the lemon juice OR a splash of malt vinegar if desired. Mix thoroughly again.
- Have your plates, newspaper or whatever ready for eating!
- Adjust deep fat fryer to fish frying temperature of 160°C.
- Take one fillet of fish at a time and holding it by the tail or thin end (!) swirl it around the batter until well coated – plunge into hot fat immediately. As soon as it has crisped up and set, add your other fillets one at a time, taking out the first ones as they cook – about 6 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness. Place onto a tray and keep warm in the oven.
- Turn up the heat setting to 190°C again and cook your chips until golden and crisp.
- Serve on plates or newspaper with salt & vinegar!
- This batter is great for small fish goujons, chicken goujons and also tempura vegetables too.