I love fish and chips. I have ordered them in Singapore’s Greenwood Fish Market, at Hard Rock Cafe in Delhi, at Baba’s in Gurgaon, at Terttulia in Mumbai, at Taj Green Cove in Trivandrum, at Flanagans in Vienna, at Hooked Fish and Chipper in Melbourne. But the best I have had in good ol’ London. Now with the pandemic having put paid to travel, I decided to try and make them at home.

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

Cod fish filet 5, each cut into two

All-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups (200 g) + 2 tbsps

Baking powder 1 1/2 tsp

Beer 1 cup

Sparkling water 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Pepper powder 2 tsp

Oil for frying

For the chips:

Potatoes 3 large, cut into fingers

Salt to taste

For the tartar sauce:

Mayonnaise 200 g

Pickled dill 1/2 cup, chopped fine

Pickled jalapeño pepper 1 whole, chopped fine

Coriander leaves, chopped

Method

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the beer and sparkling water and make a thick batter.

Wash the fish filet and pat dry. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the filet pieces.

Add the potato fingers to cold water and bring to a boil. Boil for three minutes and drain. Pat dry.

Heat oil in a wok and fry the drained chips. Sprinkle salt and keep them aside.

Spread 2 tablespoons of flour on a plate. Coat each fish with the dry flour, dip in the batter and fry in the hot oil.

Add the chopped dill pickles, jalapeño pepper and coriander leaves to the mayonnaise and mix well.

Serve the fish and chips hot with the tartar sauce. A glass of Coke goes well with fish and chips.