Grilled Fish Indian Recipe |Spicy Grilled Fish Masala -Masalakorb (2024)

August 3, 2016 by Padma Veeranki 12 Comments

This Grilled Fish Indian Recipe has all the indian flavours and spices which makes is so yummy. The spices just penetrate deep into the fish and makes it more tasty. It’s so simple and straightforward to make and you will love each bite of it.

Fish takes less time to cook and it’s hardly any effort except for the cleaning! It’s also a healthier option than meat and as we all know, fish is rich in protein and a delicious source of Omega 3 fatty acids, which is good for our heart, so it’s very important to eat fish regularly.I was lucky to get my hands on some good fresh fish and decided to grill one whole fish with some Indian spices.

Treat your taste buds to this spicy, delicious and healthy Grilled Fish Indian Recipe for your next meal, juicy and succulent from inside and beautifully charred on the outside.

The basic formula for the marinade for thisGrilled Fish Indian Recipeis a combination of oil, an acidic medium and some aromatics. I would recommend marinating this fish overnight to build the flavours. Marinating a day ahead makes the whole process much easier.If you want to add aromatics — citrus, ginger, garlic, onions, chillies — the fish cavity is an ideal place to do so. Season the cavity with salt, stuff it with thinly sliced aromatics of your choice.

When fish is ready, preheat your grill and grill to perfection. That’s it!! A simple spicy grilled fish recipe with a wow factor!

A whole fish with bones and skin has more flavour and stays juicier than the usual fillets and steaks. Whole fish are more forgiving. The skin and bones keep the juices from evaporating too quickly, acting as insulation. The intense heat of the grill can dry out delicate fish flesh.

The only downside to grilling a whole fish is that the skin tends to stick to the grate. This is easily remedied by using a grill basket. But if you don’t have one, use a flat metal spatula, gently easing it under the fish skin before flipping. If the skin rips in spite of all the efforts, a garnish of chopped herbs hides all and will anyway taste good.

Also, whole fish just tastes better and is a great way to present it to your guests or family at the next dinner party…..But do not forget to warn them about the bones. Enjoy!!

Off to theGrilled Fish Indian Recipe!!

Step-by-Step process for Grilled Fish Indian Recipe:

The process involves 3 simple steps:

1. Preparing the marinade
2. Cleaning fish, marinating and stuffing fish cavity with aromatics
3. Grilling the fish

1. Preparing the marinade:

• In a bowl add ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, required salt, a teaspoon of oil and a tablespoon of lemon juice.
• Mix all the ingredients till they combine well to form a marinade.

2. Cleaning fish, marinating and stuffing fish cavity with aromatics:

• Clean and wash the whole fish thoroughly in cold water. Pat dry with a kitchen paper towel.
• With a sharp knife, carefully make a couple of diagonal gashes about 1/2-inch deep on each side of the fish.
• Rub the marinade well on fish making sure to coat the inside of the fish and the incisions as well, especially in the slits.

NOTE:

• You can use any fish of your choice. For today’s recipe I’m using Dorade. My other favourites are Tilapia or Snapper fish.

• For aromatics, I’m using the following. But feel free to use anything of your choice.

• Place the lemon slices, garlic pods, slit or broken green chillies and generous amounts of coriander inside the body cavity of the fish.
• Cover and let refrigerate for at least one to two hours….Longer the better. Overnight works best though!!

• Once the fish is ready after marination, place it in a grill basket if you have one. Otherwise you can grill it directly but handle the fish with care, especially while flipping.

3. Grilling the fish:

• Preheat the grill. Place the grill basket with the fish (or the fish directly) on the grill and close it.

• Brush the fish with oil using a pastry brush, while cooking.
• Sprinkle with garam masala for a nice aroma.

• Grill for 8 to 10 minutes on each side until cooked and beautifully charred.
• Dig into the fish and enjoy!! I hardly had any time to click photos before it was done because it tastes great only when hot-

NOTE:

Grilling time may differ depending on the thickness of the fish so to test if it is done, stick the tines of a fork into the fish to determine if it flakes. The flesh should be opaque and flake easily.

• Serve hot as an appetiser with onion-lemon wedges and avegetable salad.
• You can also pair it with a Coriander MintChutney or Green Chutney.Or just make some Pulao and enjoy with it.

A Quick Summary:

My Notes:

Grilling fish can be slightly tricky !!….A few tips!!

1. The first rule to remember is, fish cooks very fast over direct heat. You need to retain flavours and juice in the grilled fish, so get it off the grill after a few minutes.
2. Make sure you brush the fish with a little oil before starting so that it doesn’t stick.
3. Always preheat the grill for ten minutes before putting the fish under it so that you get a good sear mark.
4. Do notplace the fish right at the centre of the grill (the hottest part). Place it more towards the edge.
5. For good presentation, grill the first side of the fish a little longer than the second. It gives the fish nice sear marks plus, it prevents the fish from sticking to the grill.
6. The amount of grilling time for different fish varies as per the thickness and size of it. Usually white fish needs lesscooking time.
7. To check doneness, just poke it slightly with a fork… if it’s done the meat will flake easily and appear thick.
8. Keep some lemon juice and a little butter while grilling and brush this over just before removing from heat so as to keep it moist.

Check out other SEAFOOD RECIPES from blog and Tandoori chicken and Tandoori Paneer Tikka recipes!!

Many more to come STAY TUNED!!

Happy Cooking 🙂

Cheers!!

Padma.