Crispy Fish Fingers

Do you love fish? Looking for a 30 minutes appetizer? Here is one of the best fish appetizers to start your party with… Crispy Fish Fingers..!! Soft and Delicious on the inside, Crispy & Crunchy outside… and dipped in tartar sauce, Yummy…!!!

The first time I ever tried fish fingers was during my good old Hyderabad days. It was my lovely friend who also is a wonderful cook, was our menu planner for any party and she always suggested that it’s best to make your appetizer crispy. And being fish lovers, we began our experiments and food journey with fish fingers from there on…

There are many ways to make your fish crispy, like using the skin of the fish, or with a beer batter, etc. But using breadcrumbs is still a good old fashioned way. I have used here panko breadcrumbs, which are Japanese style breadcrumbs commonly used to coat deep fried foods. Since it is made from bread without the crust, deep fried foods will remain crispy and crunchy. You can always try out a homemade version too. The outer crust of the panko bread crumbs usually lack flavour, so I recommend seasoning the breadcrumbs with salt and pepper to make that first bite memorable.

You can try out this dish with any fish. Keeping your oil hot enough is key to crispy golden fish fingers, without turning soggy.

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Prep time:  30 minutes
Serves: 3-4 servings

INGREDIENTS

For making Tartar Sauce

• 5-6 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp shallots (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp pickled cucumbers (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp parsley (finely chopped)

For making Fish Fingers

• 3 tilapia fillets
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1½ cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 egg (beaten)
• salt (as required)
• pepper (as required)
• oil (as required)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation of Tartar Sauce

1. Mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, shallots, pickled cucumbers and parley.
2. Beat well till the sauce is properly combined.

Preparation of Fish Fingers

1. Cut the fish fillets into finger length pieces. Marinate with lemon juice, salt and pepper, and set aside for 10 minutes.
2. In a bowl, mix panko bread crumbs with a little salt and pepper.
3. In another small bowl set aside the beaten egg.
4. To a large skillet add oil and heat on a high flame till it reached the frying temperature.
5. Take each fish finger and dip in the egg batter, then coat with bread crumbs. Turn the flame to a medium and carefully drop each finger in to the frying pan.
6. Deep fry until they turn golden brown. Ensure that you do not crowd the pan and leave ample space between each fish finger.
7. Transfer the cooked fingers on to a paper towel to drain out the excess oil.

Serve with tartar sauce.