BEER BATTER FISH N CHIPS RECIPES

Steps:

• For the chips

  1. Peel the potatoes and cut into thick chips. Soak in cold water for 30 minutes.* Drain and transfer to a pot with two litres of fresh cold water and add the white vinegar. Bring to a low simmer, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain the chips and arrange on a baking tray. Dry the chips in a low oven (about 60C, fan-forced) for 30 minutes.

  2. For the beer batter, combine 1 1/2 cups of flour with the beer and stir to combine to a thick batter. Don't mix the batter too much. A few lumps is fine. Rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.

  3. Heat the oil to 200C and fry the chips in batches for three minutes each, allowing the oil to return to temperature between batches. Drain the chips on a wire rack or absorbent paper, uncovered for 20 minutes. You can freeze the chips at this point for frying later.

  4. When ready to serve, fry the chips again at 200C for a further three minutes until golden brown. Toss the chips with plenty of salt and keep warm in the oven while you cook the fish.

  * Soaking removes excess starch and stops the potato straws from sticking together and becoming gluggy when they are cooked.

  For the fish

  5. Reduce the heat of the oil to 180C. Dust the flathead fillets lightly with the reserved flour and dip into the batter. Shake off any excess batter and fry the fish for about four minutes until the batter is golden. Drain on a wire rack and season with salt.

  6. Serve the fish and chips with wedges of lemon, tartare sauce and an undressed crisp green salad.

   

Steps:

• Heat the oil. Heat 6 cups vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until 365ºF. Meanwhile, fit a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Prepare the dry ingredients and fish.
• Mix the dry ingredients. Place 2/3 cup of the rice flour in a pie plate. Place the remaining 2/3 cup rice flour, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the kosher salt, 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
• Dry and flour the fish. Pat 1 1/2 pounds skinless white fish fillets dry with paper towels. Check for and remove any bones. Cut the fish crosswise into 3-inch pieces. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Working with one piece at a time, coat the fish completely in the rice flour and place in a single layer on a baking sheet.
• Make the beer batter. When the oil is around 325ºF, add 1 cup cold beer to the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.
• Fry half the fish. When the oil reaches 365ºF, add half of the floured fish to the batter and stir to coat. Pick up the fish one piece at a time, let the excess batter drip back into the bowl, and carefully place in the oil. Don’t stack pieces on top of each other or they will stick together. Fry, stirring and flipping them occasionally with tongs, until cooked through and golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• Drain the fried fish. Transfer the fried fish to the wire rack.
• Finish frying and serve. Repeat battering and frying the remaining fish. Serve with lemon wedges, tartar sauce, or malt vinegar.