Equipment
Ingredients
Crispy Spiced Cod
- 600 g cod fillet, cut into 4 equal portions
- 100 g rice flour
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 10 g baking powder
- 15 g malaysian meat curry powder
- 5 g ground turmeric
- 5 g fine sea salt
- 250 ml ice water, very cold
Salt and Chili Fries
- 1000 g russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm batons
- 2000 ml neutral frying oil
- 4 garlic, finely minced
- 4 red bird's eye chilies, thinly sliced
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 10 g flaky sea salt
- 3 g ground white pepper
- 4 g granulated sugar
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 536 kcal
- Protein
- 37 g
- Carbohydrates
- 92 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 1820 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 65 mg
- Potassium
- 1825 mg
- Calcium
- 248 mg
- Iron
- 5.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 137 mg
- Phosphorus
- 577 mg
- Zinc
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 25 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 27 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 24 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.41 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.22 mg
- Niacin
- 6.9 mg
- Folate
- 60 mcg
- Water
- 396 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl of cold water. Soak for at least 60 minutes to draw out excess starch. Drain well and pat completely dry with clean kitchen towels. Moisture is the enemy of crispy fries.
Pour the neutral frying oil into a heavy Dutch oven and attach the deep-fry thermometer. Heat the oil to 160C/320F. Fry the potatoes in batches for 6 to 8 minutes until they are fully cooked through and tender, but have not yet taken on color. Remove with a spider skimmer and drain on a wire cooling rack.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the rice flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, meat curry powder, ground turmeric, and fine sea salt. Gradually pour in the ice water, whisking gently until a loose, pancake-like batter forms. Do not overmix; a few lumps are perfectly fine.
Increase the oil temperature to 180C/350F. Thoroughly dry the cod fillets. Dip each piece of cod into the batter, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Carefully lower the fish into the hot oil away from you to prevent splashing.
Fry the cod for 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until the batter is deeply golden and crispy. Ensure the internal temperature of the fish reaches 63C/145F. Transfer the cooked fish to a clean wire rack set over a baking sheet and hold in a warm oven.
Increase the oil temperature to 190C/375F. Return the blanched potatoes to the oil in batches. Fry for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until they are exceptionally crispy and golden brown. Drain well.
Heat a separate wok or large skillet over medium-high heat with one tablespoon of neutral oil. Quickly saute the minced garlic, sliced red chilies, and scallions for 30 seconds until highly fragrant but not burnt.
Immediately add the hot, crispy fries to the wok. Sprinkle over the flaky sea salt, ground white pepper, and granulated sugar. Toss vigorously to evenly coat the fries in the aromatic oil and spices.
Serve the sizzling salt and chili fries immediately alongside the spiced crispy cod.
Chef's Notes
- Using ice-cold water is critical when mixing wheat flour-based batters. The cold temperature slows down gluten formation, ensuring your crust shatters beautifully rather than turning tough and chewy.
- The double-fry method for potatoes is non-negotiable. The initial lower-temperature fry cooks the starch through, while the secondary high-heat fry rapidly evaporates surface moisture to lock in the crunch.
- Malaysian meat curry powder typically features a robust blend of coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, and cloves. It imparts a completely different profile compared to sweeter Japanese or mild Caribbean curry powders.
- Do not rest fried items on paper towels. The steam generated by the hot food will become trapped under the item, turning the bottom soggy. Always use a wire rack.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Batter will lose crispness significantly. Reheat in an air fryer or oven.
Reheating: Reheat in a convection oven or air fryer at 200C for 5-8 minutes to restore some crispness. Microwave is strictly prohibited.
Troubleshooting
Batter falls off the fish during frying
Cause: The surface of the fish was too wet before battering, or the oil temperature was significantly below 180C/350F.
Fix: Cannot be fixed for the current batch.
Prevention: Thoroughly pat the fish completely dry with paper towels before dredging, and use a reliable thermometer to track oil temperature.
Fries are dark brown but limp and greasy
Cause: Potatoes were not soaked long enough to remove surface starch, or too many potatoes were added to the oil at once, plummeting the frying temperature.
Fix: Refry at a higher temperature for 1-2 minutes if the interior is not already mushy.
Prevention: Soak potatoes for a full hour and always fry in small, manageable batches.
Garlic and chilies taste bitter
Cause: The aromatics were sauteed for too long or at too high a heat before the fries were added.
Fix: Cannot be fixed.
Prevention: Have all fries ready to go into the wok before starting the saute step, and keep the aromatics moving constantly.
Cultural Context
This dish draws heavily from the vibrant Mamak stalls of Malaysia, where Indian-Muslim culinary traditions blend with Southeast Asian ingredients. The spiced batter echoes the robust flavors found in dishes like ikan goreng, while the explosive salt, pepper, and chili profile of the fries pays homage to classic Chinese-Malaysian wok cookery.
