Name: Fish Fry
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: .25 cup plus 1 tablespoon white rice flour (about 1 3/8 ounces); .25 cup tapioca flour (about 1 1/8 ounces); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; .5 teaspoon black pepper; .5 cup plus 2 tablespoons white rice flour (about 2 5/8 ounces); .5 cup tapioca flour (about 2 1/8 ounces); 1.25 teaspoons onion powder; 1.25 teaspoons garlic powder; .75 teaspoon gochugaru or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper; .75 teaspoon baking powder; .75 teaspoon ground turmeric; .75 teaspoon black pepper; .5 teaspoon kosher salt; .5 teaspoon granulated sugar; 1 cup cold club soda; 8 cups peanut oil; 1 pound (1- to 1 1/2-inch-thick) skinless mahi-mahi or flounder fillets, or skin-on brown trout fillets (4 fillets); 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, divided; .75 teaspoon black pepper, divided; French fries and tartar sauce, for serving

Fish Fry

4.0

(6)

6 Reviews

This perfectly tender and delightfully crispy fried fish doesn't lose its crunch.

Adam Evans

Updated on August 2, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

How to fry fish

The secret to this extra-crispy fish is the mix of flours used in the dredge and the batter. Rice and tapioca flours absorb less moisture when fried, for a crispier result. The dredge is the first step in frying; it helps the batter adhere to the fish. After dredging the fish, dip it in the batter before gently placing it in the hot oil. The tapioca flour and rice flour team up with effervescent club soda to make this batter extra light, which makes the fish exceptionally crispy and stay that way up to an hour after cooking. If you want to fry this fish in advance, hold it in a 200°F oven on a rack placed over a baking sheet.

Ingredients

Dredge

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon white rice flour (about 1 3/8 ounces)
¼ cup tapioca flour (about 1 1/8 ounces)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Batter

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons white rice flour (about 2 5/8 ounces)
½ cup tapioca flour (about 2 1/8 ounces)
1 ¼ teaspoons onion powder
1 ¼ teaspoons garlic powder
¾ teaspoon gochugaru or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
¾ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup cold club soda

Additional Ingredients

8 cups peanut oil
1 pound (1- to 1 1/2-inch-thick) skinless mahi-mahi or flounder fillets, or skin-on brown trout fillets (4 fillets)
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
¾ teaspoon black pepper, divided
French fries and tartar sauce, for serving

Directions

Make the dredge

Whisk together rice flour, tapioca flour, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until well combined.

Make the batter

Whisk together rice flour, tapioca flour, onion powder, garlic powder, gochugaru, baking powder, turmeric, black pepper, salt, and sugar in a large, shallow bowl until well combined. Just before frying fish, whisk in club soda until well combined.
Heat oil in a 10-inch straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven to 375°F. Season fillets evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
Place 2 fillets in dredge mixture, pressing mixture onto fillets; gently shake off excess. Dip fillets in batter, allowing any excess batter to drip off. Place battered fillets in hot oil, and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer fillets to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet; season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Repeat frying process with remaining fillets, salt, and pepper. Serve with fries and tartar sauce.