Description
This crispy fish batter recipe creates a light, golden, and ultra-crunchy coating that locks in moisture while delivering the perfect crisp. With simple pantry ingredients and the right technique, you’ll achieve restaurant-quality results at home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional)
- 1 cup cold sparkling water or club soda
- 1 egg (optional, for extra crispiness)
Instructions
- Prepare the batter: In a bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, black pepper, and paprika.
- Mix the liquid: Gradually add cold sparkling water, whisking continuously until smooth. If using an egg, beat it separately and mix it in.
- Prepare the fish: Pat the fish fillets dry and lightly dust them with flour to help the batter stick.
- Heat the oil: In a deep pan, heat oil to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry the fish: Dip each fillet into the batter, let the excess drip off, and fry for 4-6 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Drain and serve: Place on a wire rack or paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Always use cold sparkling water for a light and airy texture.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan to maintain the ideal frying temperature.
- Let the batter rest for 10 minutes for even better crispiness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes per batch
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Deep Frying
- Cuisine: American, British
Nutrition
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
Keywords: Crunchy fish coating, fish fry batter, light fish batter, best batter for fried fish, homemade fish batter