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Home » Recipes

Delicious Indian Fried Mackerel Recipe

Apr 6, 2023Last Modified: April 6, 2023

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This page may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. This post is about a Delicious Indian Fried Mackerel Recipe!

Several small mackerel which were pan fried with Indian spices and garnished with curry leaves, lime wedges, and cilantro.

The delights of Indian cuisine go beyond curries. One such delight is the mackerel fish fry. In this fish fry we will marinate fresh mackerel in a vinegar based marinade with delicious spices, and shallow fry in a little oil until the fish is a beautiful golden brown.

So allow me to tell you a little bit about Indian mackerel and why we should eat this delicious fish!

Jump to:
  • What Is Indian Mackerel?
  • Why Should I Make This Recipe?
  • 🥘 Ingredients
  • 🔪 Instructions
  • Enjoy Your Indian Fried Mackerel!
  • FAQ
  • Some Other Recipes You May Enjoy!
  • Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!
  • Delicious Indian Fried Mackerel Recipe

What Is Indian Mackerel?

Indian mackerel is also known by these names in India: bangada, bangda, and ayla, or ayala, among other names. It is a species of mackerel in the scombrid family and is mainly found in the Indian and West Pacific oceans, and surrounding seas (per Wikipedia).

It's a beautiful oily fish with a shiny and silver skin that is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. The taste is fairly mild, and this fish is just wonderful when pan fried, as in this recipe.

Why Should I Make This Recipe?

If you love fish, then try making this Indian Fried Mackerel Recipe! This recipe is:

  • Easy! All you will need to do is make a simple marinade and allow the mackerel to marinate for 30 minutes, and then pan fry and you're ready to enjoy it!
  • Quick! After marinating the fish, it should take around 5 minutes to shallow fry it.
  • Delicious! The marinade is a mixture of spicy and salty flavors, which impart a marvelous taste to the mackerel.

Is your appetite whetted for this fried mackerel? If so, please read on to find out what ingredients you will need to make this dish!

🥘 Ingredients

Several small mackerel in a white bowl, and small bowls filled with olive oil, garam masala and cumin, salt, ginger garlic paste, turmeric, red chili powder, vinegar, and besan flour.

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this delicious mackerel fish fry:

  • Indian mackerel - I purchased cleaned and gutted frozen mackerel from my local Indian/Pakistani store which I defrosted prior to using
  • Olive oil - can substitute coconut oil (more traditionally used) or vegetable oil
  • Salt
  • Turmeric powder
  • Ginger garlic paste - do not use minced ginger/garlic as it will not give you best results and is not appropriate for this recipe
  • Indian red chili powder
  • Garam masala
  • Cumin powder
  • Vinegar
  • Besan gram flour - this will be almost like a batter and will help give us a little crispy texture when frying

Garnishes include:

Small bowls filled with curry leaves, lime wedges, and cilantro.
  • Lime - a squeeze of lime over the cooked mackerel is delightful!
  • Curry leaves - optional garnish
  • Cilantro - optional garnish

Now I'll guide you with step-by-step instructions as to how to make this simple recipe!

🔪 Instructions

It's super easy and quick to make this mackerel recipe! I am using cleaned and gutted mackerel for this recipe.

Prepare The Mackerel

Begin by preparing the fish. Rinse the mackerel and pat dry using paper towels. Cut several slits into the flesh on each side of the mackerel.

By the way, if you like you can remove any protruding fish bones with a pair of tweezers if you like.

Someone using a paper towel to pat dry mackerel.
Pat the fish dry with paper towels.
Uncooked mackerel on a cutting board. There is a knife opening a slit that has been cut into the flesh of one of the fish, and a pair of tweezers.
Score the fish with a sharp knife.

Sprinkle both sides and the inside with a mixture of ½ ts salt and ½ ts turmeric and set it aside while you make the marinade.

Uncooked mackerel coated with salt and turmeric in a white bowl.

Make The Marinade

Combine the ginger garlic paste, vinegar, red chili powder, ½ ts turmeric and ½ ts salt, garam masala and cumin in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Coat the fish with the marinade. It's easiest to use your hands to do this. Coat both sides as well as the inside of the mackerel, and make sure that the marinade goes into the slits in the flesh which you have made. Cover and leave to marinate for 30 minutes in your fridge.

A glass bowl filled with an Indian spice masala sauce and a spoon containing some of the sauce.
Uncooked mackerel coated in Indian spices.

Fry The Mackerel

After 30 minutes remove the fish from your fridge. Add ¼ cup of besan gram flour to a plate, and coat the fish with the besan on both sides.

Mackerel which have been coated with Indian spices and besan flour in a white bowl.

Heat the oil in a large pan on a medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the mackerel to the pan and fry each side for 2-3 minutes or until the fish has browned nicely. You'll want to check it 2 minutes in (on each side) to make sure it's not burning. Nudge the fish before trying to turn it over. If it doesn't move easily, it is not ready to turn and you should allow it to cook a little longer before checking it.

Mackerel coated with Indian spices and besan flour frying in oil in a cast iron pan.
Mackerel which were coated in Indian spices being pan fried in a cast iron pan. They have turned brown and crispy.

Once the fish has finished cooking, drain them on a paper towel lined plate. Now it's time to enjoy the fruits of your labor!

Mackerel which has been browned after being fried that have been placed on paper towels to absorb oil.

Enjoy Your Indian Fried Mackerel!

Several small mackerel which were pan fried with Indian spices and garnished with curry leaves, lime wedges, and cilantro.

Get ready to enjoy this wonderful taste of Indian cuisine! Garnish with lime wedges, cilantro, and/or curry leaves, and enjoy your delicious Indian Fried Mackerel! Be sure to squeeze some lime juice over the fish for maximum enjoyment!

This flavorful mackerel is perfect served with some basmati rice as part of your main meal. Or it's delightful served as a side dish to accompany other dishes such as Indian Spiced Green Lentils.

I hope you will make plans to savor this delicious fish soon!

FAQ

What is mackerel called in India?

Indian mackerel is also known by these names in India: bangada, bangda, and ayla, or ayala, among other names.

Does Indian mackerel have bones?

Indian mackerel does have bones and smaller mackerel are more fiddly to eat because of the bones than larger mackerel. In fact, it may be easier to eat the mackerel with your hands!

How can I fillet Indian mackerel?

Clovegarden.com has a great tutorial on how to fillet Indian mackerel!

Some Other Recipes You May Enjoy!

Here are some other recipes that you may enjoy:

  • Indian Butter Chicken
  • Healthy and Delicious Indian Spiced Cabbage
  • The BEST Indian Spiced Roasted Cauliflower

Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!

I invite you to come along on this food journey with me! Please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.

Cheers!

Grace

Several small mackerel which were pan fried with Indian spices and garnished with curry leaves, lime wedges, and cilantro.

Delicious Indian Fried Mackerel Recipe

Grace
Enjoy mackerel the Indian way! This Delicious Indian Fried Mackerel Recipe is so full of flavor and quick and easy to make. Delight your taste buds with this mackerel fish fry!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 5 minutes mins
Marinating time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Servings 2 people
Calories 223 kcal

Equipment

  • large pan

Ingredients
  

  • 5 each mackerel select small mackerel, cleaned and gutted
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil can sub coconut oil or vegetable oil
  • ½ ts salt
  • ½ ts turmeric
  • ¼ cup besan gram flour can sub rice flour

Marinade

  • 2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
  • 2 ts red chili powder add additional to taste if you like
  • ½ ts salt
  • ½ ts turmeric
  • ¼ ts garam masala
  • ¼ ts cumin
  • 2 tablespoon vinegar

Garnishes - Optional

  • ¼ each lime cut into wedges
  • 1.5 tablespoon curry leaves
  • 1.5 tablespoon cilantro

Instructions
 

Prepare The Mackerel

  • Rinse the mackerel and pat dry using paper towels. Cut several slits into the flesh on each side of the mackerel. Sprinkle both sides and the inside with a mixture of ½ ts salt and ½ ts turmeric and set it aside while you make the marinade.
    Uncooked mackerel coated with salt and turmeric in a white bowl.

Make The Marinade

  • Combine the ginger garlic paste, vinegar, red chili powder, ½ ts turmeric and ½ ts salt, garam masala and cumin in a small bowl and stir to combine.
    A glass bowl filled with an Indian spice masala sauce and a spoon containing some of the sauce.
  • Coat the fish with the marinade. It's easiest to use your hands to do this. Coat both sides as well as the inside of the mackerel, and make sure that the marinade goes into the slits in the flesh which you have made. Cover and leave to marinate for 30 minutes in your fridge.
    Uncooked mackerel coated in Indian spices.

Frying The Fish

  • After 30 minutes remove the fish from your fridge. Add ¼ cup of besan gram flour to a plate, and coat the fish with the besan on both sides.
    Mackerel which have been coated with Indian spices and besan flour in a white bowl.
  • Heat the oil in a large pan on a medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the mackerel to the pan and fry each side for 2-3 minutes or until the fish has browned nicely. You'll want to check it 2 minutes in (on each side) to make sure it's not burning. Nudge the fish before trying to turn it over. If it doesn't move easily, it is not ready to turn and you should allow it to cook a little longer before checking it.
    Mackerel which were coated in Indian spices being pan fried in a cast iron pan. They have turned brown and crispy.
  • Once the fish has finished cooking, drain them on a paper towel lined plate.
    Mackerel which has been browned after being fried that have been placed on paper towels to absorb oil.

Enjoy Your Indian Fried Mackerel!

  • Garnish with lime wedges, cilantro, and/or curry leaves, and enjoy your delicious Indian Fried Mackerel!
    Several small mackerel which were pan fried with Indian spices and garnished with curry leaves, lime wedges, and cilantro.

Notes

Mackerel is a superb fish to eat, but beware it does have a lot of small bones!  PRO TIP:  do as the Indians do and eat it with your hands.  It's much easier this way as you can feel for the bones and avoid getting stabbed like I did. 😅

Nutrition

Calories: 223kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 5gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 1225mgPotassium: 222mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1669IUVitamin C: 444mgCalcium: 114mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Fish, fried fish, mackerel
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About Me

Hi I’m Grace! I'm married and a mom to my fur baby, Toby, and food and travel are two of my greatest passions! Since our bank account does not allow us to travel or eat out as much as we'd like, I decided I would cook delicious meals that could give us a taste of all the places we'd like to go. My goal is to get you in the kitchen, and inspire you to cook and taste delightful meals that will transport you too. Let’s throw some actual travel in from time to time, all with an emphasis on keeping your wallet full and happy as well. Let’s get cooking and let’s start exploring!! I'm excited to be on this journey with you!!

By the way most of these recipes are Toby taste tested and Toby approved!!

Chief Taste Tester Toby

Toby Chief Taste Tester

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