Nethili Fry Recipe

Nethili Fry also known as anchovy fry is a spicy fish fry which is easy to make and taste delicious. This popular fried anchovy recipe is easy to make and taste so crispy. Learn how to make nethili fry with step by step pictures and video.

Nethili Fish Fry

This is one of hubby's favorite recipe. Fried anchovies which are coated in a spicy masala. These are perfect for appetizer or even as a side dish for rice and rasam. I already have anchovy avial  in my blog.

Jump to:

• About Anchovy Fry (Nethili Fry)
• Watch Nethili Fry (Anchovy Fry) Video
• Nethili Fry Ingredients
• How to Make Nethili Fry (stepwise pictures)
• Expert Tips
• 📖 Recipe Card

About Anchovy Fry (Nethili Fry)

Nethili is also known as anchovy fish, it is a tiny variety of fish which is usually used in the making of nethili meen kuzhambu or meen peera. We love it fried more than kuzhambu.

Fried anchovy is so much crispier and taste so crunchy. I marinate it with basic spices like chilli powder, turmeric, lemon, ginger and garlic. For binding I use egg and rice flour which makes it super crunchy.

If you want, you can mix all the ingredients together and leave in fridge for a entire day before frying.

Watch Nethili Fry (Anchovy Fry) Video

Nethili Fry Ingredients

Anchovy - I like to use small variety of anchovy fish because it gets super crispy when fried.

Spices - As far as the spices, I used only chilli powder and turmeric. You can use garam masala powder, pepper powder or garam masala powder.

Ginger & Garlic - freshly ground ginger and garlic is used to make the marination.

Rice Flour - I used rice flour which made the fry super crispy.

Egg - egg helps with the binding of the masala and rice flour to the fish.

Oil - for any fish recipes, I like to use coconut oil for frying. It adds so much flavour to the fish.

How to Make Anchovies Fry | Nethili Fish Fry Recipe

• Take fresh anchovies and clean them well. Now put them in a bowl.
• Add salt, turmeric, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, rice flour, egg, lemon juice to it.
• Mix them well and let it marinate for 30 mins.
• Now heat oil for deep frying.
• Drop these fish in hot oil and fry till golden.
• Drain them in paper towel. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice.

How to Make Nethili Fry (stepwise pictures)

Cleaning Nethili | Anchovy

1)You can use small or slightly medium size anchovy for this recipe. I like to remove the head from the fish and gently pull it with my fingers, this removes the guts from the fish. Now wash it really well in multiple changes of water. Gently squeeze and remove excess water from it and take it in a container.

Marinating Fish

2)Add ginger and garlic paste to the fish.

3)Add salt, turmeric, chilli powder to the fish.

4)Add in rice flour. This helps to make the fish fry crispy.

5)Add in one beaten egg. This is what binds the masala to the fish.

6)Add in lemon juice. You can use vinegar instead of lemon juice.

7)Mix this really well. You can fry immediately or store it for few hours in fridge.

Frying Fish

8)Heat coconut oil for frying. Drop the fish in little at a time and fry on high heat till crispy. Strain and serve.

9)Nethili fry or anchovy fry taste best when served cold.

Expert Tips

• You can use a combination of black pepper powder, garam masala powder for the marination.
• Instead of rice flour, you can use cornstarch.
• Instead of egg you can use a spoon of yogurt. 
• For deep frying, you can shallow fry the fish.

Storage & Serving

You can allow the fish to marinate for upto 2 days in fridge. Fried anchovy taste great when served hot. Enjoy it on its own or with rice. 

More Fish Recipes to Try

📖 Recipe Card

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