Catch of the Day

Fish and Chips can be counted among some of the oldest and most favoured recipes from the British islands,and while Cyrus Irani,executive chef at Hard Rock Cafe,pays homage to the British dish,his version come with a twist. “The traditional recipe uses a batter,generally with beer in it. But I have used crumbs instead. It retains less oil than batter and also preserves the taste of the spices and herbs in the recipe,” he says.

Chef Irani has also moved away from tradition in his choice of fish. While in the UK,it is customary to use cod or haddock,he prefers to use Vietnamese basa. “We do get cod in the Indian market but it has a distinct fishy taste and aroma,which people might not be so used to here. So I use basa instead. Its taste is more earthy and has a lovely flaky texture after frying,unlike other fish,which become mushy,” says Chef Irani.

At the Irish House,executive chef Rahul Kulkarni also prefers to use basa as the base ingredient,although when it comes to the batter,he goes the traditional way. “We use basa,which has a delicate flavour,and it complements the flavour of the beer batter in our recipe. The batter gives both texture and flavour,” he says. But it’s not a simple job,making a batter from beer. He says,“The recipe demands good quality,high flavour beer,because it is absorbed by the fish. And the batter has to be chilled — that is what gives the crunch to the fish.”

The effort seems to pay off though,as the item has picked up in popularity at the pub. “We call it our ‘hero item’. It is among the bestselling items. All those who want food to compliment their drinks enjoy it,and it is comfort food too while being surely healthy,” he adds.

At Fishtro,a seafood specialty chain,the menu has several varieties of fish and chips,such as the Continental style,Grilled fish and chips,and even an intriguing Indian-style fish and chips with masalas. Rohit Adalti,owner of the Hinjewadi branch,says,“They are served quickly,easy to eat,have a lot of protein and are healthy. And a lot of people like the traditional British concept of the dish.”

At Manchester United Bar and Cafe too,there are three different preparations for the dish,which include the Classic fish and chips,Grilled fish and chips rubbed with sundried tomatoes and one from the tandoor — Ajwaini fish tikka.

The brand that the chef prefers to use rawas or white salmon. “While we don’t use beer in our batter to cater to guests who don’t drink,our recipes are prepared in a way that the fish and chips go well with alcohol if someone wants to drink along with their meal,” he says.