Mathi Fry / Fried Sardines Recipe

Another awesome fish recipe from Kerala. Mathi or matti means sardines which is a tiny sea fish belongs to herring family. It is another popular and affordable fish in Kerala which is very common and important part of their diet.  Mathi fry is a very simple and crusty sardines dish from Kerala in which first mathi is marinated in red chilly powder, turmeric and black pepper and then shallow fried.  If the sardines or mathi have been fried properly, then you can even eat its bones and yes they are delicious!  

Sardines are super rich in omega-3 fatty acid more than any other seafood. It is considered as one of the most healthiest fish by “eatingwell.com“. It also comes under one of the very few foods which is naturally rich in Vitamin D.  With all of these health benefits and taste, you cannot walk away from this sardines dish.

Health check :- According to the health experts, it is good to include fish in our diet once or twice a week. Most fishes are low in fats and cholesterol and have good quality and lean protein. Sea fishes like mackerel, trout,  salmon, tuna, herrings are very good source of healthy fish oils called omega 3 fatty acids. Our body cannot create omega 3 fatty acids by itself, so oily fish is an easy way to get this nutrient. Fishes are also a good source of Vitamin B12, phosphorus and selenium.

Try out these fish recipes too :-

• Fish curry with coconut milk / Kerala fish curry
• Fish curry with coconut Kerala
• Ayala curry / Kerala red fish (mackerel) curry
• Fish stew recipe
• Pistachio crusted fish recipe
• Fish in foil recipe
• Goan fish curry
• Blackened fish recipe

Mathi Fry / Fried Sardines Recipe

Recipe by Neha NairCourse: MainCuisine: Indian, KeralaDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Marination time

2

hours or overnight

Mathi fry is another wonderful dish from Kerala in which sardines are marinated in hot red chilly paste mixture and then fried to crispy perfection.

Ingredients

• 6 sardines or mathi, cut and cleaned

• 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder

• 1/2 tsp of black pepper

• 1 tsp of red chilly pepper

• Half of lemon

• 1/2 tsp of ginger paste

• Salt to taste

• 2-3 Tbsp of oil

Directions

• Make 2-3 slits on the fish. Mix all the dry ingredients with lemon juice, to make thick paste, then rub the mathi with this paste and let it sit for about 2 hours or overnight in the fridge .This will help the marinade to go inside those slits.
• Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and fry the fishes on both side. Mathi fry is ready to serve.
• Serve mathi fry hot with rice and morru curry.