I was telling my friends as I made my first fish and chips in Bahrain, age 60, that it felt strange that I had never made them before. I was born by the sea so we always had Fish and Chips. When I went back home to Brighton we always went to the Pier over the sea and there were several kiosks selling fish and chips in paper cones, and a Fish restaurant. Sadly I have lost all my old pictures over time so I downloaded some from the internet! I also found a great article on the Pier and Brighton and Hove ( where I was born and grew up) which you can read here:
Brighton pier, near where I was born, where we used to eat Fish and Chips
Then when I came to Bahrain I discovered a Scottish Fish and Chip shop, "The Frying Scotsman" and became a regular there eating Fish and Chips once a week.
In December 2020 my friend , Andrea, bought me Jamie Oliver's Comfort Food Recipe book for Christmas and I have been working my way through the recipes. Finally I found the Fish and Chips ones! Jamie devotes 6 pages to the fish, home made chips and condiments like curry sauce and tartare sauce and an old Yorkshire favourite- Mushy peas!
My 2020 Christmas gift from Miss Andrea
When I was at University in Huddersfield we used to visit the iconic fish and Chip restaurant called Harry Ramsden's ( sadly while researching this blog I found out it has now closed):
" The best-known fish-and-chip shop in the UK faces closure by its parent company after 83 years of serving up skinless haddock and mushy peas to millions of punters.
Harry Ramsden's at White Cross in the Leeds suburb of Guiseley is expected to shut its doors after Christmas with the loss of 24 jobs. The move does not affect the rest of the group.
The Yorkshire icon has long lost the supreme reputation built up by Ramsden who constructed an unprecedented palace for the consumption of the 'people's food'. A series of takeovers and franchises diluted the unique atmosphere and other restaurants challenged successfully for the crown."
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2011/nov/30/harry-ramsdens-closure-guiseley-fish-and-chips ( accessed 25.05.21)
Just look at the size of my fish!
Then when I was in Doha, Qatar, for Christmas , a few years back , Jam Sparks and I found a Harry Ramsden's franchise . Guess who won a tee shirt for eating their largest portion of fish and chips ( 32 ounces!)?
So after eating all these fish and chips around the world , could i actually cook it? Well Jamie made it seem so simple so I went and got some fish, oil, vinegar, salt and potatoes. Sadly the Maris Piper potatoes he recommends are not available in Bahrain!
So take some big potatoes ( 800g) , wash them but do not peel and then chop into small chip size pieces. Put 8 cm of oil in a pan ( Jamie recommends Sunflower oil) but never fill the pan more than half full. I think looking back the hot oil and fire danger was why I always avoided making my own chips! If you do not have a thermometer put a chip in and when it floats and fries then its 140 degrees, the right temperature to blanch* your chips.
*For those unfamiliar with the term Blanch means , in cooking,
" briefly immerse (an item of food) in boiling water, especially as a technique for removing the skin from nuts or fruit or for preparing vegetables for further cooking."
My cut potatoes ready for blanching.
Once the oil is at 140 degrees lower a few chips at a time in a metal sieve for around 8 minutes until soft but not coloured then remove to a tray to cool. I put them on a kitchen towel first to drain off the excess oil . Also make sure you give the sieve a good shake before you remove it from the pan or you will use all your oil!
Once the chips are blanched and your fish is ready to go turn up the heat on the oil and cook two portions of chips at a time. Any more and the temperature of the oil will fall and the pan will become too overcrowded, and the hot oil may splash out. So 180 degrees is about right . Cook until they are beautifully golden and crisp on the outside and fluffy in the middle. When each batch is finished place in a bowl lined with kitchen towel , shake them a bit, season with sea salt and serve right away with the fish....
My firm white fish ( 4 x 170 g fillets) cut into playing card sized pieces
You cut up the fish as shown above and then season with sea salt and wrap each piece in cling film and place in the fridge for an hour to draw out the moisture.
The playing card size pieces of fish wrapped individually in cling film
Just before you are ready to cook the fish and chips make the batter...
The batter is made in a bowl mixing 120 g self raising flour and half a teaspoon of baking powder with either 200 ml cold Golden ale or IPA ( or for our friends who do not drink alcohol 200 ml cold water) . Whisk gently until smooth and thick ( the batter should coat the back of a spoon without falling off)
Now pat your fish dry and put 2 or 3 handfuls of flour in a shallow bowl. Use the same oil as for the chips at 180 degrees and cook two pieces of fish at a time , alternating with the chips, so they get hot fish and chips, one person at a time.
Before cooking dust the fish in the flour and then the batter mix and then carefully dip into the hot oil ( so it does not splash) and let it float then let go. Fry for 3 or 4 mins until the fish is golden and crisp and then take out with a slotted spoon, drain the oil back into the pan and place the fish on kitchen paper and season and then serve with salt, vinegar, tomato or tartare sauce, a wedge of lemon and your hot home made chips.
My first ever home made fish and chips!
Jamie recommends several condiments and in his recipe book you will find recipes on page 68 for:
- Curry Sauce
- Tartare Sauce
- Mushy Peas
- Let's chat pickles
Ingat Palagi, Kita kits , inshallah!
Hello, I am The British Kabayan! Feel free to read my stories.
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