Crispy Fish and Chips with Simple Tartare Sauce
Crispy fish and chips with simple tartare sauce made at home. Golden battered fish, fluffy chips, and classic flavour everyone will love.
Ingredients
For the chips:
- 1.2 kg floury potatoes, such as Russet or Sebago
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Salt, to taste
For the fish:
- 700 - 800 g firm white fish fillets, such as cod, haddock, barramundi, hake, or flathead
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup plain flour, for dusting
For the batter:
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1/4 cup cornflour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
- 250 ml very cold sparkling water or light beer
- 1 tsp white vinegar or lemon juice
For Simple tartare sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp chopped pickles or capers, or to taste
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley, or to taste
- black pepper, to taste
To serve:
- Lemon wedges
- Tartare sauce or aioli
Instructions
- Prepare the chips: Peel the potatoes and cut them into thick chips. Try to keep them similar in size so they cook evenly. Place them in a large bowl of cold water and let them soak for at least 20 minutes. This helps remove excess starch and gives you a better final texture. Drain well, then dry them thoroughly with a clean tea towel or paper towels.
- Par-cook the chips: Heat the oil in a deep heavy pot or fryer to 140°C. Fry the chips in batches for 5 to 6 minutes, until softened and lightly cooked through, but still pale. They should not be golden yet. Lift them out and drain on a tray lined with paper towel or set over a rack. Let them rest while you prepare the fish. This first fry gives you the fluffy inside.
- Prepare the fish: Pat the fish dry very well. Cut into 4 large pieces if needed. Season lightly with salt and black pepper, then dust each piece lightly in plain flour. Shake off any excess. This helps the batter stick properly.
- Make the batter: In a bowl, whisk together the plain flour, cornflour, baking powder, and salt. Pour in the very cold sparkling water or beer and the vinegar or lemon juice, then whisk just until you have a smooth batter. Do not overmix. It should be the consistency of thick pouring cream. Keep the batter cold until ready to use. Cold batter helps create a lighter, crispier coating.
- Fry the fish: Heat the oil to 180°C. Dip each floured fish piece into the batter, letting the excess drip off, then carefully lower it into the hot oil. Fry in batches so you do not overcrowd the pan. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, depending on thickness, until the batter is deep golden and crisp and the fish is cooked through. Lift out and place on a wire rack, not directly onto paper towel if you can help it, as this keeps the coating crisper.
- Finish the chips: Bring the oil back to 190°C. Fry the par-cooked chips again in batches for 2 to 4 minutes, until golden, crisp, and beautifully browned. Drain well, then season immediately with salt.
- Serve: Pile the hot chips onto plates, add the crispy fish, and serve straight away with lemon wedges, tartare sauce, aioli, and malt vinegar if you like.
Notes
- Use floury potatoes for the best chips. They give you that fluffy inside and crisp outside.
- Dry everything well. Wet potatoes and damp fish are the quickest way to lose crispness.
- Cold batter matters. Very cold sparkling water or beer gives the lightest coating.
- Do not overcrowd the fryer. Too much in the oil at once drops the temperature and makes everything heavier and less crisp.
- Use a wire rack if possible. It keeps both the fish and chips crisp while the batches finish cooking.
- If using beer, choose something light and not too bitter.
Optional extras If you want to make the meal feel even more complete, serve it with:
- mushy peas
- a simple green salad
- coleslaw
- pickles or pickled onions