Fish chukka/ Fish sukka/ Air fryer fish chukka is a flavorful and scrumptious dry dish prepared by tossing fried fish in spicy onion tomato masala. Traditionally chukka / sukka is prepared with mutton since I din’t eat mutton I had already posted chukka recipe like this CHICKEN CHUKKA.
I was really bored to make the same old recipes like:
So tried making this fish sukka and it truly turned out yummmmmm. The real reason for its taste is that I made the chukka in claypot – a series that I started recently and I am surely in love with claypots. Also I have used air fryer for frying the fish to keep it healthy but if you don’t like air fried ones you could fry the fish pieces before adding it to the masala. Also I have used tilapia fish fillets to prepare this recipe, so make sure to get fish fillets for this recipe as it works best. Finally the color is naturally achieved by cooking in claypot which truly a gift and you get try getting the same claypot in this shop ZISHTA. So let’s get the making of Fish chukka/ fish sukka.
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
SERVES
10 min
25 min
35 min
2
FOR MARINATION
Fish fillet – 1 (full fillet) / 1 cup (chopped into cubes)
Salt- to taste
Rice flour – 2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste – ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Chilli powder – ½ tsp
Cumin powder – ½ tsp
Oil – ½ tsp
Ingredients
Onion – 1
Tomato – 1
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – ½ tsp
Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Salt – taste
Chopped cilantro – 1 tbsp (for garnish)
TO TEMPER
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
Dried red chilli – 2
Clove – 1
Cinnamon stick – ½
Star anise – ½
Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp
Fennel seeds – ¼ tsp
Cashews – 5
Oil – 2 tbsp
Curry leaves – a sprig
Note
* 1 cup = 235 ml
How to make Fish chukka with step by step images
Wash, clean and chop fish fillet into small chunks. Keep it aside. In a bowl add chopped fish cubes, ginger garlic paste, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, oil and rice flour. Mix well until the fish cubes are well coated in masala. Allow the fish pieces to rest for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes preheat Air fryer at 400 for 5 minutes. ( I have CRUX air fryer at home and the below mentioned cook time suits me, timing may vary a little according to the brand) When the air fryer is preheated brush a tbsp of oil on the baking rack/ place a parchment paper on the baking rack (prevents fish from sticking) then place the fish pieces one by one evenly without overcrowding. Brush a tsp oil over the fish pieces as well (optional). Now air fry for 9 minutes. After 9 minutes you will notice that the fish is evenly cooked and crisp. Remove it from the air fryer and cook the next batch. Keep the fish pieces aside.
Apply oil in a clay pot then heat oil in it then, add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, dried red chilli, cashews, clove, cinnamon stick and star anise. When aromatic add curry leaves and chopped onion. Saute well.
when the onions are sauteed well, add ginger garlic paste. Saute well until the raw smell goes.
Now add finely chopped tomato, red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and salt. Mix well and allow the tomatoes to cook until mushy.
When tomatoes look cooked and are mushy add air fried fish pieces. Toss the fish pieces gently in the masala and when everything looks combined garnish it with chopped cilantro. Serve it hot with rice, roti or chapatti!