If snacking is a way of life for you—and you are non-vegetarian or pescatarian—then you know what a joy it is to behold fish and seafood snacks! Whether the plate in front of you holds crunchy fish fingers with a side of chilli mayo or a proper fish and chips dish with mustard sauce, biting into these British favourites that celebrate fish and seafood can take any foodie to food heaven.
And yet, there are plenty of Indian snacks that can give these fishy snacks a run for their money that most of us haven’t even tried until now! The fact of the matter is that India has thousands of rivers teeming with freshwater fish and a huge coastline where fish and seafood of all types are harvested. The cuisines of these coastal states, therefore, include many fish and seafood snacks that scream with local flavours and are utterly delicious.
From the coast of Maharashtra to Bengal, these fish and seafood snacks should be on your plate if you are a foodie who loves bingeing on a variety of fish and prawns. Here are some of the brightest fish and seafood gems from across India’s vast coastline.
Video credit: YouTube/Bong Eats
Prawn Koliwada
Prawns marinated in a mildly spiced marinade made of yoghurt, coated with cornflour and then deep fried—Prawn Koliwada sounds amazing, right? This delicacy from Maharashtra should be high on your must-haves list in case you haven’t tasted it already. Many believe that Prawn Koliwada originated in Mumbai among the Kolis, the community of fishermen. Others believe the dish was brought to Mumbai from Punjab after India’s partition in 1947.
Rissois
Also known as Rissois de Camarao, Rissois are basically pattice stuffed with shrimps and cheese. Originating in Goa due to Portuguese influence, Rissois are made with a stuffing of shrimps, onions, chillies and cheese. The dough for the Rissois are made with whole wheat flour, but once stuffed, they are slathered with eggs and breadcrumbs before deep frying—which gives them a crunchy crust to die for!
Also read: 5 Best Fish Dishes From Across India
Nadan Chemeen Varuthathu
Spicy beyond compare, this dish from the Malabar coast of Kerala is not for the faint-hearted. In Malayali, Chemeen means prawns. The prawns in Nadan Chemeen Varuthathu are marinated in a spice blend of onions, dry red chillies, curry leaves, etc. Rice flour is also added to the mix, which gives the fried prawns a crispy texture.
Bombil Rawa Fry
Bombil is basically what Maharashtrians call Bombay duck, a delicate small fish, in Marathi. This traditional Maharashtrian Bombil fish fry is unique because it not only celebrates a local fish variety, but also local flavours of red chillies and semolina. The Bombil is coated in the unique spice mix and then a layer of semolina. So, when fried, this one also turns absolutely crispy.
Fish Kabiraji
Everybody knows Bengalis love their fish, and this unique street food snack from the region proves just how much. Kabiraji isn’t just a simple fish fry dish, but one that boasts of culinary genius because of the thin layer of egg net that the fish cutlet is covered in. Making that egg net is no child’s play even though the fish cutlet itself may be quite common, and this one feature elevates Fish Kabiraji to one of the best fish snacks from India.
Royyala Vepudu
This easy-peasy stir-fried prawns recipe comes from Andhra cuisine. Loaded with both green chillies and locally grown red chillies, this one may be very simple to cook up but packs a huge punch of spiciness. Tempered with curry leaves and garnished with coriander leaves and lemon juice, Royyala Vepudu is a stir fry to die for.
Also read: Top 7 Seafood Dishes of Sri Lanka
Tawa Kolambi
The Malwan region of Maharashtra is known for its spicy food, and Tawa Kolambi Fry is a true example. While North India boasts of its Tawa Paneer dishes, Maharashtra has this hot hot Kolambi or prawn fry. Cooked completely on a hot iron tawa with plenty of Malwani spices, Tawa Kolambi Fry is deliciously spicy and enjoyed as a street food too.