Since lockdown the only thing I have really been craving is some piping hot fish and hot chips with salt and vinegar drizzled all over the top. Of course that is just a dream because they are no take aways that are open and allowed to trade so I will just have to do with homemade.

Went everyone was busy going into panic buying mode they seemed to have taken all the mutton on the planet and I was left with fish, so I stocked up seeing as fish is very healthy and also brain food and also easy to make especially when it’s a boring day and the last thing you really want to be doing while everyone else is relaxing in front of the TV.

I came across this recipe in the 2^nd Edition Durban cookbook, but I was put off at first because the fish was supposed to be served with fried chips just like they do at the fish and chip shop.

Unfortunately I used the last of my potatoes for Sunday’s lunch and I was not going to do essential shopping just for a pocket of potatoes and then I remembered that I had a packet of rosti in the freezer and well it is 99% potatoe and I mean when am I ever going to make a dish that requires store bought rosti? I might as well put it to good use and guess what it worked perfectly, I actually think it went better with the fish than slap chips would have, oh please who I am kidding fish and slap chips are a perfect pair but when desperate times call for desperate measures we make a plan.

I loved it, it was a tad bit strong but when you squeezed the fresh lemon over the top the burn went away.

My dad well he thought it was steak at first, it looked like limp steak and when I told him it was fish he was like again and then complained that it was too strong but he ate it and had my afternoon nap I heard had seconds in the vain hope that I would not hear about it and think he did not enough the food one bit.

I kept the left overs hidden at the back of the fridge for tomorrow, no way I am fasting against my will again.

Ingredients:

• Fish fillets, cleaned and cut into portions.
• Cake flour, sifted.
• Wet fish masala.
• 6 x tbsp. olive oil.
• Salt and pepper to season.

Method:

• Roll the fish in the masala and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
• Roll in the flour and dust off the excess.
• Heat the oil in a pan.
• Carefully fry each piece of fish on both sides, till lightly golden.
• Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen towel.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve with lemon wedges.