Fish and Chips

Name: Fish and Chips
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 4 fillets White fish; 4 Potatoes; Frying oil; 1 Lemon; 1 cup Cake flour; 1 cup Beer; 1 tsp Baking powder; 0.5 tsp Salt; Flour for dredging; Tartar sauce; Malt vinegar, mushy peas

Britain's national dish — white fish in a crisp, cold-beer batter with thick-cut chips. Served with malt vinegar, tartar sauce, and mushy peas; hearty and golden.

Ingredients

2servings

White fish · cod, pollock, etc.4 fillets
Potatoes · cut thick (chips)4
Frying oil · plenty
Lemon · to serve1
Beer batter
Cake flour1 cup
Beer · cold lager; the fizz is key1 cup
Baking powder1 tsp
Salt0.5 tsp
Flour for dredging · a little
To serve
Tartar sauce · mayo + pickle + onion
Malt vinegar, mushy peas · to taste

Steps

Cut the potatoes thick, rinse in cold water, and fry the first time at 130-140C just to cook them (still pale); lift out.
⏲ 8 min
Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt with cold beer, lightly. A few lumps are fine — keep the fizz for crispness.
⏲ 2 min
Pat the fish dry, dust with flour, then dip in the beer batter and let the excess drip off.
⏲ 2 min
Fry the fish at 180C until the outside is golden and crisp.
⏲ 5 min
Fry the chips a second time at 190C until crisp and golden.
⏲ 3 min
Drain and salt. Serve the fish and chips together with lemon, tartar sauce, malt vinegar, and mushy peas.

Tips & Variations

Variations

Mushy peas: The classic British side — mashed marrowfat peas alongside.
Gluten-free: Use rice flour or starch for the batter.
Air fryer: Less oil for crispness (a panko coating works well).
Shrimp/squid: Batter-fry seafood instead of fish.

Tips

Cold, fizzy beer makes the batter crisp — flat or warm won't do it.
Double-fry the chips: cook low, then crisp high.
Pat the fish dry and dust with flour so the batter clings.
Make the batter right before frying to keep the bubbles.
A splash of malt vinegar cuts the richness — the British way.

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