Everyday Kitchen

British · Dinner

Fish and chips

Draft recipe — not kitchen-tested
Non-vegHard

Diet: Non-veg · High-protein

Bake potato chips and fry battered white fish. Use a deep heavy pan and monitor oil temperature.

Prep
25 min
Cook
35 min
Total
60 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Hard
Cuisine
British
Course
Dinner

Estimated times for the original batch. Preparation, cooking and listed waiting time are included. Batch cooking can take longer.

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Representative photograph of fish and chips
Representative photograph of fish and chips. This photograph is not a result of testing this draft. Photo credit and licence
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Ingredients

Metric weights use grams. US weights use ounces; liquids use fluid ounces. Conversions are rounded. Spoon measures use 5 ml teaspoons and 15 ml tablespoons; cups use 240 ml.

Serves 4

Choose any positive whole number of servings. Ingredients and measured amounts in steps scale together. Times, temperatures and equipment stay unchanged. For larger yields, cook separate original-size batches. Counted ingredients can become fractions; beat eggs before dividing them. Fixed correction-water checks remain fixed.

Chips

Fish

Batter

Frying

Equipment

Oven; tray; deep heavy pan; oil and food thermometers; whisk; rack; slotted spoon.

Check all product labels and cross-contact. Diet groups describe this listed draft, not every substitution.

Steps

Bake chips · About 35 min

  1. Heat oven to 220°C / 425°F. Dry 800 g potatoes, cut into thick chips; toss with 30 ml neutral oil and ½ tsp salt. Bake in one layer for 30–35 minutes, turning halfway.

    Check: The chips are golden and tender.

Make batter · About 5 min

  1. Mix 150 g plain flour and 1 tsp baking powder; whisk in 220 ml cold sparkling water just before frying. Pat 600 g white fish fillets dry; season with ½ tsp salt and dust with 40 g plain flour for dusting.

Heat oil · About 10 min

  1. Heat 1000 ml neutral oil for frying to 180°C / 355°F in a deep heavy pan. Keep the pan less than half full.

    Check: Keep water away from the hot oil.

Fry fish · About 8 min

  1. Dip fish into batter; lower carefully into oil. Fry in batches for 6–8 minutes and drain on a rack.

    Check: The coating is golden and fish reaches 63°C / 145°F in its thickest part. Serve with hot chips.

Tips

  • Cold sparkling water helps the batter stay light.
  • Never leave hot frying oil unattended.

Substitutions

  • Use cod, haddock or another firm white fish.
  • Use still cold water if sparkling water is unavailable; the crust will differ.

Storage

  • Refrigerate perishable food within two hours, or within one hour in heat above 32°C / 90°F. Store covered at 4°C / 40°F or below. Use within two days for this draft.
  • Reheat cooked dishes to 74°C / 165°F, stirring or turning for even heating. Serve cold salads, dips and chilled desserts directly from safe refrigeration.
  • For sauces and soups, add a little water if thick and reheat gently. Crisp coatings soften after storage.

Make ahead

  • Cut potatoes ahead; keep submerged in cold water in the fridge, then dry thoroughly.
  • Mix dry batter ingredients ahead; add water just before frying.

FAQ

Is this beer batter?

No. It uses sparkling water.

Why is batter greasy?

Oil may be too cool or crowded. Fry smaller batches at the listed temperature.

Can I bake the battered fish?

This wet batter is measured for frying and does not behave the same in an oven.

Food safety references

FoodSafety.gov: cooking temperatures · Food Standards Agency: rice storage and reheating

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