The Best Lahori Fish Recipe

Name: The Best Lahori Fish Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 pound paddlefish fillets (or other white flaky fish); 1 Tablespoon kosher salt; 2 cups canola oil; 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour; 1 Tablespoon cornstarch; 1 3.52 ounce box of Shan Lahori Fish seasoning mix; 1 teaspoon fennel seeds; 1 teaspoon peppercorns; 1 fresh lemon, cut into wedges; 1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped

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Fish Recipes like this Pakistani Lahori Fried Fish using paddlefish fillets

The Best Lahori Fish Recipe

Jeff Benda

This Lahori Fish offers something unique to the normal fried fish you may have eaten at a Lenten Fish Fry. The Shan Lahori Fish seasoning mix adds a huge burst of flavor to this Pakistani Fried Fish recipe that comes together in just 15 minutes.

I used the simple, sweet fillets of a Paddlefish I caught right here in North Dakota in May 2023, but you could use your choice of a multitude of different fish to create this fiery, fragrant concoction.

Paddlefish recipes like this one are amazing! Paddlefish are one of my favorite fish to eat because it's tender and flavorful, and best of all you don't have to worry about getting any fish bones lodged in your throat while munching happily on the fried fish! This is because paddlefish, like sharks, have skeletons made of cartilage, not bone. Paddlefish also don't have any scales.

Lahori Fish is famous in Pakistani, and once you've tasted it, you'll know why! It can easily be made at home wherever you live. I was able to find the Shan Lahori Fish seasoning mix at the A & A Supermarket here in Fargo, North Dakota. If you don't have an Asian market near you, you can easily order some of the Lahori seasoning mix for batter coated fish right here on Amazon.

PAKISTANI FRIED FISH

Be it in the spices or the dishes, the cuisine of Pakistan is in many ways identical to Indian cuisine or an amalgam of the cuisine from the two regions. As in Indian cuisine, many Pakistani dishes like this Lahori Fish use gram flour with a mix of spices like red chili, onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon. If you are a fan of the flavors found in Indian food, you will love this Pakistani Lahori fish!

THE BEST FISH FOR LAHORI FRIED FISH

I used Paddlefish fillets for this Lahori Fried Fish recipe, but I've also created this dish for my fish-loving wife using walleye, perch, catfish, and cod.

I’ve made fried fish recipes six ways to Sunday, but all the best variations share a few elements: They all use firm, white, and lean fish that are skinless and boneless. I'm devoted to getting people to try more Paddlefish recipes like my Easy Lemon Butter Baked Paddlefish. However, the Paddlefish snagging season in North Dakota and Montana only happens once a year starting on May 1, and usually only lasts a few days before the harvest cap of 2,000 fish is reached. So don't be afraid to experiment with this Pakistani fried fish recipe with whatever fish you are able to catch or buy locally.

WHY IS THEIR A PADDLEFISH HARVEST CAP?

The paddlefish harvest cap is intended to keep the adult population from dropping below its current level. A harvest cap of 2,000 fish, equally split between Montana and North Dakota, is deemed appropriate based upon the current populations of the fishery. Changes in the allowable harvest may be made, as necessary, to prevent the population from declining.

HOW TO MAKE LAHORI FISH

1. Pat fish fillets dry with paper towels, sprinkle both sides of the fillets with salt, and set them aside at room temperature.

2. Add 2 cups of canola oil to a Dutch oven over medium high heat until the oil reaches 350 to 360 degrees F.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine half cup of water, 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, and the Shan Lahori Fish seasoning mix and whisk together to make a smooth batter.

4. Dredge the fish in the batter and let the excess drip off. Lay each piece of coated fish gently into the hot oil. Do this by letting the bottom end of the piece of fish fry for a couple of seconds in the oil before you lay the whole piece of fish in the hot oil. This will help prevent the fish from sticking to the bottom of the Dutch oven.

5. Fry the fish until golden brown and crispy, between 5 to 7 minutes, flipping fish halfway through frying using a fish spatula. Transfer fish to a paper towel–lined plate and sprinkle with fennel seeds and peppercorns if so desired. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and chopped fresh cilantro.

LENTEN FISH FRY RECIPES

Lent, which runs from Ash Wednesday until sundown on Holy Thursday, is meant to be a solemn observance, forty days of commemorating Jesus Christ’s time of fasting and temptation in the desert through contemplation and abstention. As a Catholic, I love Lent because of the Lenten fish fry. The tradition of a Lenten fish fry, put on by churches and other affiliated groups like the Knights of Columbus, helps the observant Catholic stay on the righteous path while also raising a little money. You can easily find a Lenten fish fry near you in any Catholic enclave across the country, but especially here in the Midwest.

If you'd like to host your own Lenten fish fry at home and are looking for more great ways to use some of that fish in your freezer, be sure and check out some of our favorite fish recipes:

Walleye with Lemon Caper Sauce

How to Smoke Fish

Paddlefish Caviar

Salmon Chowder

Fish Tacos

Pickled Northern Pike

Pescado Frito

COME TO NORTH DAKOTA TO CATCH PADDLEFISH

If you would like to visit North Dakota and experience an amazing fishing experience snagging a North Dakota Paddlefish, check out details at the North Dakota Game & Fish Department website.

CONNECT WITH ME AND JOIN OUR WILD GAME COOKING COMMUNITY

If you make this Lahori Fish, I’d love for you to join our community and connect with me so we can all see pics of your creations on Instagram and Facebook. When you post a pic of your finished dish on Instagram, be sure and use the hashtag #wildgameandfish and then tag me @wildgameandfish so I can share it on my Instagram stories.

Did you enjoy this Lahori Fish Recipe? Be sure to leave a 5-star rating RIGHT HERE!

5 from 18 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Total Time 15

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Pakistani

Servings servings

Ingredients

1 pound paddlefish fillets (or other white flaky fish)
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
2 cups canola oil
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 3.52 ounce box of Shan Lahori Fish seasoning mix
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon peppercorns
1 fresh lemon, cut into wedges
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Gather all of your ingredients.
Pat fish fillets dry with paper towels, sprinkle both sides of the fillets with salt, and set them aside at room temperature.
Add 2 cups of canola oil to a Dutch oven over medium high heat until the oil reaches 350 to 360 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, combine half cup of water, 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, and the Shan Lahori Fish seasoning mix and whisk together to make a smooth batter.
Dredge the fish in the batter and let the excess drip off.
Lay each piece of coated fish gently into the hot oil. Do this by letting the bottom end of the piece of fish fry for a couple of seconds in the oil before you lay the whole piece of fish in the hot oil. This will help prevent the fish from sticking to the bottom of the Dutch oven.
Fry the fish until golden brown and crispy, between 5 to 7 minutes, flipping fish halfway through frying using a fish spatula. Transfer fish to paper towel–lined plate and sprinkle with fennel seeds and peppercorns if so desired. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and chopped fresh cilantro.