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Kullu trout
Kullu trout (कुल्लू ट्राउट) — river trout from the Beas valley, pan-fried with lemon, garlic and herbs
Rainbow trout were introduced to the cold, fast Beas river over a century ago, and today the farms and roadside dhabas between Kullu and Manali serve it simply: rubbed with lemon and a light masala, then fried whole in a hot pan. It is what travellers stop for on the drive up to the snow, eaten with rice, a green salad and a squeeze of lemon. The spicing is gentle so the clean, sweet flavour of the fish stays in front. Chef's tip: dry the fish very well and leave it alone in the pan for the first few minutes; moving it too early tears the skin, which should come out crisp.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 2 whole rainbow troutabout 300 g each, cleaned and gutted, or 4 fillets
- 1 lemonhalf juiced, half cut into wedges
- 3 cloves garliccrushed
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- ½ tsp black pepperfreshly ground
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp rice flourfor dusting
- 4 tbsp mustard oil or vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
- 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves (optional)chopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rinse the inside of 2 whole rainbow trout under cold running water and pat the fish completely dry inside and out. Cut 3 shallow slashes into each side, down to the bone.
Step 2: Mix the juice from the 1 lemon half with 3 cloves garlic, ¼ tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, ½ tsp black pepper and ¾ tsp salt. Rub it all over the fish, inside the cavity and into the slashes. Leave for 10 minutes in the fridge.
10 minStep 3: Dust the fish lightly on both sides with 2 tbsp rice flour and tap off the excess. A thin coat helps the skin crisp.
Step 4: Heat 4 tbsp mustard oil or vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat until it shimmers. Lay in the trout away from you.
2 minStep 5: Fry for 5–6 minutes without moving, until the underside is golden and crisp and releases easily. Common mistake: crowding two large fish into a small pan; they steam instead of crisping. Fry one at a time if needed.
6 minStep 6: Turn carefully with a fish slice and fry for 4–5 minutes more. The fish is done when the flesh at the thickest part near the backbone is opaque and flakes easily with a knife.
5 minStep 7: Lift onto a warm plate, scatter with 2 tbsp fresh coriander and 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, and serve straight away with the lemon wedges.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kullu trout take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lemon?
- Lime, or 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice per lemon (no zest from bottled juice).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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