Pan-fried fish steak is a common dish in many Malaysian households. 

There are many iterations of this dish - some choose to marinate the fish with turmeric powder, others like to drench soy sauce over the cooked fish at the end. 

Keep it simple

However, we love our dad's simple recipe best. It is also the perfect work-from-home option when you are rushed for time.

All we do is marinate the fish with salt, fry it, then garnish with julienned ginger and coriander leaves.

Seriously, that's it!

This simplicity allowed us to enjoy the natural flavours of the fish, which works really well when your seafood is fresh. We also like to enjoy it with cut chillies and soy sauce on the side. 

This simple recipe will yield the perfect fried fish with brown and crispy skin, and tender juicy flesh.

Best fish to fry

  • Indian threadfin

This round, we cooked ikan kurau (Indian threadfin or 顺风⁣) sourced from Fish For It! 

This wild-caught fish was absolutely delicious. It was exceptionally fresh and sweet, with a lovely flaky texture.

Spanish mackerel (ikan tenggiri) is also a popular choice for this easy recipe. 

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Key tips

While this dish is simple, there are a few key steps to follow.

1. Pat dry fish before frying

This is to prevent splashes when the fish is placed into the oil. It also helps the steak to brown nicely, and the removal of moisture will result in crispy and flaky texture.

  • Pat fish with towel to absorb moisture
  • Season fish with salt

2. Season fish with salt

We only use salt to season the steak. Ensure that you rub the fish thoroughly with salt and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Pat the fish one more time to remove remaining moisture right before frying.

3. Don't flip fish more than once

Cook the fish on one side for 4 minutes. Do not stir of flip the fish too early or you'll break the fish apart. You may choose to cover the wok with a lid to prevent oil splashes. Once the bottom edges are brown, gently flip the fish. Fry the other side for 3 minutes.

  • Fry on one side until brown

4. Enjoy it with simple garnish!

It is important to use the freshest fish for this recipe. We keep the dish simple with only julienned ginger as garnish. You can also add coriander leaves. You may also drench soy sauce over the steak - but we like our fish to remain crispy on the side.

Key Steps in Pictures

  • Ginger should sizzle when placed in oil.
  • Cover with lid to prevent splashes.