Fish & Chips with Mushy Peas

Now before you read the recipe, let me tell you, if you are a fitness freak, this is not for you. Extremely tasty but not healthy at all. Its the most popular pub dish of England, "Fish, Chips & Mushy Peas". Fish is healthy but not when it is deep fried in a beery batter. Chips is not at all fine when you know that it is double fried in this recipe. Peas...well yeah....whatever!! ;)

But let me tell you, you will just love it if you make it. The golden crispiness of the fish & chips will make you forget the world for a moment. One need not waste time in making the fish, chips & the mushy peas at home cos you can buy it all instant outside, but isn't it good to know what goes in each of your favourite dish?? Don't mind the calories....u can run for an hour long more after having this one!!

Ingredients:

• 2 chunky pieces of boneless cod or haddock or halibut fillets, preferably skinned
• 125 ml of any beer (heineken, budweiser or any other)
• 100 gm self raising flour plus some extra for dusting
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 tsp malt vinegar
• pinch of salt
• 3 big potatoes (maris piper preferable)
• 2 cans of 300g marrowfat peas (drained & rinsed)
• 25 g butter
• oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan & add the peas. Cover and cook on low heat for approx 40 minutes. Stir & mash it frequently. Keep aside.
2. Take a mixing bowl and add the flour & salt together. Add the beer gradually to the flour & make a smooth batter without any lumps. Stir in the lime juice & malt vinegar to the batter. Keep aside.
3. Peel the potatoes and cut into long thick strips (in the shape of french fries). Give it a good rinse under tap water to avoid the pieces sticking to each other while frying. Pat dry the potato pieces with a kitchen towel.
4. Heat the oil in a deep saucepan & let it get really hot. Fry the potatoes in batches for 2-3 minutes. Remove it. (yeah it will be white & slightly uncooked...don't worry...we will fry it again to get the restaurant taste & texture). Keep the oil on a low heat.
5. Dust the fish fillets in some flour & shake well to remove any excess.
6. Immediately dip it in the earlier made batter & coat the fillet well with it.
7. Return to the oil & turn it to high heat. Carefully put the batter dipped fillet to the oil. Be very very careful of the hot oil.
8. Fry for 2-3 minutes each side & let it be golden & crisp on the outside. Remove the fillet & keep it on a kitchen towel to remove excess oil. Do not turn off the heat.
9. Put back the half fried potatoes into the oil & fry until golden & crisp. Remove it. Now you can switch off the heat.
10. Serve the crispy fish fillet with chips & earlier cooked mushy peas. Do not forget to season all of it with salt & pepper when you eat.
11. Do 100 push ups the next day to burn those extra calories you added up while eating this fatty yet delicious dish. ;)