Eggless Batter for Fish
A quick, simple recipe made from everyday ingredients! This eggless batter is great for frying any fish, plus vegetables and thin little cutlets of chicken or meat. Since it has no eggs, you can use it on meatless days—an easy way to add variety to a lighter menu.
Cooking method
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Step 1:
How do you make eggless batter for fish? Gather your ingredients. Use garlic and spices to taste or according to what you have on hand.
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Step 2:
Sift the flour into a deep bowl. This simple step not only removes any stray bits but also aerates the flour, making the batter lighter and airier.
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Step 3:
Add salt and a blend of ground peppers (or your other favorite spices) to the flour.
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Step 4:
Add a pinch of baking soda. You can leave it out, but it makes the batter even fluffier.
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Step 5:
Stir the dry ingredients together.
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Step 6:
Now add the water gradually, stirring with a spoon or whisk until the batter reaches the consistency you want—control it by how much liquid you pour in.
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Step 7:
You want a smooth batter about the thickness of sour cream. Don't make it too thin, or it'll slide right off the fish. If that happens, just stir in a little more flour.
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Step 8:
Press a clove of garlic through a garlic press or mince it finely and stir it into the batter. Let it rest for 10–15 minutes—like any batter, it improves as it sits.
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Step 9:
That's it—your eggless fish batter is ready. Dip whatever fish you're about to fry into it and fry in hot oil. I used capelin this time. Enjoy!
- Batter is a semi-liquid flour mixture that locks the juices inside whatever you're frying. It not only gives you delicious fish but also seals in the fishy smell that isn't always pleasant—the crushed garlic helps with that, too (if you're not a fan of the garlic-and-fish pairing, just leave it out). The batter is very easy to make: combine all the ingredients, thin with water, let it rest a bit like any dough, and you're ready to fry any fish. For frying in batter, fish is usually cut into fillets, or you take pieces of small-boned fish, keeping just the backbone (that is, cutting it into individual steaks). Small fish like capelin can be fried whole, heads and innards removed. The batter coats the pieces and keeps the fish juices from running out, leaving it juicy and appetizing. You can flavor the batter with any spices that go with fish—thyme, rosemary, lemon zest and juice, or a blend of crushed peppercorns.
- Serve fish fried in batter with fresh herbs, vegetable salads, pickles, and marinated vegetables.
- Since everyone's tolerance for salt, sweetness, bitterness, heat, and acidity is different, always add spices and seasonings to your own taste! If you're using a seasoning for the first time, keep in mind that some are especially easy to overdo (chili pepper, for example).
- For the best results, use filtered or bottled water that's neutral in taste. Tap water can give the dish an off, characteristic aftertaste.
- Can you swap baking powder for baking soda? How do you add each so your batter rises well and avoids that soapy soda aftertaste? Read all about it in our article "Baking powder or baking soda—which is better?"
Caloric content of the products possible in the composition of the dish
- Garlic - 143 kcal/100g
- Ground black pepper - 255 kcal/100g
- Salt - 0 kcal/100g
- Water - 0 kcal/100g
- Wheat flour - 325 kcal/100g
- Baking soda - 0 kcal/100g
