RECIPE
Peter shares what he considers to be the best beer batter ever. He uses it to create a deliciously crunchy wahoo fillet, served alongside a summer salad of cherry guava.
Serves: 6 | Prep: 20mins | Cooking: 15 mins | Skill: Easy
Ingredients
• canola, grapeseed or vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• 400 g wahoo fillet, skin off and bloodline removed, cut into 3 cm thick strips
• 10 cherry guavas or normal ripe guavas, cut in half or smaller, depending on size
• 1 handful basil leaves
• lime wedges, to serve
BATTER
• 3 cups self-raising flour
• 2 cups plain flour, plus extra, for dusting
• 1 cup cornflour
• 100 ml vegetable oil
• 350 ml beer
• 350 ml water
DRESSING
• 100 ml olive oil
• 50 ml lime juice
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• salt, to taste
Method
To make the batter, place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until a smooth batter forms. It should have the consistency of thick pancake batter. Cover and refrigerate.
To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a bowl, season with salt and whisk together.
Fill a large saucepan or wok two-thirds full of oil and heat to 180°C.
Working in batches, dust the wahoo in the extra flour, then dip in the batter, allowing the excess to drip away, and then deep-fry, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp. Don’t overcrowd the pan or the temperature of the oil will drop, making the fish oily. Drain on paper towel.
To serve, arrange the guava on serving plates and tear some basil over the top. Drizzle with a little vinaigrette, then top with the fish and serve immediately with lime wedges.