Geoff Jansz demonstrates how to make great fish and chips using a simple beer batter. When it comes to choosing your fish, it really is a matter of taste. If you like white fleshed, delicate fish Geoff recommends flathead. Gemfish and shark (also known as flake) are more robust and firm, while warehou and red snapper are medium bodied with great flavour.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup cornflour
a pinch of salt
1 cup beer
2 egg whites
fish fillets of your choice (preferably no bones)
blended vegetable oil or light olive oil for frying
potatoes for chips (Russet Burbank or Binje are the best)
lemon wedges
parsley for garnish
a little extra flour
Method
Sift the flour, cornflour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Pour in a little of the beer, then whisk to form a paste and work out all the lumps.
Add more beer until a ‘ribbony’ consistency is reached. Allow to stand for 1 hour. At the last minute before cooking the fish, whisk the egg white and gently fold it into the batter, a little at a time. Half fill a saucepan, wok or deep fryer with vegetable or olive oil, and heat to 180