Adam Evans features this fried fish recipe at his restaurant, Automatic Seafood and Oysters in Birmingham, Alabama. The gluten-free batter gets extra flavor from the spice blend, which includes garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, and gochugaru. Evans uses skinless mahi-mahi or flounder fillets, or skin-on brown trout fillets at the restaurant; Pacific cod and haddock also work nicely here. Delicious on its own, this fish also makes great sandwiches and tacos.
How to fry fish
The secret to this extra-crispy fish is the mix of flours used in the dredge and the batter. Rice and tapioca flours absorb less moisture when fried, for a crispier result. The dredge is the first step in frying; it helps the batter adhere to the fish. After dredging the fish, dip it in the batter before gently placing it in the hot oil. The tapioca flour and rice flour team up with effervescent club soda to make this batter extra light, which makes the fish exceptionally crispy and stay that way up to an hour after cooking. If you want to fry this fish in advance, hold it in a 200°F oven on a rack placed over a baking sheet.
