Masala-fried snow trout, Himachal Pradesh valley style

Pasos

1. Thoroughly pat each fresh, whole, gutted snow trout dry with paper towels to remove all surface moisture.
2. Score each flank diagonally with three to four parallel slashes spaced 2 cm apart, cutting down to the central backbone without slicing through the bone.
3. Drizzle the fish with fresh lemon juice and season with fine sea salt, including inside the cavity, then refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up the flesh.
4. Crush the ajwain seeds (carom seeds) between your palms to release their essential oils, then transfer them to a wide, shallow dish.
5. To the dish, add the ginger-garlic paste, ground turmeric, Kashmiri chili powder (Kashmiri mirch), ground coriander, ground cumin, ground garam masala, chickpea flour (besan), white rice flour, and a drizzle of virgin cold-pressed mustard oil to form a smooth spice paste.
6. Thoroughly rub each snow trout with the spice paste, ensuring the slashes and cavity are evenly coated with a thin layer.
7. Pour the remaining virgin cold-pressed mustard oil into a cast-iron skillet or traditional tawa set over medium-high heat.
8. Heat the oil for 3 to 4 minutes until it reaches its smoking point at 220 °C, indicated by faint white wisps that signal its harsh bite has mellowed, then lower the heat to stabilize the frying temperature at 180 °C.
9. Gently lay the fish into the hot oil without crowding the pan, listening for a steady, lively sizzle.
10. Fry undisturbed for 5 minutes at 180 °C until the crust turns a deep reddish-brown, becomes crisp, and easily releases from the pan.
11. Carefully flip using a wide metal spatula and cook the second side for 4 to 5 minutes at 180 °C, until the internal temperature reaches 60 °C on a probe thermometer and the flesh flakes easily from the bone.
12. Transfer the golden fish to a wire cooling rack and let rest for 2 minutes to keep the crust crisp without getting soggy.
13. Thinly slice the fresh red onion into rounds and cut the fresh lemon into wedges.
14. Plate the fish immediately, dust the surface with a pinch of chaat masala powder, and serve alongside the fresh red onion rings and fresh lemon wedges.