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Fish, South and Southeast Asian

Mathi fry with rice and dal

Mathi fry is a Kerala dish of sardines marinated in chili and turmeric, then pan fried until crisp, served with basmati rice and a red lentil dal. This recipe serves 4 in 40 minutes, easy level, for about €3.00 per person. The key is letting the marinade sit long enough and using a hot enough pan so the skin crisps up properly.

Tonight, chili marinated sardines, pan fried until crisp, Kerala style, with rice and a little lentil dal.

Mathi fry with rice and dal
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.00
Calories per person
690 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

Mathi fry is Kerala sardines at their most direct, marinated in Kashmiri chili and turmeric then pan fried until the skin crackles. The flesh stays tender inside while the outside develops a spiced, slightly bitter crust from the black pepper. The lemon in the marinade adds a bright edge that wakes up the whole dish without covering it.

It's a weeknight dinner that breaks the usual fish routine, quick enough for a busy evening but with real travel flavor. The red lentil dal softens the heat from the sardines and turns the plate into a full meal alongside the basmati rice. Save it for adults or kids who already like bold flavors, the chili comes through clearly.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Fresh sardines 800 g

Pantry

  • Kashmiri chili powderoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Turmericoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Black pepperoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Red lentilsoften in the pantry 200 g
  • Basmati riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 6 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Fresh ginger 15 g
  • Lemon 1
  • Onion 1
  • Tomato 1

Allergens Fish

The step by step recipe

  1. Scale and gut the sardines, rinse and pat dry. Pound the garlic and ginger with the chili, turmeric, pepper, lemon and a little salt to make the marinade. 15 min

    Make two slits on each side of each sardine, the marinade penetrates much better.

  2. Rub the sardines with the marinade and let them rest. 20 min

    At least ten minutes, longer if you can, in the fridge.

  3. Make the dal by cooking the red lentils with the onion, tomato and turmeric in three times their volume of water, until they turn to a puree. 20 min

    Red lentils cook fast and fall apart on their own, no need to mash them.

  4. Cook the basmati rice in salted water while this simmers. 12 min

    Rinse the rice before cooking for well separated grains.

  5. Pan fry the sardines in hot oil for three minutes on each side until crisp. 8 min

    Don't crowd the pan, the sardines need to fry, not steam.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick very fresh sardines with bright eyes and firm flesh, that's what makes the difference on a fish cooked this simply.
  • Pat the sardines completely dry before frying, any moisture keeps the skin from crisping and makes the fish stick to the pan.
  • Taste the dal at the end and adjust the salt, red lentils soak up a lot of seasoning as they cook.

The variations

  • Swap the sardines for mackerel or small bream, the marinade works just as well on any firm fleshed fish.
  • For a fish free version, use eggplant slices marinated the same way and pan fried, keep the dal and rice as they are.
  • To save time, make the dal the day before and reheat it while the sardines marinate, you'll cut twenty minutes off the day itself.

What to serve it with

  • Plain yogurt to cool the chili
  • Extra lemon wedges on the side
  • Black tea or chilled lemon water

Storage

The dal keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container and freezes well. The fried sardines are best eaten the same day, they lose their crispness in the fridge. Reheat the dal gently in a saucepan, adding a splash of water if it has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can I use a different chili powder instead of Kashmiri chili?

Yes, sweet paprika with a pinch of cayenne gives a similar result. Kashmiri chili is prized mainly for its bright red color rather than heat.

Should the sardines marinate longer than twenty minutes?

You can leave them up to two hours in the fridge for a stronger flavor. Beyond that, the lemon's acidity starts to lightly cook the flesh, like a ceviche.

Can the dal be made ahead?

Yes, it's actually recommended, it keeps well and the flavor deepens after a few hours. Reheat it just before serving, adding a little water if it has thickened too much.

Is this dish kid friendly?

Kashmiri chili makes this a fairly spicy dish, best kept for kids already used to bold flavors. You can cut the chili by half for a milder version.

How long does it take to make Kerala mathi fry sardines with rice and dal?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in Kerala mathi fry sardines with rice and dal?

About 690 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does Kerala mathi fry sardines with rice and dal cost?

About €3.00 per serving, or €12.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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