This beer-battered fish sandwich is incredibly easy to make, perfect for a weeknight meal. The flavor combinations are unique and delicious, and I can’t wait to share them with you.
To prepare, gather your sandwich components. I used leftover ginger cabbage slaw, pickled onions, and a chili crisp mayo. The mayo is a simple mix of 50g mayo, 10g chili crisp (or Lao Gan Ma), 10g rice wine vinegar, and a handful of minced cilantro. This sauce is fantastic, especially with the ginger cabbage slaw.
Let’s start frying! Heat peanut oil in a large pot or wok over medium heat. The oil should be about 2 inches deep, and the target temperature is 350°F.
While the oil heats, prepare the fish. Cut your chosen white fish (I used rock bass, but cod or halibut work well) into even pieces that fit your buns. Combine 25g of flour and a sprinkle of salt in a pan. Coat the fish pieces in the flour mixture; this helps the batter adhere.
For the batter, combine 50g flour, 25g cornstarch, 3g baking powder, 3g salt, a few grinds of black pepper, and a sprinkle of chili flakes (or your preferred seasonings) in a large bowl. Add 5g of vinegar for acidity, then slowly drizzle in about 100g of light beer, mixing until just combined. The beer adds carbonation, creating a light and airy batter, and contributes flavor and sugars for browning. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough, doughy batter.
Once the oil reaches 350°F, it’s time to fry! Dip the floured fish into the batter and carefully place it in the hot oil. Transfer the fried fish to a wire rack placed over a baking sheet.
Aim for a perfectly browned exterior and an internal temperature of 140-145°F for flaky fish. While the fish fries, rinse the flour and batter dishes.
When golden brown and crispy, transfer the fish to a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Sprinkle with salt before moving it to the wire rack.
Set the hot oil aside to cool and strain it for later use. Now, assemble the sandwich!
I used a brioche bun spread with the chili cilantro mayo, followed by the ginger cabbage slaw. This slaw truly elevates the sandwich, but any greens will do. Add pickled onions and the fried fish. Top with more sauce, and you’re done!
This sandwich is visually stunning. While I halved mine for presentation, fish sandwiches don’t always photograph well in cross-section.
Time for a taste test! The Sichuan-inspired flavors are incredible. The crispy, flaky fish is perfectly complemented by the ginger slaw, pickled onions, and chili crisp mayo. It’s one of the best sandwich combinations I’ve tasted recently.
This flavor profile would also be fantastic with chicken or other proteins. The full recipe is available on my website.
This quick and easy meal takes about 30 minutes with minimal cleanup. Straining and saving the oil allows for future frying adventures. Give this recipe a try; you won’t regret it!
