How long does Nethili Fry take?

25 minutes from start to finish. That is 15 minutes of preparation and 10 minutes of cooking.

How many people does Nethili Fry serve?

4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.

Is Nethili Fry spicy?

It is medium: 2 on our scale of 3. Chilli scales gently when you change the servings, so doubling the recipe does not double the heat.

What do I need to make Nethili Fry?

500 grams Nethili (Anchovies), 1 tbsp Maida, 1 tbsp Corn Flour, 1 tbsp Rice Flour, 10 Curry leaves, 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste, and a few more listed on this page.

Do I need a pressure cooker for Nethili Fry?

No, it is cooked in an open pot.

How many calories are in Nethili Fry?

About 231 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.

Nethili FryCook

Nethili Fry

Name: Nethili Fry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian, Tamil Nadu
Ingredients: 500 grams Nethili (Anchovies); 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste; 2 tsp Lemon Juice; 1 tbsp Red Chilli Powder; ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder; ½ tsp Black Pepper Powder; 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder; 1 tsp Salt; 1 tbsp Maida; 1 tbsp Corn Flour; 1 tbsp Rice Flour; 10 Curry leaves, Finely Chopped; 2 tbsp Water; To Deep Fry Oil

25 min
medium
Serves 4

Prep 15 min · Cook 10 min

Start cooking

4 steps, each one filmed. A short video for every step, so your hands never have to leave the pan.

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Also known as Crispy Fried Anchovies, Crispy Nethili Fry, Nethili Meen Varuval · Non-veg · Dry sides, Snacks & Starters

Dry sides Snacks & Starters Low carb High protein Dairy-free

Nethili fry, Tamil Nadu crispy anchovies in a batter of rice flour, cornflour, ginger garlic and curry leaves. Medium-spicy, serves 4, 25 minutes, video.

High proteinLow calorie

Good for: Party, Rainy Day

Ingredients

14 items

4 people

Nethili (Anchovies)500 grams
Ginger Garlic Paste1 tbsp
Lemon Juice2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder¼ tsp
Black Pepper Powder½ tsp
Garam Masala Powder1 tsp
Salt1 tsp
Maida1 tbsp
Corn Flour1 tbsp
Rice Flour1 tbsp
Curry leaves, Finely Chopped10
Water2 tbsp
OilTo Deep Fry

Contains: wheat, fish.

Nutrition

Per 1 person, and for all 4 people. Worked out from the ingredients, so treat it as a close guide.

Nutrient	Per 1 person	All 4 people
Energy	231kcal	924kcal
Protein	26g	105g
Carbohydrate	7.1g	28g
Fat	10g	40g
Fibre	1g	4g
Sugar	0.3g	1.2g

Cookd masalas for nethili (anchovies)

Method

1
Remove the head, clean and wash the Anchovies and pat dry.
Nethili (Anchovies)
2
In a mixing bowl, add ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder, garam masala powder, salt, maida, cornflour, rice flour, chopped curry leaves and mix together to form a thick batter.
Ginger Garlic PasteLemon JuiceRed Chilli PowderTurmeric PowderBlack Pepper PowderGaram Masala PowderSaltMaidaCorn FlourRice FlourCurry leavesWater
3
Add the clean anchovies to the batter. Mix and coat each piece of the fish with the batter.
4
In a deep frying pan, heat oil necessary to deep fry the anchovies. Once the oil is hot, deep fry the anchovies in batches. Serve hot with a lemon wedge and onion rings.
Oil

Before you start

How long does Nethili Fry take?: 25 minutes from start to finish. That is 15 minutes of preparation and 10 minutes of cooking.
How many people does Nethili Fry serve?: 4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.
Is Nethili Fry vegetarian?: No, it contains meat or fish.
Is Nethili Fry spicy?: It is medium: 2 on our scale of 3. Chilli scales gently when you change the servings, so doubling the recipe does not double the heat.
What do I need to make Nethili Fry?: 500 grams Nethili (Anchovies), 1 tbsp Maida, 1 tbsp Corn Flour, 1 tbsp Rice Flour, 10 Curry leaves, 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste, and a few more listed on this page.
Do I need a pressure cooker for Nethili Fry?: No, it is cooked in an open pot.
How many calories are in Nethili Fry?: About 231 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.

Tips from other cooks

2 notes

C
A Cookd cookMay 2025
Taste was delicious. My kid and husband both liked and that was my first try. the dish came out very well. Thanks for the recipe 🙏
P
PinkyJune 2022
tried it for the first time . it came very delicious. i took photo but am not able to upload .