Gluten Free Beer Battered Fish Filets

If you miss the crispy saltiness of fish and chips, suffer no longer. This is a super Gluten Free Beer Battered Fish Filets recipe beats most fish and chip restaurants you’ll find around town.  The rice flour adds an extra crispy dimension and the beer batter adds a nice kick of flavour.  If you don’t have access to gluten free beer, use plain soda water instead.  It will add lightness to the batter, but you won’t have the extra dimension of flavour the beer brings to the batter.

Ingredients:

  • Vegetable oil, for deep frying
  • 1 1/2 cups rice flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
  • 1 (12-ounce) bottle of gluten free beer such as Estrella DAURA*
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 2 (8-ounce) cod or haddock fillets, cut in 1/2 on an angle
  • 1/2 cup more rice flour, for dredging
  • Apple cider or gluten free vinegar, tartar sauce and lemon for serving
*Can also substitute beer with equal amounts of soda water.

Directions:

Heat 3 inches of the oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees F.  Or alternatively, you can use a deep fat fryer if you have one.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the 1 1/2 cups of rice flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Combine beer and egg and pour into the flour mixture. Whisk to a smooth batter. It should not be too thick – if it looks like pancake mix, thin with a bit more beer.  Should be the consistency of heavy cream.
Spread the rice flour on a plate.  With paper towels, pat the fish to ensure it’s dry. This is important or the flour/batter mixture will not stick. Dredge the fish pieces in the rice flour and then dip them into the batter, letting the excess drip off.
Carefully lower the battered fish into the bubbling oil. Fry the fish for 4 to 5 minutes until crispy and brown, turning over if using less oil.  Remove from oil and place fish on paper towels; season lightly with salt. Serve with your favourite chips/fries and toppings.
A bit more about….
Estrella Daura Gluten Free Beer –
Voted best beer in the World suitable for those suffering from Gluten intolerance and/or Coeliac.
This award has been given in recognition of the quality of Daura, which retains the same taste and properties as tradition beers, as well as having gluten levels of less than 6 ppm, much lower than the 20 ppm recommended for people with coeliac disease by the World Health Organisation.