Lekkerbekjes

Ingredients

• 150 g (1 cup) plain flour
• 1 tsp dried dill
• 60 ml (¼ cup) milk
• 250 ml (1 cup) sparkling mineral water
• vegetable oil, to deep-fry
• 8 whiting fillets, skin on, pin-boned
• 8 bread rolls, sliced open
• lemon wedges and dill sprigs, to serve

Tartare sauce

• 2 tbsp baby capers in brine, roughly chopped
• 8 cornichons, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup dill sprigs, roughly chopped
• 300 g (1 cup) good-quality mayonnaise
• 1 lemon, zested, juiced

Chilling time 30 minutes

Instructions

To make tartare sauce, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Season and refrigerate until needed.

Combine flour, dill, milk and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl. Add mineral water, whisking until smooth and thick. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Fill a deep-fryer or large saucepan one-third full with oil and heat over medium heat to 180°C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 10 seconds). Dip 2 fish fillets into batter, allowing excess batter to drain off, then gently drop into oil and fry for 3 minutes or until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Scatter with salt, then repeat with remaining 6 fish fillets. Spread tartare sauce onto rolls, top with fish and serve with lemon wedges and dill sprigs.

Photography Mark Roper

As seen in Feast magazine, October 2013, Issue 25.