Vocal Voices

In the North we prefer haddock or whiting, in the South it's cod, but hake, pollack or basa make reasonable substitutes. The secret is a good batter, as I had for last night's tea.

3 Tbs of plain flour (good for four fillets depending on size)
Very cold water, about a mugful
1 dsp vinegar
1½ dsp of baking powder or ¾ dsp of bicarb
Seasoned flour for dusting.

Slowly drizzle the water and vinegar into the flour whilst continuously beating to make a thickish batter. If you draw a figure of eight in the batter the start should just disappear as you get to the end. Set aside for ten mins or as your oil heats up - a drop of batter in the oil should float back to the top straight away.

Now add the baking powder/bicarb to the batter and give a vigorous whisk. Dust a fillet in the seasoned flour then coat in the batter and put straight in the oil. Cook fillets till crisp and golden brown.

* Beer or lager can be used instead of water.

I like beer batter, makes it so light and crispy

I really don't like fish and chips.

Bleurghh!

I love fish and chips, but I prefer cod.

I love fish but not friend in batter - I find it too greasy and then the batter repeats on me for the rest of the day!

And the only chips I like are fries - think McDonalds! I'm such a heathen!!!!

Rodo, you like cod because you are a Londoner.

I only do fish 'n chips once in a blue moon, but they have to be the real deal: fish; chips; mushy peas and a buttered bap - proper butter.

Frank, when I lived in Bradford for a few months (with the first in laws, in Great Horton) back in the late 70s, the local chippy made these fish cakes. Not flaked fish in mashed potato but small pieces of fish with sliced potato on top fried in batter. I used to like them

Yorkshire fish cakes, Kaz. Most of the traditional chippies still do them as they are a good way of using up off-cuts; and a couple of them are a good filler for half the price of F&C. It's why us Yorkies buy them.

Now I do like Yorkshire fish cakes.

Our local chippies all sell them.

They are a bit of a fiddle to get right at home, but well worth doing if you can crack it.

I like them with tomato ketchup.