To begin, clean the fish and pat dry. Makes gashes so that the marinade can soak in.
For the marinade, in a bowl, mix together ginger garlic paste, salt, Kashmiri red chilli powder, and lemon juice. Rub this marinade well into the fish and leave aside for 30 minutes.
For the masala, in a bowl, mix together ginger garlic paste, salt, Kashmiri red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder,fennel powder, carom seeds, turmeric powder, garam masala, crushed kasoori methi, lemon juice, besan, and mustard oil. If you find the paste too dry, add a few teaspoons of curd. But make sure it is not too thin.
Spread this masala evenly on both sides of the pomfret. Make sure you add it into the gashes and the slits. This ensures that the masala is soaked in well by the fish.
Heat 3-4 tbsp of oil in a pan depending on its size. Add the fish on medium heat. Just as you add it, shake the pan a little. This ensures that the masala and fish do not stick to the pan.
Let it cook for a few minutes before turning it over. Cook the other side too until golden brown and done. Depending on the size, it takes 4-5 minutes on each side for the fish to cook.
The Pan Fried Masala Pomfret is ready to serve. Serve hot with pickled onions and lemon slices.