Crispy-Fried Smelt Fish
Although deep-fried smelt is a favorite in my house, I balk at cooking it frequently primarily because of the amount of cleaning involved. Two to three pounds mean around 50 to 100 small fish I have to remove gills from, and two or three pounds sometimes is not even enough for the huge appetite we have for this dish. But the nicely-sized ones (they were significantly larger than usual) I saw at the asian supermarket today awakened a hankering for some crispy smelt fish, with a pairing of fresh tomato salad.
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients
2 lbs smelt
1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
vegetable oil for deep frying
Procedure
Remove insides of smelt by drawing from the gills. Wash and pat dry with a paper towel or drain well in a coriander.
Meanwhile, heat enough oil for deep frying in a thick-bottomed pan. Oil needs to be very hot.
In a bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Toss smelt in flour mixture a batch at a time.
Carefully drop in hot oil and fry until golden brown. Remove and drain excess oil on a paper towel.
Serve with fresh tomato salad.
Fresh Tomato Salad
1 cup roma tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsps cilantro, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp bagoong (shrimp paste) or patis (fish sauce)
Combine all ingredients and chill for around 10 minutes.
TIP:
For crispier result, fry in small batches to prevent crowding pan and to maintain temperature of oil.
Fish and Seafood Recipes in The CookMobile Archive:
Sarciadong Isda (Fish in Tomato Sauce)
More Good Food!
