The mojarra is undoubtedly one of the most desirable fish for Colombians, a fish with a unique and delicious flavor, which prepared fried tastes delicious.
In which areas of the Colombian country is fried mojarra common?
This dish is a typical Colombian recipe, especially from coastal areas, where it is widespread to find delicious fried mojarra accompanied by coconut rice, patacones, and salad, to enjoy lunch to the fullest.
It is one of the most requested dishes on the coast, both by visitors from other countries and those who visit the beaches of the same country. It quite enjoyed and consumed, able to delight even the most demanding palate.
The fried mojarra is also a dish that consumed in times of Easter or Lent, where people who believe or follow traditions do not usually eat red meat during these times but fish.
Some traditions and preferences abound in our country, and where the mojarra not excluded anywhere, I love this fried mojarra recipe. I cook it with a lot of love for my sister; she loves to fish, she can eat up to two together and Still keep wanting to eat a little more.
I hope you are encouraged to prepare this recipe, but above all, to accompany it with the traditional, that beautiful coconut rice or some crispy patacones, and best of all, it prepared at home.
Dare to surprise your family with this recipe full of flavor and crispness, freshness, and tradition, which undoubtedly every day catches more people with its extraordinary taste. Let's cook.
I recommend preparing coconut fish soup, patacones, and cabbage salad to accompany this recipe.
Original recipe in SpanishFried Mojarra FAQ
Mojarra is the Latin American name for several small, flat-bodied fish sold and cooked whole. In the United States, the fish sold as mojarra in Latin markets is almost always whole tilapia, and that is exactly what to buy. Ask the fish counter for whole tilapia, scaled and gutted.
Not botanically, but in practice yes. True mojarras belong to the Gerreidae family, while tilapia are cichlids. Farmed tilapia has been sold as mojarra across Latin America for decades, and for this recipe they behave the same: mild white flesh, thin skin that crisps well, right size for one person.
Between 350 and 375 °F (175 to 190 °C). Below that the fish absorbs oil and turns greasy; above it the skin burns before the inside cooks. Without a thermometer, drop in a small piece of bread: it should brown in about 40 seconds, sizzling steadily rather than violently.
Two or three diagonal cuts on each side, down to the bone, let the heat reach the thickest part of the fish. Without them the skin is done long before the centre is, which is the usual reason a whole fried fish ends up burnt outside and raw at the spine.
Yes, that is how it is eaten in Colombia, and the head and bones are part of why it tastes the way it does. Ask for it scaled and gutted but otherwise whole. If the fish is too long for your pan, it is better to trim the tail than to cut the fish in half.
Dry the fish thoroughly with paper towels before it goes in, and make sure the oil is properly hot first. A wet fish in lukewarm oil sticks every time. Once it is in, leave it alone: it releases by itself when the skin has set, and moving it early is what tears it.
On the Caribbean and Pacific coasts it comes with coconut rice, patacones and a simple salad. Lime wedges are not optional: the squeeze of lime at the table is part of the dish, not a garnish.
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 whole mojarra or tilapia (about 1 lb / 450 g, scaled and gutted, head on)
- Oil, for frying (enough to come halfway up the fish; a neutral oil with a high smoke point)
- Salt
- Lime juice (lime, not lemon: it is what gives the dish its edge)
Notas
Instructions
- Score the fish: make two or three diagonal cuts down to the bone on each side. Rub it inside and out with salt and lime juice, and leave it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Heat enough oil in a deep pan to come halfway up the fish, to 350-375 °F (175-190 °C). Pat the fish dry, lower it in away from you, and fry for about 6 minutes per side, until the skin is deep golden and crisp and the flesh flakes away from the bone at the thickest cut.
- Lift it out onto paper towels to drain for a minute, and serve straight away with lime wedges.
Comments
No Comments