Pescado Frito (Colombian Whole Fried Fish)

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A whole fish scored on both sides, seasoned, floured and fried five to seven minutes a side. Fifteen minutes for two, and the three cuts are what let the heat reach the middle.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Colombian

Keyword: fried fish

Servings:

Calories: 478kcal

Author: Angela Giraldo

Ingredients

2 whole fish snapper, tilapia or mojarra
The juice of one lemon optional
Salt and pepper
¼ cup flour
Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

Rinse the fish in cold water and dry them with paper towels. With a sharp knife, make three cuts on each side of each fish, down to the bone.
Season the fish inside and out with salt and pepper. If you like, marinate them with a little lemon juice first. Set them aside.
Coat the fish with flour. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
When it is hot, lower the fish carefully into the oil and turn the heat down to medium.
Fry for 5 to 7 minutes. Turn each fish over and fry for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the skin is crisp and the flesh at the thickest part is opaque.
Lift the fish out of the oil and put them on kitchen paper to drain.
Serve with a salad, coconut rice, patacones, avocado or slices of lemon.

Notes

The three cuts on each side are the technique of the whole recipe. A whole fish is much thicker at the spine than at the tail, so without them the thin parts overcook while the middle is still raw. Cutting down to the bone lets the heat in and the fish cooks evenly. Dry the fish properly before it goes anywhere near the flour. Water on the skin turns the flour to paste, stops it browning and makes the oil spit. Kitchen paper, both sides, inside as well. Flour is not a batter here. It is a thin coating that browns and stops the skin sticking to the pan, which is why a quarter of a cup is enough for two fish. Judge it at the thickest part, just behind the head. When the flesh there is opaque all the way to the bone, the fish is done. Mojarra is what this would be in Colombia, usually served whole with coconut rice and patacones on the coast.

Nutrition