As kids growing up on the islands the only way our mom could ever get us to eat fish, was when she made this recipe. Looking back I believe her fish of choice was carite (sp), but today I much prefer using King Fish (very meaty and holds it shape great when frying). I still remember breaking apart the slices of fish and dipping it into a mixture or pepper sauce, ketchup and mustard and my mom warning us to be aware of the center bone of the fish. This fry fish recipe is very simple and quite classic throughout the islands, so I’m sure it will be a hit with your family and friends.
You’ll Need…
1-2 lbs of King fish (sliced about 3/4 inch thick)
1 teaspoon green seasoning
1/4 small onion – sliced
1/4 hot pepper sliced thin (I used habanero)
1/4 teaspoon curry powder (your fav)
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash black pepper
lime or lemon for washing the fish
oil for frying (about 1-2 cups)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
* if you don’t have the green seasoning paste, use I teaspoon each : thyme, shado beni or cilantro, garlic and scallion.
Get the people at the fish market to cut the King fish into 3/4 inch steaks for you, but ask them to use the part closer to the tail (than the belly) so you get full slices and not slices with the belly part missing. Then place the slices (I used 4) in a bowl and squeeze the juice of a lime or lemon over it and cover with cool water. Wash and rinse, then season with everything mentioned in the ingredient list, except the flour and oil. Allow this to marinate for at least an hour in the fridge.
After its been marinating, take it out about 15 minutes or so from the fridge before frying, so it can come back to room temperature. The next steps are very simple.
1. Heat the oil in a fairly deep pan. Since it was a nice day outside, I opted to use the burner on my BBQ (also keeps the “fry” smell outdoors).
2. Take each piece of fish and shake off any large pieces of tomato etc and dust in the flour, to coat evenly. Shake off any excess flour.
3. Add to the hot oil and cook for about 4 minutes on each side (until you get a lovely golden brown colour). Remember to be careful when flipping so you don’t splatter hot oil onto yourself.
4. Remove and place on paper towels to soak up as much of the oil it was fried in.
5. That’s it.. enjoy!
This is just as good in sandwiches and served as you would any other fish dish. Remember to be aware that the fish will have a huge center bone (you may call it something else) so be very careful when eating. If you’re making sandwiches or giving this to your children, you can easily remove that bone by poking it out with a fork or by using your fingers. Other than eating this as we did as children (on it’s own) I also enjoy it with a plate of rice and dhal.
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