Ali Cooks: Crispy Fried Sardines

Ok, so sardines freaked me out a little.  But it's fish...so it can't be all bad, right?!

When Kristina offered the little can of Moroccan sardines a few weeks ago, I couldn't resist.  I knew I had to take the little guys and create SOMETHING with them so that I'd know once and for all if they are as yucky as portrayed in cartoons...or as yummy as attested by Andrew Zimmern.

Finding the perfect recipe was actually pretty difficult.  I wanted to be able to taste the fish but still do something to add flavor.  I then decided that frying them would be best:  Everything tastes good fried!

The sardines looked gross when I took them out of the can.  (I may have squealed a little when picking each one up to clean them.)  After I successfully marinated, coated, then fried the sardines, I was also kinda grossed out by the little bones I found when cutting into them.  See, the bones are completely edible--they crunch up when you chew--but they are still pretty off-putting.  I did my best to ignore my squeamish side and ate all three!  Except...Brian tried a bite, too, and liked it!

It was quite the occasion.  I ate sardines for dinner...and...didn't dislike them!

Crispy Fried Sardines
*adapted from http://salmascookingdiary.blogspot.

Ingredients:

3 Sardines
1 tsp lemon/lime juice
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt 

 

1 tsp red chilli powder/paprika
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tablespoon water 

 

2 Tbs flour
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp red chilli flakes

 

3 Tablespoon Vegetable oil 

Instructions:

 

Rinse the fish very thoroughly and let dry.

 

 Marinate the fish pieces with the first set of ingredients in a shallow bowl for 30 minutes or 1 hour.

 

In another small bowl, add all the ingredients listed under the second set of ingredients.  This wet mixture may be thick.

 

In a third bowl, mix all the remaining ingredients except the oil.  Set aside.

 

Now take the marinated fish and apply the wet mixture all over, using your fingers to coat.  Set aside and repeat the process for the rest of the fish pieces.

  

Next, coat the fish in the dry mixture, gently pressing the coating so that it sticks firmly to the fish skin.  Repeat the process for the rest of the fish pieces.

 

Heat the oil in a pan for shallow frying fish.  Add the fish pieces to the oil and fry on medium heat level until the crust is crispy and golden.  Flip the fish and fry on the other side, too. 

 

Serve hot and fresh!