There’s something familiar with deep frying fish, but there can also be an exotic side.
As Americans, we’re comfortable with battered or breaded and deep-fried seafood: shrimp, fish, squid, oysters. I’m thinking especially of that quintessential slice of culinary Americana: fried catfish and hush puppies. Now who wouldn’t go for some of that, y’all?
But if you’ve ever eaten at an authentic Chinese, Thai or Singaporean restaurant and have been served deep-fried whole fish, there’s also a faraway feeling when you first glimpse the platter headed your way and you see the fish’s head, fins and skin cooked to a crispy crunch — sometimes with the fish’s mouth ajar, bearing horror movie teeth. At first you may feel revulsion, but you’re quickly overwhelmed with curiosity, stoked by the aroma and sheer visual effect of the dish.
I was thinking of this as I was reeling in a trout at Detroit Lake a while back. It’s one of my favorite spots and it’s fun to cast off the top of the dam and then try and reel your catch up the face of the dam before it wiggles itself off the hook.
So when I got home, I filleted the trout and deep fried it until it was crispy. Topped with a tropical salsa, it made a tasty and satisfying dinner.
Crispy Trout with Kiwi and Mango Salsa
Ingredients
(Serves 2)
1 ripe kiwifruit
1 ripe mango
1 tablespoon mirin
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil
4-6 cups oil for deep frying fish
1 large trout, filleted with skin on
Cilantro sprigs to garnish
Directions
Peel and slice kiwi and mango into small slices and place into a small bowl. In a small liquid measuring cup or small bowl, mix together mirin, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, water, sugar and toasted sesame seed oil, and then pour into bowl of fruit and set aside.
Heat oil over high heat in a pan large enough to hold the fish fillets and fry fish skin-side down first before turning over, cooking until both sides are crispy and golden brown (about 2–3 minutes per side). When fish is done, remove from oil to a plate with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil before plating.
Top each fish with fruit pieces and then pour the sauce over each piece and garnish with cilantro sprigs.