Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes

| Fish

These Fried Fish are battered and deep-fat fried. You'll need thin fish filets that don't fall apart when cooked. Fried fish go well with soda (pop). They can be served with ketchup (catsup), lemon juice, or a mixture of the two. They could also be served with sweet-and-sour sauce or teriyaki sauce. Fried fish are a part of fish and chips.

Ingredients

• thin fish fillets (suggested: catfish, tilapia, or the less-durable flounder)
• Oil with a high smoke point
• 1 Egg white
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup beer, or 1 cup cold water and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• extra flour to dust the fish

Procedure

1. Start heating the oil. This recipe is intended for fast cooking in very hot oil.
2. Get the batter ingredients ready to mix.
3. Microwave the fish, to ensure that the inside is hot. Flip the fish as you microwave it. When done, the fish should be hot and should look half-cooked.
4. Mix the flour, egg white, and beer.
5. Pat a fish dry with a paper towel, then lightly dust it with flour to ensure that it is really dry.
6. Dip the fish, and your hand, into the batter. Coat them well. The batter will help protect your hand from splatter.
7. Hold the fish right above the oil, then gently slide the fish into the oil.
8. With tongs, nudge the fish as needed to keep it from sticking to the bottom. Turn the fish over as it cooks.
9. Remove the fish when it looks good, then serve it immediately.

Warning

When a pot of hot oil catches fire, the flames will reach up for 2 or 3 feet. If you must work under flammable cabinets or shelves, be sure to have a fire extinguisher handy. Soybean oil, shortening, and peanut oil withstand heat better than most cooking oils.

Variation

Whip the egg white, or leave it out entirely. Add cornmeal to the batter.