Crispy fried smelt is a treat. It is easy to prepare and will only take around 5 minutes to cook. It’s nice crispy texture makes me enjoy every bite. This reminds me of galunggong (the small ones), which is probably my favorite fish to fry for the reason that it gets crispy almost instantly. Although it obvious that both family of fishes are different, both come out nice and crisp when deep fried — all I needed is vinegar for dipping.
Smelt is a family of small fish that can be found mostly in saltwater. However, there are also some that can be found in freshwater such lakes (Lake Michigan is home to a large population of smelts) and streams. It is common in North America, some parts of Europe, and in the Eastern parts of Asia.
I think that the best way to cook smelt is to fry it this way. It will get nice and crispy when cooked properly. Make sure to not over-fry your smelts because it has a tendency to turn chewy as it cools down.
Try this Crispy Fried Smelt Recipe. Let me know what you think.
Crispy Fried Smelt
Ingredients
- 1 lb. small smelt cleaned (entrails, scales, and head removed)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup cooking oil
Instructions
- Rub salt and garlic powder all over the smelts. Let it stay for 10 minutes.
- Combine flour and cornstarch in a bowl. Mix well.
- Heat oil in a pan or cooking pot.
- Dredge the smelts in flour and cornstarch mixture.
- Fry in medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until it turns crispy.
- Remove from the pan and arrange in a plate lined with paper towel.
- Serve immediately. Share and enjoy!
Nutrition
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