Whole Pan Fried Crispy Fish GF SF

Easy to prepare and a delight to eat for serious fish lovers. Whole fish is shallow fried until golden and crispy and drizzle with your favorite sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Asian fusion

Keyword crispy fish, fried fish, pescetarian, seafood, whole fish

ingredient cooking oil, salt, whole fish

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Marinade Time 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings People

Calories 972kcal

Author Dr. Wendy Dearborne

Equipment

Large saute pan or wok
Spatula and kitchen tongs
Cutting board
Cooling rack inside a lined cookie sheet.
Grease splatter shield

Ingredients

4 medium Fish at 1 - 11/2lbs each. Scaled, gutted and cleaned with head and tail on. Bass, perch, trout, snapper etc.
1 - 2 tbsp Sea salt
2 cups cooking oil

Instructions

Wash fish in cold water. Make sure all scales and guts have been removed by the fishmonger.
Pat fish dry inside and out using kitchen paper.
Place fish on cutting board, with a sharp knife at a 45 degree angle, score fish deeply 4 - 5 times. Go almost to the bone. Don't cut all the way through. You're not creating steaks.
Sprinkle a small amount of salt into each scored cut. Then rub salt over the outside and inside of the fish.
Place in the refrigerator and wrap with cling film or foil. This can be done a couple of hours ahead of time. The salt will draw moisture from the fish as it firms it up and flavors it.
Heat oven to warm setting.
In your wok or saute pan on medium high, heat cooking oil.
Important: To prevent the hot oil from splattering, and reducing the potential for causing burns, PAT fish dry of any accumulated moisture that is on the skin using kitchen paper. Hot oil and moisture don't mix! Use a grease splatter shield.
Place 2 of the dried fish into the hot oil and allow to cook undisturbed for 8 - 10 minutes. The fish should be golden brown, firm and crispy. If not cook until it is.
Carefully flip the fish and cook for another 7 - 9 minutes on the other side or until it's golden brown, firm and crispy.
Place on cooking rack uncovered and put in the middle of the oven.
Continue frying the rest of the fish. Remember to pat dry before putting into the hot oil.
Serve with drizzle of your favorite sauce, rice and vegetables.

Video

Notes

What to bear in mind when serving whole fish.

As a rule of thumb, most whole fish will yield approximately 40 - 50% in edible weight. Dover sole, is less maybe 35% and not really recommended for this type of preparation.
A 1 lb. fish may yield: 6.4 - 8 oz cooked filet.

Enjoying the experience

If this is your guests first experiencing with fish prepared this way, show them how to eat it.

Also, ask first if your guest are okay with head, tail, bone in and skin on prior to serving this. Many people only eat skin off filets.

Storage
This fish doesn't reheat well and should be eaten when cooked.

Nutrition