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Chicharrón de pescado
Crisp fried fish chunks
Crisp fried fish chunks with lime, salsa criolla and fried cassava, Peruvian coast style
Up and down the Peruvian coast, from Chorrillos in Lima to the beaches of Piura, chicharrón de pescado is the crunchy plate ordered alongside ceviche at a long seafood lunch: bite-size chunks of firm white fish marinated briefly in garlic and lime, dusted in flour and fried, then served with fried cassava, salsa criolla and tartar or rocoto sauce. Using frozen peeled cassava keeps it to half an hour. The common mistake is leaving the fish in the lime too long: after about ten minutes the acid starts to 'cook' the outside and the coating slips off. Chef's tip: toss the floured pieces in a sieve to shake off every bit of loose flour; a thin coat fries crisp, a thick one turns pasty.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the fish
- 1 ⅓ lb firm white fish filletssuch as cod, hake, pollock or corvina, skin off, cut into 3 cm chunks
- 2 garlic clovescrushed
- 3 limesjuice of 1; the rest cut into wedges
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 ⅞ oz plain flour
- 3 cups vegetable oilfor frying
For the cassava
- 1 ⅛ lb frozen peeled cassava (yuca)
- 1 tsp saltfor the cooking water, plus a pinch to finish
For the salsa criolla
- 1 red onionvery thinly sliced
- 1 red chilliseeded and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
- 2 tbsp lime juice
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅛ lb frozen peeled cassava (yuca) in a pan of boiling water with ¾ tsp salt and cook until a knife slides in easily and the edges start to split, 15–18 minutes. Drain well, pull out the woody core and cut into thick chips.
18 minStep 2: Meanwhile mix the fish chunks 1 ⅓ lb firm white fish fillets with 2 garlic cloves, the juice of one of 3 limes, ½ tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp salt. Leave in the fridge for no more than 10 minutes.
3 minStep 3: Toss 1 red onion, 1 red chilli, 2 tbsp fresh coriander and 2 tbsp lime juice with a pinch of salt for the salsa criolla.
3 minStep 4: Heat 3 cups vegetable oil to 350°F in a deep pan, no more than a third full. Fry the cassava chips in batches until golden and crisp, 3–4 minutes; drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with the rest of ¼ tsp salt.
6 minStep 5: Drain the fish, toss with 2 ⅞ oz plain flour and shake off the excess in a sieve. Fry in two batches until deep golden and crisp, and the fish is opaque inside and flakes when you break a piece open, 3–4 minutes.
8 minStep 6: Pile the fish and cassava on a platter, top with the salsa criolla and serve at once with the lime wedges.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chicharrón de pescado take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of limes?
- Lemon, same amount.
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