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Hamsi tava
Hamsi tava: Black Sea anchovies dusted in cornmeal and fried in a fan
When the first winter storms push shoals of anchovy along the coast, fish markets from Samsun to Hopa are heaped with silver hamsi and the whole region seems to smell of frying. Hamsi tava is the simplest way to eat them: heads off, butterflied, dusted in cornmeal and laid in a hot pan in a neat circle, then flipped like a cake. They come out crisp outside and soft and sweet within, with red onion, rocket, lemon and cornbread alongside. Common mistake: crowding the pan, which steams the fish and leaves the coating soggy. Cook until the flesh is opaque and flakes from the backbone. Chef's tip: shake off every bit of loose cornmeal; a thin coat is what stays crunchy.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lb fresh anchoviesheads and guts removed, butterflied, backbone left in or out
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 ½ oz fine cornmeal
- ¾ cup sunflower oilfor shallow-frying
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Rinse 1 ¾ lb fresh anchovies in cold water, drain in a colander and pat dry. Toss with 1 tsp salt.
Step 2: Put 3 ½ oz fine cornmeal in a wide dish. Turn the fish in it a few at a time, then shake off the excess in a sieve.
Step 3: Heat ¾ cup sunflower oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat until a pinch of cornmeal sizzles straight away.
Step 4: Lay the fish in a single layer in a circle, tails to the centre, like spokes of a wheel. Fry for 2–3 minutes, until the underside is crisp and golden.
3 minStep 5: Put a flat lid or plate over the pan, carefully turn the whole round over, then slide it back in to fry the other side for 2 minutes. The flesh should be opaque and flake easily from the bone.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 410 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hamsi tava take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of red onion?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
- What can I use instead of lemon?
- Lime, or 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice per lemon (no zest from bottled juice).
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