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Sardinha frita
Fried sardines
Sardinha frita: crisp floured fried sardines with lime, a Rio de Janeiro bar and beach snack
Rio de Janeiro has a long love affair with sardines, landed fresh at the fishing colony in Niterói across the bay, and a plate of them fried crisp is the thing to order at old-school botequins in the city centre with an ice-cold beer. Small fish are gutted, beheaded and dusted in flour and a little cornmeal, then fried quickly so the thin bones turn crunchy enough to eat. Chef's tip: dry the fish thoroughly before flouring so the oil doesn't spit and the coating stays crisp.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lb small fresh sardines
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 ⅞ oz plain flour
- 1 ⅜ oz fine cornmeal (fubá)
- 3 ¼ cups vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- 1 limecut into wedges
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Scale the 1 ¾ lb small fresh sardines by rubbing them under cold water, cut off the heads and pull out the guts. Rinse and pat dry thoroughly.
10 minStep 2: Season the fish with the 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 cloves garlic and 1 tsp salt and leave in the fridge for 10–15 minutes.
10 minStep 3: Mix the 2 ⅞ oz plain flour and 1 ⅜ oz fine cornmeal (fubá) and roll the sardines in it, shaking off the excess.
3 minStep 4: Heat the 3 ¼ cups vegetable oil, for deep-frying to 350°F. Crowding the pan is the mistake to avoid: fry 5 or 6 fish at a time for 3–4 minutes until crisp and golden, and the flesh is opaque and flakes from the backbone.
12 minStep 5: Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot with the 1 lime.
0 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sardinha frita take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 15 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 lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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