Description
The classic Acadian way to cook smelt is to fry them. I put a twist on that tradition by frying them in this light tempura batter my husband and I use for shrimp. I serve this with heads on because, like anchovies, these fish are so small everything is edible. But you can remove heads and internal organs if desired.
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice wine
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 pound smelt
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, or as needed
- 2 quarts oil for deep frying
- ¾ cup ice water
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon white sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Whisk rice wine and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a bowl. Lightly dust smelt with about 1 tablespoon flour. Add smelt to rice wine mixture; cover bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
- Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large wok to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Mix ice water
- 1/2 cup flour
- cornstarch
- egg yolks
- sesame seeds
- sesame oil
- baking powder
- sugar
- and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a bowl.
- Remove smelt from rice wine mixture and dip
- 1 at a time
- into the flour mixture until evenly coated. Discard remaining rice wine mixture.
- Carefully fry smelt
- 2 or 3 at a time
- in the hot oil until golden on all sides
- 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel-lined plates. Repeat frying with remaining smelt. Serve warm.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 55 mins
Servings: 4