Seasonal Ontario Food

Since we've moved to Meaford we have definitely been eating more fish. Must start cooking it other ways besides frying, but this is soo good! (And if well done, it doesn't absorb terrible amounts of oil.) If you wanted a vegetarian version of this dish, I think it would work quite well with tofu cut into fingers, and pressed in paper towel for a few minutes before adding it to the batter, to get out some of the excess moisture.

2 servings
30 minutes - 15 minutes prep time


Make the Batter:
3 tablespoons Mochiko rice flour
1 tablespoon arrowroot or cornstarch
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
1 extra-large egg
1 green onion, or the equivalent of chives, very finely minced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)

Fry the Fish:
1 large fillet of whitefish
(about 500 grams, or 1 pound)
oil to fry - about 1/2 cup

Skin the whitefish fillet, by lifting it from the thickest portion of the fillet, where it was cut at the head. Once you get your fingers between the skin and the flesh, you should be able to work it entirely off the head-end of the fillet. Once that is done, you should be able to pull the entire skin off of the fillet. Cut the fillet into pieces of an inch wide or perhaps just a touch wider.

Put the fish pieces in with the batter, and mix them in well, so that they are well coated. Let them rest, in the refrigerator, for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Heat the oil in a skillet that will hold the fish pieces snuggly. Once it is hot, lay in the pieces of fish, spooning the batter over them to be sure they are well covered in it. Fry until golden-brown, about 4 minutes, then turn and fry the other side until golden brown, about 3 minutes more. Drain on paper towel and serve while still good and hot.





Last year at this time I made Zucchini & Peppers Roasted with Barley & Cheese.