Shared by Jennifer Ophir
Shared by Jennifer Ophir
Fried Whiting with Garlic and Cilantro
Yield: 6 servingsTime: 30 minutes
Fried Whiting with Garlic and Cilantro
Yield: 6 servingsTime: 30 minutesFamily Journey
Mashhad, Persia (present-day Iran)Merv, TurkmenistanBukhara, Uzbekistan
Merv, TurkmenistanKabul, AfghanistanTel Aviv
New York City
“Before serving this dish,” shares food stylist Jennifer Ophir, “we would ask, ‘does anyone want fish without garlic?’ And we would serve them plain fish. But ultimately, those who were initially hesitant would be converted to the garlic and cilantro water — and they wouldn’t have it any other way.” Jennifer’s family would eat this typical Bukharian dish as a first course for Passover lunch and at each meal during the holidays. Their grandmother always made this fish with whiting, but, Jennifer says, you can easily use flounder. Un-dipped fish can be reserved in the fridge for 2 days, loosely stacked in between paper towels. You will need a deep-fry thermometer for this recipe.
Read more about Jennifer’s family in “The Very Last Meal a Grandmother Cooked for Her Family” and try their recipes for katlet (meatballs with tomato sauce and potato), kov roghan (Bukharian chicken and potatoes), and Afghan haroset.
Ingredients
- Neutral oil for deep frying
- 2 lb. bone-in, skin-on whiting filets, or flounder
- 1 cup matzo meal
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, whole leaves and thin stems
- 3-4 large garlic cloves, peeled
Preparation
Step 1
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 1 cup of neutral oil to 350°F.
Step 2
Pat whiting pieces dry. Add half of the salt to the matzo meal, mix well. Lightly dredge each piece of fish in the mixture; once dredged, immediately place in the oil.
Step 3
Fry the fish in several batches, turning over once. Once the fish is light golden color, 3-4 minutes, remove from the frying pan and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain and cool. Stack all the fried filets on the same plate, with paper towels in between each layer, and place in the fridge.
Step 4
Finely mince the garlic and mix with the remaining kosher salt. Cover and place in the fridge until cold.
Step 5
Right before serving, roughly chop the cilantro. Remove the prepared garlic from the fridge. Add one cup of cold water to the garlic bowl, and stir well until the salt dissolves. Add the cilantro and stir again. Dip each piece of whiting in the mixture twice, making sure to let some garlic and cilantro stick to the fish. Repeat until all are dipped.
Step 6
Plate the fish on a platter. Using a fork, remove any additional cilantro and garlic from the water and sprinkle on top of the plated fish. Serve cold.
