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photo by daveypea

Its hard to go wrong with fried fish.  Fish and chips is not a fare landlocked in the UK, although its hard to match the popularity of UK chip shops.  As I have posted before, fried fish is common in the Caribbean Islands.

Friday's in southern Barbados brings the Oistins Fish Fry, near some of the best beaches on the island.  Dozens of fish stands appear, the tourists pour in and everyone enjoys the island version of Shriner's fried fish benefit.

I use the frozen fillets from Whole Foods.  They are excellent quality and come in the perfect portion for 2-4 people.  Be cautious not to marinate the fish too long in the lime, or you'll be frying ceviche.  I grind the panko a bit to avoid ending up with tempura, but I think the panko adds a good crunch to the breading.

Oistins Fish Fry

2 mahi mahi filets (12oz)

Juice of 2 limes

1 egg

1/2 white onion, minced

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 in grated ginger

1 tsp tumeric

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

Pinch of clove

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup panko, ground a few seconds in a spice grinder

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp hot red chili

1/2 tsp salt

Directions

1. Rinse the fish, dust with salt and marinate it with the lime and 2 tablespoons of water for 30-60 minutes.

1. Beat the egg with a little water.   Add the onion, garlic, ginger, tumeric, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, garlic powder, clove and pepper.  Mix well.

1. Rinse the fish again and cut into 1/2" strips.  Marinate with the egg/seasoning mix for a few hours.


2. Mix the breadcrumbs, flour, panko, peppers, paprika and salt in a shallow bowl.

1. Dredge the fish the flour until covered well.

1. Fry over medium heat for 3 minutes per side.

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photo by A. Davey

I have mentioned in prior posts that I once read the New York Times Magazine's food column, but have since given up.  One of the main drivers that chased me towards the travel section was the addition of a series called "Cooking With Dexter".  The series centers on a young cook, maybe 4 or 5, that has more annoying foodie street cred than some of the bloggers I've read.  I have a kid the same age, and other than making play dough, I can't imagine him ever showing the slightest glimmer of the overly precocious Dexter's behavior.

I was poking around the interweb, learning about African street food, when I caught some mentions of Dabo Kolo.  The only African food I cook on a regular basis are Moroccan tagines, so its time I learned more.  One post in particular got me thinking about whether drawing the kid into cooking would be a good idea.  Seems like a simple recipe and very kid friendly.

The short answer is it was a total failure.  The Dabo Kolo turned out great, but the kid kept insisting we use his recipe, which had more to do with assembling everything in the pantry into a grey mush and cooking it.

The optional part of this recipe is the pepper.  If you include the chili, I use the same reshampatti chili I use in Indian recipes, the end result is going to have a bite kids won't like.  If you want to go the kid friendly route, cover the pieces with a little butter and cinnamon sugar while they are still warm.

Dabo Kolo

1 cup flour

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp hot red chili

1 Tbsp melted butter

1/2 cup warm water

Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients together.  Add the water slowly and mix together, making sure the dough is not too sticky.


2. Knead on a floured surface.


3. Pull off a ball of dough the size of a golf ball, roll out to form a strip of dough.


4. Cook in a skillet with no oil until each piece is golden brown.  Turn regularly.