Meze Atlas, Fish and seafood

Hamsi Tava

Name: Hamsi Tava
Prep time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 1 kg fresh hamsi (anchovies); 100 g fine cornmeal; 1 tsp salt; 200 ml sunflower oil; 1 red onion, sliced; 1 lemon

/HAM·see ta·VA/

Pan-fried anchovies in a crisp cornmeal coat

4serves

40 minactive time

Goes with

Beer

Cold beer cuts the oil and refreshes the mouth after crisp, salty fish.

Also good with rakı.

Our chef's recipe, coming soon. This is the classic version, as it is made on most meyhane tables.

Ingredients

1 kgfresh hamsi (anchovies)
100 gfine cornmeal
1 tspsalt
200 mlsunflower oil
1red onion, sliced
1lemon

Method

Pull off the heads, slit the bellies, remove the guts and the backbone if you like, and rinse. Drain well.
Toss the fish with the salt, then coat in cornmeal and shake off the excess.
Heat the oil in a wide frying pan to 180°C. Arrange the anchovies in a single layer, fanned in a circle, and fry for 2 minutes per side until crisp.
Drain on paper and serve at once with red onion and lemon.