Fish without Chips. Caribbean Fry-Dry Sprats

Hi, my name is Wizzy and …uhmm…I uhmmm… I ahhh….I’m addicted to fry dry! Said in a rush and with a sigh of relief. There I said it!

What?!!! It’s no longer fashionable to have this once traditional Caribbean breakfast. Who says? Obviously I didn’t get the memo. When was the last time you actually tasted a mess of these crispy, fried, sprats, hot off the frying pan with a squeeze of lime, or some tarter sauce? Come on now, don’t be coy. Don't play like you don’t know what I’m talking about.

They are ugly you say. Sure, after frying these, they look somewhat prehistoric, like they jumped out of the Cretaceous period and landed on your plate. I don’t actually look at them as I eat them. That would be ….well…bizarre. They kinda creep me out. But go on, admit it – you like them too don’t you? It’s okay, we are all friends here. You can say it. FRY DRY KICKS CEREAL’S BUTT FOR BREAKFAST ANY DAY. I can sense your disbelief. Heck, forget breakfast, around here we fry these up any old time of the day as a snack.

Let me show you. Here. It’s like eating fish and chips (fries) but without the fries. The fish are themselves the fries. The bones are left in which adds to the crack, crackle, crunch factor. Cripsy fish fries, best served hot - dipping sauce entirely optional. Wouldn’t this be fabulous with a splash of malt vinegar and a sprinkle of sea salt? Perhaps I could tempt you with a ketchup-soy-pepper sauce combo?

Oh go on – you don’t like them anyway so what if I break the rules. While I’m at it, I might as well offer full disclosure. The traditional way is to dredge them in flour but I prefer them naked. Sacrilege. Maybe. I find they stay crunchier that way.

I hear you. This is a little too outlandish looking to be palatable. Look, I made an effort to plate it up all pretty and gourmet-like just to tempt you. On second thought it might be better that you don’t know what you are missing, so I won’t have to share. Forget I said anything. You are entirely correct in your first assumption. These are ugly so they must taste horrid. I will happily eat them for you.

Fry Dry Recipe

2 lbs sprats (innards removed)
1/2 lime to wash the fish
1/4 teaspoon salt

2-3 leaves of shadon beni or cilantro
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
3 chive stalks finely chopped
3 sprigs of thyme

1/2 cup vegetable oil  

Put fish in a bowl and wash by squeezing the juice of 1/2 a lime or lemon and rinse with water. Drain and pat dry with paper towel and set aside. 

Add choppped seasonings ( shadon beni, garlic, thymes, chives and salt) to fish. Set aside to marinate for 2 hours. You can prep your fish the night before and leave it to marinate overnight.

Heat oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Fry fish in batches. Try not to crowd the pan with too many. Allow to cook for about 5-7 minutes on each side and then flip to cook evenly. Drain on paper towels. Serve with your favourite dipping sauce as an appetizer or for lunch with rice and dhal.

...another sort of sprat...