Monday's Greek Recipe - Marida Tiganiti - Fried Whitebait

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 kg whitebait
• Flour for coating
• Salt
• Pepper
• Oil for frying

METHOD

Wash the fish well. You do not need to clean them. Salt the fish. Heat oil in a frying pan. Coat the fish with flour and fry them until golden brown. Serve hot

via www.greek-recipe.com

Marida is a kind of small fish which lives in the Greek seas. It's so tiny that you can eat it whole with its head and bone. However, I do clean it before cooking it.

It's great as an appetizer with some ouzo on the rocks or with some Retsina

Comments

[Arty]

Very tasteful bites.

This post reminded me of my father who would catch this fish with an apoxi during the summers we spent on a certain island called Telendos. Tourists were always curious.

Longing for summer now :)

[walid]

Habebti.
Hello I do clean the fish from the inside if it passes through the sifter.
But for the tiny small fish I just ash it five six times just to clean the sand from the inside ,I do add some salt to the water make the fish rest for some time the salt will take all the sand to the bottom.After rinsing the fish I do salt it the longer it sits with salt on and in for the large fish, the better. Salt makes it hold together.I do use flour for frying,adding a table spoon of vinegar to the oil while it is still cold it helps not to smell.Serving it with Lemon is good .I do serve it with TARATOUR as a dip, which is is made of Tahini whipped with lemon juice salt and some water to thin it garnished with some fine chopped parsley.It is always good to have some drink with fish ,Cheers.Fried bread using the same oil it gives the bread good taste.After frying you may add any spices to it is wonderful.God Bless.
With Love Walid.
With Love Walid.

[Lakis Ioannou]

Although I am not a great fish lover, I never say no to marida and some ouzo which is the best combination I think. Maybe one reason I love it except from its great taste is the fact that I don't have to clean it before eating it!! I like it fresh - the frozen marida is simply blant and tasteless - crispy and with lots of lemon juice - just like on your photo.

[Christina]

Your post makes me dream of a small tavern in Santorini where I used to have my favorite appetizer last summer - marida me ouzaki just after the beach. But i must wake up and rush to work. Have a great day.

[Thomas Watson]

I am a regular visitor to your website and I love it - this fish looks delicious.

[Stefania]

I dont cook marida very often as we prefer to enjoy it at a fish tavern by the sea but when i do i mix some oregano and thyme in the flour. It becomes more crispy and has a great taste too.

[Sophia]

Personally, I prefer atherina which is smaller so you don't even need to clean it at all. I wash it very well, add salt and pepper, coat it with flour and I fry it - only a few at a time so they don't stick. About half a kilo of atherina with chips and a salad make a great meal - not just appetizer.

[Laura]

Now that's yet another very informative post of yours. In the UK whitebait is a kind of herring also known as young sprats. They're very similar to the ones in your photo - maybe a bit bigger. They're usually deep-fried and coated in a light batter. They're served very hot with bread, butter and some drops of lemon. But I must admit that even in Yorkshire, you don't often find them fresh.

[Andy]

Do you mean to say that you can eat this fish with the head, the fins and the ...gut?

[Bobbin Talk]

Ohh what I wouldn't give to indulge in some tasty fried fish and a cup of ouzo right now, but not in NYC. I've never been to Cyprus even though I was born very close (in Bulgaria)! Would love to come and visit one warm summer and taste them as the locals prepare them!

[Anastasia]

Yes, Andy, absolutely...but not me! I have the fish cleaned at the fish market but, of course I eat the head. Many people, however, will just wash it thoroughly before frying it.

[Arty]

Thanks for stopping by Anastasia. Sou euxome mia polu kali mera.

[Lisa A]

What lovely dish! Very different than the itatalian whitebeit. Here is called bianchetti and is very small fish, smaller than the fish in your photo. I cook it with tomatos, parsly(prezzemolo), garlic, spinaci and spaghetti certamente!:-) First you put the tomatos without the skin and cut in smal pieces in some olive oil, then add garlic, parsly and spinaci and you leave it to cook for a few minutes. And while is cooking you can put the spaghetti to boil al dente in other pan. Then you put the spaghetti in the pan with the vegetables, you leave it cook for 1-2 minutes and then you add the bianchetti! Perfetto e molto gustoso!!

[Phivos]

It looks so inviting!

[Alexia M]

The first time I had marida was at a fish tavern in Limassol during my stay in Cyprus. I couldn't imagine me eating that fish whole! So I cut it and tried to clean it. Then one of my Cypriot friends said that I was spoiling everything -lol - Finally he persuade me to try one and I couldn't stop eating one after the other! The ones in your photo look great! Did you cook them? They look so tasty and nicely decorated with the lemons. Oh yes! I remember how much I was impressed with those huge lemons of yours...and so juicy too! And of course the ouzo is the best drink to have with marida. Yia mas!!!

[Anastasia]

Yes, Alexia. I cooked that marida and I was so proud of myself! Sophia is right. You should only put a few at a time in the the pan!