Fried Fish With Piri-Piri Sauce

Name: Fried Fish With Piri-Piri Sauce
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil; 1 large red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into 1" pieces; 1 large shallot, coarsely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped; 1 habanero chile, halved; 1 1" piece ginger, peeled, coarsely chopped; 1 Tbsp. (or more) distilled white vinegar; 1 tsp. dried thyme; 1 tsp. sugar; 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more; 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds; 1 Tbsp. fennel seeds; 2 tsp. cumin seeds; 1 tsp. fenugreek seeds; 2 Tbsp. garlic powder; 1 Tbsp. paprika; 1 Tbsp. sugar; 1 tsp. ground turmeric; 1 tsp. MSG (optional); 4 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 2½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more; 2 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar; 2 1½–2-lb. head-on whole fish (such as tilapia, porgy, or black sea bass), cleaned; ½ cup rice flour; 4 cups vegetable oil; Lime wedges (for serving); A spice mill or a mortar and pestle

By Torrey Peters

January 4, 2022

Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Micah Morton

“My last dinner as a husband—and arguably, as a man—was a fried tilapia,” writes Detransition, Baby author Torrey Peters (read her essay on this final meal with her ex-wife in Uganda). This recipe, inspired by that meal, features a whole fish rubbed with a spice blend reminiscent of mchuzi mix, a seasoning popular in Kenya and other parts of Africa, then fried and served with peppery piri-piri sauce. Whole fish, while dramatic in appearance, are actually a lot more forgiving to cook than boneless fillets, which can overcook and dry out easily. Look for a fish around 2 lb. so it will fit into a wok or skillet and cook through relatively quickly.

What you’ll need

Mortar and Pestle
$30 At Amazon
Blender
$47 At Amazon
Cast Iron Skillet
$40 At Amazon
Instant-Read Thermometer
$35 At Thermoworks
Fish Spatula
$18 At Amazon
Tongs
$18 $14 At Amazon
Wire Rack
$23 At BA Market

Recipe notes

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