Advertisement

Ingredients

  • 50g cornflour
  • 50g rice flour
  • 2 tbsp English mustard powder
  • 2 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp cayenne pepper, plus a sprinkle to serve
  • 400g fresh or frozen whitebait, see notes below
  • for deep frying vegetable oil

GARLIC MAYO

  • 4 cloves garlic, skin on
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • a pinch sea salt flakes, plus extra to serve
  • 5 tbsp mayonnaise
  • ½, juiced, plus 1, wedged to serve lemon

Method

  • STEP 1

    Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. To make the mayo, put the garlic cloves onto a piece of foil, drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and wrap up tightly. Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes until soft. Cool, then squeeze the cloves out of their skins and put in a bowl with the mayonnaise, lemon juice and some seasoning, and mix well.

  • STEP 2

    Put the cornflour, rice flour, mustard powder, paprika and cayenne into a bowl and mix well. Add the whitebait and toss really well, until covered in the spiced flour.

  • STEP 3

    Fill a pan no more that 1/3 full with oil and heat to 180C or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Fry the whitebait, in batches, for 4-5 minutes or until really crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm in a low oven while you fry the rest. Serve straightaway with the roasted garlic mayo for dipping, a sprinkle of sea salt and lemon wedges for squeezing over.

If using frozen whitebait, leave on a plate in the fridge overnight to defrost.


Try more of our crispy deep-fried recipes here...

Lobster and fries
Advertisement

Comments, questions and tips

Rate this recipe

What is your star rating out of 5?

Choose the type of message you'd like to post

Choose the type of message you'd like to post

Overall rating

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement