Fried Pike Mackerel (like in my header picture!)

Please see the header picture for this dish. It is a simple and flavorful dish. I like to take small nibbles of this as a snack or eat it with rice as a meal.

Fried Pike Mackerel
Savor. Devour.

Materials:

· 1 tbsp ground lemongrass (I coarsely chop up lemongrass stalks and put them in food processor to puree them. They store up to a month in a ziplock bag in the freezer)

· 2 tsp salt

· 1 tsp chili powder

· ½ lime or lemon (if you want a sweeter taste, use ½ a small Valencia orange)

· 2 pike mackerels

Procedures:

· Mix the lemongrass, salt, and chili powder. This is the seasoning. Set aside.

· Clean the mackerel (Get rid of the fins and tail. Clean the scales. Wash a few times under running water.)

· Cut three or four ½ cm deep horizontal cuts down the fish (see header picture).

· Rub the seasoning well into the fish and let marinade for at least 15 minutes and up to a few hours (if you marinade for that long, cover it and put it in the fridge).

· In a hot pan with two tbsp oil over medium-high heat, add the fish and cook for 2 - 3 minutes on each side, until crispy. Turn the heat down low and let fry for 6 - 8 minutes more on each side, depending on the fish size. The fish should be a deep brown and crispy when finished.

· Serve with the lemon, and squeeze as desired while eating.