Fried Smelts

Ingredients

• 5 to 6 ounces fresh smelts, (the smaller the better)
• 1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free all-purpose flour blend ((see Note for subbing))
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch
• Fine Sea Salt
• 1/8 teaspoon Madras Curry Powder
• 1 to 2 teaspoons milk ((I used soy milk but cow’s milk is fine))
• About 1 cup neutral oil, (such as canola or peanut)
• Lemon wedges
• Hot sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Use a paper towel to pat excess moisture from the fish. Put them in a bowl and add the flour, starch, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and the curry powder. Toss the fish to lightly coat.

2. 2

   Transfer the fish to a plate or small baking sheet. Drizzle on 1 teaspoon of milk and use a spoon to turn and coat the fish. If they’re not wet looking, add milk by the 1/2 teaspoon.

3. 3

   Put the fish back into the flour bowl and toss to coat. (They’ll look chalky as they’re now double coated.). If you need more coating, add more flour, starch, salt and curry powder.

4. 4

   Pour oil into a wok to a depth of 1/2 inch. Set over medium heat. (If you want, protect the floor near the stove with newspaper.) When the oil is around 350F (test with a dry chopstick and the oil should immediately bubble around the chopstick), add as many fish as possible without crowding. Stir gently and turn the fish, as needed. When golden and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes, use a spider to lift the fish from the oil. Hold the spider over the wok for a few seconds to allow oil to drip back, then deposit the fish onto a paper towel to drain.

5. 5

   Cool a few minutes, sprinkle extra salt on top and serve with lemon wedges and or hot sauce. Eat immediately!