Filipino Pescado Frito (Garlic Fried Whole Fish)

About This Recipe

Pescado frito -- Filipino garlic fried fish -- is a straightforward but technique-dependent dish found on nearly every Filipino home dinner table: a whole fish, scored and seasoned simply with salt, pepper, and calamansi, fried until the skin turns deeply crisp, then topped with garlic that's been fried separately until dark golden and fragrant, along with its flavorful oil. The technique is entirely about two things: getting the fish properly dry before frying (patted dry, sometimes left uncovered in the fridge for an hour) so the skin crisps rather than steams, and frying the garlic separately at a lower temperature so it turns deep golden without burning, since burnt garlic turns bitter fast. Pouring the hot garlic oil directly over the just-fried fish finishes the dish with an aromatic sizzle. Served with rice and a simple vinegar-soy dipping sauce (often with chili and garlic added), this is everyday Filipino cooking -- simple, but reliant on the cook's attention to frying temperature and timing to get right.

Ingredients

Serves 3

• 1 wholewhite fish (about 600g)(such as tilapia, scaled and cleaned)
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 1calamansi or lime(juiced)
• 0.5 cupoil(for frying)
• 8 clovesgarlic(thinly sliced)
• 2 tbspsoy sauce
• 2 tbspvinegar
• 1red chili(sliced, for the dipping sauce)

Instructions

1. 1

   Season and dry the fish

   Score the fish 3-4 times on each side, rub with salt, pepper, and calamansi juice. Pat dry thoroughly and let sit uncovered 15-20 minutes.

2. 2

   Fry the garlic

   Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a small pan over medium-low heat. Fry garlic slices, stirring constantly, until golden and crisp, 3-4 minutes. Remove garlic and reserve both garlic and oil separately.

3. 3

   Heat the frying oil

   Add remaining oil to a wide pan and heat over medium-high until shimmering.

4. 4

   Fry the fish

   Fry the fish 5-6 minutes per side until the skin is deeply golden and crisp and the flesh is cooked through.

5. 5

   Make the dip

   Mix soy sauce, vinegar, and sliced chili in a small bowl.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Transfer fish to a plate, spoon the fried garlic and its oil over the top, and serve immediately with the dipping sauce and rice.

Variations

• •

  Use fish fillets instead of a whole fish for a quicker version, reducing frying time to 3-4 minutes per side.

• •

  Add ginger slices to the fried garlic for extra aromatic depth.

• •

  Serve with a spicier chili-vinegar dip by adding more sliced chilies.

Storage

Best eaten immediately while the skin is crisp. Leftovers keep refrigerated for a day but lose crispness; reheat in a dry pan or oven rather than the microwave.

Frequently Asked Questions