My Canadian and I have been painting and sanding all weekend, so these Mexican Fish Bites are perfect for an afternoon snack. I love combining the smokey Mexican flavours of paprika and chipotle with the fresh flaky fish; I used tarakihi, but any fresh white fish will do. The polenta provides a beautiful crispy coating, but it is important to use instant polenta. The coarse polenta will not cook quickly enough for a that golden crunch.
Chipotle chilli peppers in adobe sauce are fairly common in New Zealand supermarkets, but if you have difficulty finding them, try here. Or use a little tabasco or hot sauce in it’s place. These little fish bites are also a great party snack, perfect with a cold beer on a hot day.
Ingredients
- 1 cup instant polenta
- 2 tsp smokey paprika
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp lime zest
- 300gm fresh white fish, cut into bite size pieces
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup good quality mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp chipotle in adobe sauce, chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tbsp rice bran oil
- Lime wedges and hot sauce to serve
Instructions
Mix the instant polenta with the paprika, cumin and lime zest in one bowl. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and set aside. In a third bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, chipotle and lime juice until combined. Set aside for serving.
Next dip each fish bite in the egg mix, then the polenta and lay on a tray. Repeat with each fish bite until they're all coated.
Heat the oil in a frying pan, and gently fry each fish bite turning after one minute or two, until they're cooked through. Serve with the chipotle mayo and lime wedges on the side. Hot sauce is an optional extra for you chilli fanatics!
