Just in time for the change of the season, try this delicious Deep-Fried Mullet (Harders) with a chilli sauce and Cashew Nuts!

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

2 mullets, weighing about 350g each, cleaned and descaled

25g flour, seasoned with salt & pepper

Sunflower oil for deep-frying

Chilli Sauce

15 ml finely chopped garlic

1 large red chilli, finely chopped

15 ml sunflower oil

15 ml muscovado sugar

20 ml fish sauce

15 ml lemon juice

Garnishes

1 small onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

25 g cashew nuts, halved

25 g fresh basil leaves

Method:

Sauce:

Pour together the garlic and chilli in a pestle and mortar until they form a coarse paste

Heat the oil in a small saucepan, add the garlicand chilli paste and fry for a minute.

Stir in the sugar, fish sauce and lemon juice, bring to a simmer, and keep warm until needed.

Fish and Garnishes:

Fill a pan large enough to accommodate the fish about one-third full of sunflower oil, and heat the oil to 190 °C

Add the sliced onion, garlic and cashew nuts and gry for 2 minutes, lift out the with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Add the basil leaves and fry for about 30 seconds. Drain and set aside

Rinse the fish and pat dry

Coat in the seasoned flour and deep-fry one at a time for 5-6 minutes, until crisp and golden. Drain briefly on kitchen paper and keep warm while you cook the remaining fish.

Place the fish on a warm plate and spoon over the sauce. Scatter with the garnishes and serve.