Pan-Fried Bonito with Turkish Onion Salad

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Crispy pan-fried bonito is a beloved street-cooking classic along the Turkish Black Sea coast, where freshly caught palamut is simply dusted in flour, fried until golden, and served alongside a sharp sumac-dressed onion salad. The fish stays juicy within its crisp crust, and the bright, tangy salad cuts through the richness beautifully. Wrap pieces in lettuce leaves with a squeeze of lemon for the full Turkish experience.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 485 kcalCalories
• 22 gFat
• 3 gSaturated Fat
• 28 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 6 gSugar
• 41 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 780 mgPotassium
• 65 mgCalcium
• 3.5 mgIron
• 18 mgVitamin C
• 45 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the Bonito

• 4 bonito (palamut) steaks, about 1 inch thick (roughly 6 oz each)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup sunflower or vegetable oil, for frying

For the Sumac Onion Salad

• 2 medium red onions, very thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp ground sumac
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses (optional)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice, plus extra wedges to serve
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Fresh lettuce leaves, for serving

Directions

1. Pat the bonito steaks dry with paper towels and season both sides with the salt and pepper. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while you slice the onions.
2. In a large bowl, toss the thinly sliced red onions with the salt and a small handful of the parsley, then gently massage for 30 seconds to soften. Add the sumac, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, and lemon juice, and toss again. Set aside to let the flavors meld.
3. Spread the flour on a wide plate. Dredge each bonito steak in the flour, pressing lightly so it adheres in a thin, even coat, then shake off any excess.
4. Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering (about 350°F). Fry the steaks without crowding, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deeply golden and just opaque in the center. Adjust heat as needed to keep the crust from burning.
5. Transfer fried bonito to a paper-towel-lined tray and let rest 2 minutes so the crust firms up. Meanwhile, finish the salad by folding in the remaining parsley.
6. To serve, arrange each bonito steak on a warm plate with a generous mound of the sumac onion salad alongside. Offer lettuce leaves, lemon wedges, and crusty bread for wrapping and squeezing.
7. Serve immediately while the fish is hot and crisp, with cold salad and lemon on the side.

Cook’s Notes

• Choose bonito steaks of similar thickness so they cook evenly; ask your fishmonger to cut palamut into 1-inch cross-cut steaks.
• Do not skip pressing the flour into the fish; a thin, well-adhered coating gives the crispiest crust without absorbing excess oil.
• Test oil temperature by dropping in a pinch of flour—it should sizzle immediately but not brown in under 5 seconds.
• Pomegranate molasses adds authentic tangy depth to the onion salad, but you can substitute with an extra squeeze of lemon and a pinch of brown sugar.
• Serve the fried fish right away; bonito dries out quickly as it cools, unlike fatty bluefish varieties used in similar recipes.

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