📝 About This Recipe
Deep in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, Piraña Frita is a prized delicacy known for its surprisingly delicate, white flaky flesh and its fearsome reputation. This dish captures the essence of the 'Selva' (jungle), featuring fish scored deeply to ensure every inch becomes golden and shatteringly crisp. Served with traditional jungle staples, it offers a rustic, adventurous, and profoundly savory taste of Iquitos and Madre de Dios.
🥗 Ingredients
The Fish
- 4 pieces Whole Piranhas (cleaned, scaled, and gutted; about 300-400g each)
- 3 Limes (juiced)
- 2 tablespoons Garlic paste (freshly ground)
- 1 teaspoon Cumin (toasted and ground)
- to taste Salt and Black Pepper
- 3 cups Vegetable oil (for deep frying)
- 1 cup All-purpose flour (for light dredging)
Salsa de Cocona (Jungle Salsa)
- 2 pieces Cocona fruit (peeled and finely diced; substitute with Granny Smith apple if unavailable)
- 4-6 pieces Charapita chili peppers (minced; these are tiny and very spicy)
- 1/2 small Red onion (finely minced)
- 4 leaves Sacha Culantro (finely chopped; or substitute with regular cilantro)
- 2 tablespoons Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
Traditional Sides
- 2 large Bellaco Plantains (green/unripe, cut into thick rounds for patacones)
- 1 pound Yucca (Cassava) (peeled, boiled in salted water until tender)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Thoroughly rinse the piranhas under cold water. Using a sharp knife, make 4 to 5 deep diagonal incisions (scores) on both sides of each fish, cutting down to the bone. This helps the heat penetrate the many small bones characteristic of piranha.
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2
In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, garlic paste, cumin, salt, and pepper to create a marinade.
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3
Rub the marinade all over the fish, ensuring you get plenty of the mixture into the deep scores and the cavity. Let the fish marinate for at least 15-20 minutes.
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4
While the fish marinates, prepare the Salsa de Cocona. Combine the diced cocona, minced red onion, charapita chilies, and sacha culantro in a bowl. Season with lime juice and salt. Let it sit so the flavors fuse.
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5
Prepare the sides: Boil the yucca in salted water until fork-tender (about 20 minutes). Drain and set aside.
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6
In a heavy-bottomed skillet or deep fryer, heat the vegetable oil to 350°F (175°C).
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7
Make the patacones: Fry the thick plantain rounds in the oil for 3-4 minutes until light yellow. Remove, smash them flat with a heavy press or plate, and fry again until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
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8
Lightly dredge each marinated piranha in flour, shaking off any excess. The coating should be very thin, almost invisible.
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9
Carefully place the fish into the hot oil. Fry two at a time to avoid overcrowding the pan, which would drop the temperature.
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10
Fry the fish for 5-7 minutes per side. The exterior should be dark golden brown and the fins should look crispy like chips.
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11
Remove the fish from the oil and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Immediately sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt while still hot.
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12
Plate the fried piranha alongside the boiled yucca and crispy patacones. Serve the Salsa de Cocona in a small bowl on the side or spooned over the fish.
💡 Chef's Tips
Scoring the fish deeply is essential because piranhas have many intramuscular bones; high-heat frying 'cooks through' the smaller ones, making them crunchy and edible. Always use a high-smoke point oil like vegetable or sunflower oil to achieve that signature jungle crunch without a burnt taste. If you can't find Charapita peppers, use Habanero or Scotch Bonnet, but use them sparingly as they are quite potent. Make sure the fish is patted dry before dredging in flour to ensure the skin becomes crispy rather than soggy. For the most authentic flavor, try to find Sacha Culantro in an international market; its flavor is much more intense than standard cilantro.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a tall glass of ice-cold 'Aguajina', a traditional drink made from the Aguaje palm fruit. A side of white rice cooked with a little garlic is a common addition for a heartier meal. Pair with a crisp Peruvian pilsner to cut through the richness of the fried fish. Provide a small bowl of extra lime wedges for guests to squeeze over the fish just before eating. For an extra kick, serve with a side of 'Ají de Cocona' (a blended version of the salsa).