Ukraine · Carp

Ukrainian Fried Carp

Name: Ukrainian Fried Carp
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Ukraine
Ingredients: 1 whole carp (about 3 lb / 1.4 kg), scaled and gutted; 1½ tsp salt; ½ tsp black pepper; 1 lemon, halved; ½ cup all-purpose flour; ½ cup sunflower oil; 2 tbsp chopped dill; Lemon wedges, to serve

Smazhenyi Korop

Carp, korop, is the fish of the Ukrainian Christmas Eve table and of every river and pond in the country. Cut into thick steaks, salted, dredged in flour and pan-fried in sunflower oil, it is simple and very good with a cold vinegret salad.

Prep 20 min
Cook 20 min
Serves 4
Level Easy

Photo: gkrphoto / Adobe Stock

Served with: Ukrainian Beet Vinegret Salad ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the fish

1 whole carp (about 3 lb / 1.4 kg), scaled and gutted
1½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 lemon, halved

For frying

½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup sunflower oil
2 tbsp chopped dill
Lemon wedges, to serve

Method

Step by step, the way it is done there.

Cut. Remove the head and fins. Cut the carp across into steaks about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.
Season. Rub the steaks with salt and pepper and squeeze a little lemon over them. Leave in the fridge 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours) so the salt seasons the fish all the way through.
Flour. Pat the steaks dry and dredge them well in flour.
Fry. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the steaks 5–6 minutes per side, until deep golden and cooked through to the bone.
Serve. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with dill and serve hot with lemon and vinegret salad.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Ukraine

Ukrainian Beet Vinegret Salad

Vinehret

Diced beets, potatoes, carrots, pickles and sauerkraut in sunflower oil. A bright, tangy salad that sits on every holiday table in Ukraine.

Prep 20 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 6
Level Easy

You need

2 medium beets
2 medium potatoes
2 carrots
3 dill pickles, diced
1 cup sauerkraut, squeezed dry
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 cup cooked white beans or peas (optional)
3 tbsp unrefined sunflower oil
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp chopped dill

How to make it

Cook. Boil the beets (about 40 minutes), potatoes and carrots (about 20 minutes) in their skins until tender. Cool and peel.
Dice. Cut everything into small, even cubes. Toss the beets with a spoon of the oil first so they don't stain everything.
Mix. Combine with the pickles, sauerkraut, onion and beans. Add the rest of the oil and the salt.
Serve. Chill, scatter dill and serve cold.

More from this part of the world

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