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Fried Fish on Stick

Also known as Fried Fish on Stick (Lagos Street Style)

Fried Fish on a Stick is a Lagos working-class street food where small whole fish are marinated in bold Nigerian spice paste, threaded onto wooden sticks and deep-fried until completely crispy — so crispy that they are eaten whole, bones and all. This fish-on-a-stick tradition is particularly popular in the high-density Lagos communities where it is a fast, affordable, protein-rich street food eaten while commuting, shopping at the market or as a quick meal between jobs.

Fried Fish on Stick, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 12 to 15 small whole fish (small tilapia, smelt or fresh anchovies)
  • Lemon juice and salt for cleaning
  • 1 teaspoon of curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon of ground Cameroon pepper
  • 2 Atarodo, blended
  • 2 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 big tablespoons of vegetable oil — for the marinade paste
  • Wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
  • Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Method

  1. 01

    Cleaning. Clean and gut each small fish. Rinse with lemon juice and salt. Make 2 to 3 diagonal slashes on each side.

  2. 02

    Making the Marinade Paste. Combine all spices, crushed seasoning cubes, salt and vegetable oil into a thick paste.

  3. 03

    Marinating. Rub paste all over each fish, inside slashes and cavity. Marinate 20 minutes.

  4. 04

    Skewering. Thread each fish lengthwise onto a wooden stick — enter at the mouth, exit at the tail.

  5. 05

    Frying Whole. Heat vegetable oil to hot oven heat. Lower fish-on-sticks into oil. Fry 4 to 6 minutes until completely golden and very crispy — so crispy the small bones become edible.

  6. 06

    Serving. Drain briefly. Serve immediately on the stick — the entire fish is eaten whole.

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