Alright, so I got this idea to make some choco frito. Been a while.
Getting Started
First thing, had to get the cuttlefish. Went to the usual spot. Picked out a decent sized one. Looked fresh enough. The cleaning part is never fun, though. Pulling out the ink sac, the hard bit… yeah, a bit messy. Rinsed it all off real good under the tap.
Prep Work
Once it was clean, I laid it out on the cutting board. Chopped it into strips. Tried to keep them roughly the same size, you know, so they cook evenly. Not too thick, maybe half an inch wide? Something like that. Didn’t take long.
Flavor Time (Sort Of)
Now, some folks go crazy with marinades. Lemon, garlic, wine, all sorts. Me? I kept it simple this time. Threw the cuttlefish strips in a bowl. Sprinkled on some salt, a good bit of garlic powder, maybe a pinch of paprika for color. Tossed it around. Let it sit there while I got the pan ready. Maybe 10 minutes? Didn’t time it.
Getting Coated
Next up, the coating. Just plain old flour. Poured a bunch into a shallow dish. Took the cuttlefish pieces, tossed them in the flour. Made sure they were all covered. You gotta get your hands in there, really press the flour on a bit. Ends up all over the place, but hey, that’s cooking.
Frying Action
Got my trusty deep pan out. Poured in a good amount of oil. Vegetable oil, nothing special. Turned the heat up pretty high. Waited till it was shimmering. You can test it with a tiny bit of flour, see if it sizzles right away. Carefully lowered the floured cuttlefish strips into the hot oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan, do it in batches if you have to. It cooks fast. Seriously, like maybe 3-4 minutes a batch. You just want it golden brown and looking crispy. Used a slotted spoon to fish them out.
Finishing Touches
Put the fried pieces straight onto a plate lined with paper towels. Let that extra oil drain off. Gotta do that. Nobody likes greasy choco frito. Then, the most important part: squeezed a whole lemon over them. Lots of lemon juice. That’s the key.
The Verdict
Ate them straight away while they were hot. Crispy on the outside, tender inside. Simple, satisfying. Yeah, it makes the kitchen smell like fried fish for a bit, and there’s cleanup, but it hit the spot. Definitely doing that again soon.
