Mackerel Dolma Recipe
I oscillate between admiring the determination of our cuisine to make labor-intensive dishes and complaining about that very determination. It feels like we've sworn an oath to stuff every ingredient we come across with rice—and I believe we've fulfilled that oath thoroughly. I understand and appreciate some things very well.
For instance, baked anchovy pilav is a stuffing dish that is acceptable to a certain degree of difficulty. At least they didn’t try to stuff each anchovy individually. Even for "hamsi kuşu" (anchovy fritters), 3-4 anchovies are used together. On the other hand, going to such lengths to remove the insides of a mackerel feels a bit like a performance to me. But since our ancestors took on this task, it's up to us to say, "The show must go on," and continue this tradition.
Removing the inside of the mackerel is truly a laborious task. There are two things that will help you with this process. First, mackerel has thick and flexible skin, and second, using a sharp and long-bladed knife is essential. Normally, only the backbone of the mackerel is removed, and some of the flesh remains inside. However, I took the easy route (even that was hard) by removing the insides completely, leaving only the skin. I used the flesh I scraped from the backbone in the stuffing pilaf. By the way, understanding this deboning step from the written recipe might be challenging, so I recommend watching a video of the process.
I didn’t take any adventurous routes with the stuffing pilaf. I simply scaled the pilaf recipe I’ve used for years.
Mackerel stuffing is traditionally fried in oil, but the mackerel I used was quite large, and I didn’t have a pan big enough to fit them, so I baked them in the oven instead. Since I drizzled enough oil over them, they turned out just as crispy as if they were fried. You can use whichever method suits you best.
Bon appétit!
Mackerel Dolma Recipe with Video
Ingredients
- 4 medium-sized mackerels,
- 1/4 onion,
- 1/2 cup rice,
- 1/2 tsp tomato paste,
- 1/2 tbsp pine nuts,
- 1 tbsp currants,
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon,
- 1/4 tsp black pepper,
- 1/4 tsp allspice,
- A pinch of finely chopped parsley,
- 1 tsp sugar,
- 4 tbsp olive oil,
- 1 cup hot water,
- Salt.
For coating and frying:
- 2 eggs,
- 1/2 cup flour,
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs,
- Olive oil.
Preparation
- Clean the fins of the mackerel,
- Firmly press along the back to separate the spine from the flesh,
- Cut the head and spine from the back without detaching it,
- Remove the internal organs,
- Using a long knife, peel and twist from the neck to the tail to separate the flesh from the skin,
- Pull the flesh out by hand and cut the spinal connection at the tail,
- Scrape the meat off the spine and finely chop it,
- Heat olive oil in a large pan,
- Add finely chopped onion and sauté until softened,
- Add the chopped meat and sauté,
- Add pine nuts and tomato paste, sauté for a few more minutes,
- Add the washed and drained rice, cinnamon, black pepper, allspice, parsley, currants, sugar, and salt, then mix well,
- Add water, stir, cover the pan, and cook on low heat until the water is absorbed,
- Stir gently, turn off the heat, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes,
- Stuff the pilaf into the mackerel,
- Coat the mackerel in flour,
- Then dip in egg and coat with breadcrumbs,
- Fry in hot oil or place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, drizzle with olive oil, and bake at 220°C in a preheated oven until golden brown.
Enjoy!