Oct 04
Monday
News, Reviews (Eats)Hamsi: The Little Fish that Could
The chill of fall is in the air in Istanbul, which also means that good stuff is happening in the waters near the city. More specifically, it means that hamsi season is about to kick off in the chilly Black Sea. Hamsi, of course, are the minuscule fish (Black Sea anchovies) that Istanbulites are mad for, and the coming of fall and the further cooling of the Black Sea’s waters mark the beginning of the best time of the year to eat the little suckers.
In honor of the impending arrival of hamsi season, here’s a link to a New York Times article from last year (written by Istanbul Eats’ Yigal Schleifer) about a few good places in town to try the fish in various guises.
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Post Tags: Black Sea cuisine, fish, hamsi, Istanbul Eats, Istanbul restaurants, seafood, specialty foods
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Oct 4, 2010
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I would like to add to this list the hamsi served at Boncuk Meyhanesi on Asmali Mescit Caddesi. There, they open the hamsi and remove the bones before frying the fish. I know some people like the bones, but not me :0
Mar 19, 2011
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Since my family is from Black Sea region, I must put something here about hamsi 🙂 To me the best way to cook it with cornmeal. You remove the bones, open it like a butterfly by using your fingers then stick two of them together. Dip it in a cornmeal and fry with corn oil (special hamsi pan is preferred). To me this is the best way eating hamsi. I believe you can find this method only at Black Sea region restaurants and that is if they serve hamsi.