Türkiye
Photo: Jschop, CC BY-SA 3.0, croppedHamsi tava
/hamˈsi taˈva/hahm-SEE tah-VAH
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- Taste
- Savory
- Made with
- FishCorn
History
Hamsi are Black Sea anchovies, and hamsi tava is the simplest way to eat them: the small fish are dusted in cornmeal, arranged in a circle in a pan and fried until crisp, then eaten whole with lemon, onion and cornbread. The anchovy season in winter, from about November to February, is a big event on the Black Sea coast, around Trabzon, Rize and Samsun, and locals say the fish is best when the weather is coldest. There are folk songs, jokes and dozens of recipes about hamsi, including hamsili pilav, rice baked in a casing of anchovies, and even sweet hamsi desserts. It is part of the identity of the region.
Sources
