Just because we show you how to survive in the wild, does`nt mean that we don`t like to eat delicious food too! Over the next few weeks we are going to share some T-A-S-T-Y recipes with you, from catching the dinner to preparing it into a delicacy ... bon apetite!

Carp - fit for a king!

A fine fish recipe by Piet Herselman

No muddy taste ... and no fish bones

“Most people see carp as an inferior fish, because of its many bones and muddy taste. This is only true if you do not know how to prepare it. If you prepare it correctly, you can change it into a meal fit for a king. I use the young fish of about two to three kilos. Rather put the big ones back into the water.”

You will need the following ingredients:

• 2 to 3 kg fresh fish
• Coarse salt
• About 1 teaspoon white pepper
• Approximately 2 cups maize meal
• Enough cooking oil

Method

• Clean the fish by removing the scales, intestines and head.
• Use a sharp knife to cut along the back (stopping at the backbone) from tail to head. Cut grooves into the fish up to the backbone, about 5mm apart. You will feel the small bones breaking along the backbone.

Step 1

Fill the grooves with coarse salt and leave in a container for 40 minutes. Rinse the fish in clean water until all the remaining salt has been removed and hang the fish in the shade until air-dried.

Step 2

Cut into 20mm pieces and coat with flour and pepper until all the grooves have been well covered. A plastic bag works well. Fry the pieces in deep hot oil – the oil must be very hot but not smoking – for about 10 minutes or until the pieces look dry on the outside.