Last Updated on June 27, 2024 by Chef Mireille
Enjoy these scrumptious bites of Fried Shark seasoned to perfection and fried to golden brown goodness and be transported on a culinary adventure to the Caribbean. Although popular throughout the Caribbean as bar food and street food, Trinidad has made this one of the most popular of all their street foods due to the legendary Bake and Shark sandwich.
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The sandwich is legendary, especially if you go to Richard’s Bake and Shark on Maracas Beach in Trinidad, which you can read all about my visit here. Perfectly fried fish in between two pieces of bara and loaded up with condiments like tamarind sauce, chandon beni sauce, chutneys, achar and vegetables.
However, today my focus is just going to be on the fried shark bites, which make a great appetizer. Popular street food, rum shop snack and at family parties throughout the Caribbean, this is a delicious street food recipe that can easily be made at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I purchase shark meat?
Although shark meat is not common in most American supermarkets, it is still easily available in neighborhoods with large Caribbean populations. Any fish market in these high density Caribbean neighborhoods will sell shark.
What cut of shark should I purchase?
You can purchase shark steak or shark fillet. Ask the fish monger to skin the shark for you. If you purchase the steak, you will have to cut the meat off of the bone.
Can I substitute another fish instead of using shark?
Shark is a lean white meat fish. The best substitute is swordfish.
Is shark endangered?
In some countries in Asia (fished for the shark fin) and the Caribbean due to overfishing, some varieties of shark may be at risk of being endangered. Sharks also do not reproduce at the same rate as other fish, so they can easily become at risk. However, here in America, the variety of shark sold, usually the black tip shark is not at risk because shark is not consumed with high frequency in the United States.
Recipe Notes
- Scotch Bonnet is the most common hot pepper used in the Caribbean. It is very closely related to the habanero chili pepper, which can be substituted. In Guyanese cooking, wiri wiri is more commonly utilized.
- Green Seasoning is a flavorful mix of spice and herbs used as an all purpose marinade in Caribbean cooking. There are several versions made throughout the Caribbean like Puerto Rican Sofrito and Haitian Epis. I’ve linked up my recipe for Green Seasoning, however you can also find bottled versions sold at Caribbean markets.
Ingredients
- Shark fish
- Green seasoning
- Onions
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Scotch pepper ( In Guyana, wiri wiri peppers are used instead)
- Handful of parsley
- All purpose flour
- roasted cumin powder (roasted jeera)
- Curry powder
- Salt
- Vegetable oil or any other neutral flavored oil
- Lime, for serving
How to Fry Shark
- Combine the marinade ingredients in a food processor to make a paste.
- In a large bowl, toss the fish with the marinade. Leave for at least 1 hour.
- Season the flour with the roasted cumin, curry powder and salt.
- Toss the marinated fish into the flour.
- Fry fish in hot oil until golden brown on all sides.
- Enjoy with the lime juice from fresh lime wedges and pepper sauce, along with chutneys of your choice!
This quick and easy treat is the perfect appetizer or snack for any occasion. You can also enjoy it with some rice and peas and a green salad and make it into a complete meal!
Accompaniments
There are many accompaniments you can serve your fried shark with. Here are a few of the most popular:
- Tamarind Sauce
- Chadon Beni Sauce
- Mango Chutney
- Pepper Sauce (what hot sauce is called in the Caribbean)
- Fresh lime wedges
Other Caribbean Street Foods
Enjoy one of the classic street foods of the Caribbean!
Caribbean Fried Shark Recipe
Ingredients
Marinade Ingredients:
- 1 lb. Shark fish
- ¼ cup Green seasoning
- 1 Onions
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1 ” Ginger
- 2 Scotch Bonnet peppers
- Handful of parsley
Frying Ingredients:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder roasted jeera
- ½ teaspoon Curry powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- Oil for frying
- lime for serving
Instructions
- Cut the shark into bite sized pieces
- In a food processor, combine green seasoning, onion, garlic, ginger, scotch bonnet peppers and parsley until you have a loose paste.
- In a bowl, combine the shark bites with the marinade from the food processor.
- Toss well so that the fish is well coated with the marinade.
- Leave to marinate for at least 1 hour, but overnight is best.
- In a shallow plate or bowl, combine the flour with the roasted cumin powder, curry powder and salt.
- Heat a large pot with enough oil for deep frying.
- Remove the fish bites from the marinade and place into the seasoned flour.
- Toss well so that each piece is coated well on all sides with the flour.
- Remove the fish pieces one at a time from the flour, shaking off the excess.
- Drop into the hot oil and fry about 3-5 minutes, tossing as needed until all sides are golden brown.
- Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
- Serve with lime juice and hot sauce.
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