Fried Anchovies with Dried Peanuts
Ingredients
peanut oil for deep frying
90 g/3 oz/1 cup dried small anchovies (ikan bilis)
150 g/5 oz/1 cup raw peanuts
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
Directions
Heat oil in a wok and fry anchovies over medium heat until pale brown. Remember they will continue to darken even after being removed from the heat. Lift out on a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Fry the peanuts in the oil until golden brown, lift out and drain. Mix sugar, salt and chilli powder and sprinkle over the combined fish and peanuts, tossing well.
Cool and serve.
If not serving straight away, cool and store airtight for a day or two.
Recipe excerpted from Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon (Periplus Editions, 1998)