Hamsi Tava is Turkish-style fried anchovies: small fresh fish coated in cornmeal and pan-fried until golden and crispy. They are a winter staple along the Black Sea coast, where hamsi season starts as the weather turns cold.
I coat the fish in seasoned cornmeal, fry them in a single layer, and serve them hot with lemon wedges and a fresh green salad. The outside is crisp, and the inside stays tender and juicy.
This recipe shows how to clean the fish, get a light and even coating, and flip them without breaking.
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Hamsi Tava is a budget-friendly dish made with 4 ingredients in about 25 minutes. I like to serve it as part of a family meal with Cucumber Tomato Feta Cheese Salad, crusty bread, and plenty of lemon wedges. If you enjoy fish with a crispy coating, these little anchovies are well worth making at home.
Anchovies in Turkish Cuisine
Anchovies are a big part of Turkish cooking, especially in the Black Sea region. Hamsi season runs from late autumn through winter, and the fish are at their fattest and tastiest between November and February.
Many people along the coast say the best hamsi arrive after the first snowfall. When the season starts, markets fill with fresh fish, and families prepare them in many forms: grilled, baked, stewed, or mixed into rice. Pan-frying is the most popular way of all.
These little fish are also good for you. They are rich in omega-3s, protein, and important nutrients that help keep the body strong and energized.
How to Clean Fresh Anchovies
If you’ve bought fresh hamsi and couldn’t get them cleaned by your fishmonger, the process is actually quite simple.
Gently squeeze the head of the anchovy and pull it downward to remove it. Insert your finger where the head was and run it along the body toward the tail, removing the insides.
Once the main cavity is cleared, press lightly with your finger and slide it from the body to the tail again to remove any remaining blood.
If you want to remove the bone, gently pull the central bone from the body toward the tail until it separates from the fish. If you coat the anchovies in cornmeal or flour before removing the bone, it will be easier to do so.
Otherwise, with fresh anchovies, some of the meat may stick to the bone as you remove it.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, the complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Fresh anchovies (hamsi) - Buy them as fresh as possible from the fish market. Ask your fishmonger to clean and gut them, or do it yourself following the steps in the "How to Clean Fresh Anchovies" section above. Tinned or jarred anchovies won’t work. The tiny bones can stay in, as they crisp up when fried, but you can remove them if you prefer.
- Cornmeal - A coarse flour made from dried corn; medium-coarse works best here, and most large supermarkets carry it. Plain flour is a fine substitute, but do not use cornflour or cornstarch, as it is too fine and powdery for coating.
- Salt and black pepper - Simple seasonings to enhance the flavor of fresh anchovies and add a slight spiciness.
- Sunflower oil - You can also use vegetable oil or rapeseed oil for frying hamsi.
How to Make Hamsi Tava?
Remove the heads and clean the insides of the anchovies if they haven’t been prepped already. You can read detailed instructions above under the section "How to Clean Fresh Anchovies".
Rinse them under cold water and let them drain in a colander for a few minutes. Then pat them dry with paper towels, as dry fish crisp up much better in the pan.
In a shallow dish, mix the cornmeal, salt, and black pepper. Lightly coat each fish, shaking off any excess. The goal is a thin, even layer that crisps up perfectly when fried.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. To check if the oil is ready, drop a pinch of cornmeal into the pan; it should sizzle right away.
Arrange the anchovies in a circular pattern, making sure they are tightly touching each other.
Fry for about 3-4 minutes on one side, then carefully flip using a lid or another pan and cook for another 3 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Transfer the fried anchovies to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve immediately with some Greek Bread - Horiatiko Psomi and a bowl of fresh Lebanese Cabbage Salad - Malfouf.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Use the freshest fish you can find. Fresh anchovies have a firm texture, bright eyes, and a mild scent, so avoid any with a strong fishy smell.
- Pat the fish dry with paper towels before coating. Dry fish hold the cornmeal better and fry up with an even, crispy crust.
- Check the oil before adding the fish. Drop a pinch of cornmeal into the pan, and if it sizzles right away, the oil is ready.
- Arrange the fish close together in the pan, but do not let them overlap, so they cook evenly and hold their shape when flipped.
- Sunflower oil is my choice for frying, but any neutral oil with a high smoke point works well.
How to Serve Hamsi Tava
Hamsi Tava pairs well with a variety of side dishes. In Turkey, it is almost always served with sliced onions, fresh parsley, and lemon wedges, along with:
Sumac Onions - Thin slices of red onion with sumac and parsley, the classic partner for fried hamsi.
Çoban Salatası - A fresh Turkish shepherd's salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and parsley.
Greek Lettuce Salad (Maroulosalata) - A simple and refreshing lettuce salad with a light herb dressing.
Pickled Cucumbers - Tursu - Adds a tangy contrast to the crispy fish.
Mexican Cornbread - Not the traditional Black Sea mısır ekmeği, but a close stand-in that goes well with fried fish. You can also enjoy Hamsi Tava with a few slices of crusty bread.
Alternative Cooking Methods
While pan-frying is the traditional method, there are other ways to prepare Hamsi Tava.
Baked Hamsi Tava
If you want a lighter version, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the cornmeal-coated anchovies on a lined baking sheet, drizzle them with a little oil, and bake them for 15-18 minutes until crispy.
Air-Fried Hamsi Tava
You can use an air fryer to reduce the amount of oil while still achieving a crispy texture. Brush the basket lightly with oil or line it with perforated baking paper first, so the fish do not stick. Arrange the coated anchovies in a single layer and air fry at 375°F (190°C) for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Butterflied Hamsi Tava
For a version that is easier to flip and eat, remove the central bones and press two butterflied anchovies together, flesh sides facing.
You can also stuff the pairs with a little grated onion, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley before pressing them together; my mom used to make them this way for us.
Coat the pairs in cornmeal and fry them as usual. They hold together well in the pan, and they look great on a serving plate.
Storage and Make Ahead
Hamsi Tava is best eaten fresh from the pan, while the coating is still crisp. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheat them in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes to bring back the crunch, and avoid the microwave, as it makes the fish soft instead of crisp.
To get ahead, you can clean and gut the anchovies a day in advance and keep them covered in the fridge, but coat them with cornmeal just before frying, as the coating turns gummy if it sits.
Recipe FAQs
Hamsi is the Turkish name for the European anchovy, a small silvery fish caught in the Black Sea. It is the most popular fish in Turkey, and it is at its best between November and February.
No, the tiny bones are safe to eat and crisp up in the hot oil, so most people leave them in. If you prefer boneless fish, gently pull the central bone out toward the tail after removing the head.
Plain flour works, though cornmeal gives the crispiest crust. Do not use cornflour or cornstarch, as it is too fine and powdery for coating.
Yes, but they should be fully thawed and patted dry before coating them with cornmeal.
Related Recipes
For more delicious and healthy fish recipes, why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making these delicious Turkish Fried Anchovies (Hamsi Tava) as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂
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Fried Anchovies - Hamsi Tava
Ingredients
- 1 lbs cleaned and gutted fresh anchovies (hamsi) (450 g)
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup vegetable, rapeseed or sunflower oil for frying
- lemon wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- Remove the heads and clean the insides of anchovies if they haven’t been prepped already.
- Rinse them under cold water and let them drain in a colander for a few minutes, then pat them dry with paper towels.
- In a shallow dish, mix the cornmeal, salt, and black pepper. Lightly coat each fish, shaking off any excess. The goal is a thin, even layer that crisps up perfectly when fried.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot (a pinch of cornmeal should sizzle right away), arrange the anchovies in a circular pattern, making sure they are tightly touching each other.
- Fry for about 3-4 minutes on one side, then carefully flip using a lid or another pan, and cook for another 3 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Transfer the fried anchovies to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve immediately with crusty bread, lemon wedges and fresh greens.
Notes
- Use the freshest fish you can find; fresh anchovies have a firm texture, bright eyes, and a mild scent.
- Tinned or jarred anchovies won’t work for this recipe; only fresh or fully thawed frozen hamsi.
- Pat the fish dry with paper towels before coating so the cornmeal sticks and fries up crispy.
- Use medium-coarse cornmeal, not cornflour or cornstarch; plain flour works as a substitute.
- Check the oil by dropping in a pinch of cornmeal; if it sizzles right away, it is ready.
- Arrange the fish close together in a circular pattern without overlapping, and flip them with a lid or a plate.
- The tiny bones are safe to eat and crisp up in the hot oil, so there is no need to remove them.
- Serve immediately with lemon wedges, sliced onions, and a fresh green salad.
- Storage: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, and reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes.
- Make ahead: clean and gut the fish a day in advance and keep them covered in the fridge, but coat them just before frying.
Ian Roberts says
Thanks for the recipe! They tasted delicious with a bowl of green salad and bread on the side.
Ayla Clulee says
Thank you for trying the recipe, Ian! It is a favorite in our household too.