Tiny whole fish, no longer than a matchstick, frozen loose so they stay separate and cook in under a minute.

What It Is

Whole whitebait with head and tail left on, gutted and rinsed, carrying bones soft enough to eat. Each fish is translucent silver and graded so the size stays even across the box, which matters when they all hit the oil at once.

Where It Comes From

Net caught in shallow coastal water at the turn of the tide, rinsed in chilled seawater and frozen loose on trays the same day. Freezing them loose rather than in a block is the only way they stay usable: you take what you need and put the rest back.

Specifications

State on Arrival

Frozen as separate pieces, not one solid block. The fish feel dry, look silver and are unbroken; there should be no crushed tails, no grey patches and no clumping in the bag.

Storage and Thawing

Hold at -18 C or colder. Thaw in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours, tip them into a sieve, then press gently with paper towel until they are dry to the touch. Wet whitebait will not crisp, no matter how hot the oil. Do not refreeze.

Shelf Life and Delivery

Best within 8 months of the production date on the box. Ships in an insulated liner with dry ice and arrives hard frozen; keep the bag closed in the freezer and take out only what you are cooking.

How to Cook It

They cook faster than the seasoning can settle, so have the plate ready before the pan goes on.

• Deep-fry toss the dry fish in a thin dusting of cornflour and fry at 180 C for 60 to 90 seconds until pale gold, then salt them the second they come out.
• Stir-fry flash them through a very hot wok with garlic, ginger and sliced chilli for 45 seconds and no longer.
• Soup drop them into simmering stock at the last moment and take the pot off the heat after 30 seconds.
• Salt and pepper dust with cornflour, fry, then toss with ground white pepper, salt and a little five-spice.

Allergen Information

Contains fish. Packed in a facility that also handles crustaceans and molluscs.