Mojarra Frita con Frijoles y Arroz Verde (Fried Whole Fish Plate)
A whole crisp-skinned fish with chilli and lime, served the beach-restaurant way with refried beans, green rice and pickled onion.
Made with Pickled red onions (cebollas encurtidas) and Refried beans (frijoles refritos) and Cilantro lime rice. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time45 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.52 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Pat the fish dry inside and out. Make three diagonal slashes through the skin on each side down to the bone. Rub the crushed garlic and lime juice into the slashes and cavity and leave for 10 minutes.
10 min - 2
Warm your ready made cilantro lime rice (see the base recipe) and your ready made refried beans (see the base recipe) in separate covered pans with a splash of water until steaming hot all the way through. Keep warm.
- 3
Mix the cornflour, ancho chilli and salt on a plate. Dust each fish all over, shaking off the excess.
- 4
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the fish two at a time for 5 to 6 minutes each side, until the skin is golden and crisp and the flesh near the bone is opaque and flakes easily. Drain on kitchen paper.
12 min - 5
Serve each fish on a plate with a mound of rice, a scoop of beans and some lettuce. Top the fish with the pickled red onions.
- 6
Serve with lime wedges and eat straight away. Take care of small bones when eating.
Tips
- Slash the fish deeply and dry it well. Both help the skin crisp and the heat reach the thickest part.
- Fry in a pan large enough that the fish do not touch. If needed, cook in two batches and keep the first batch warm in a low oven.
- Check doneness at the thickest part near the head. The flesh should be opaque and pull easily from the bone.
- In Mexico, tilapia (mojarra) is typical. Sea bream, sea bass or small whole trout are good UK swaps.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten fresh. Cooked fish keeps in the fridge for 1 day, and is better eaten cold in a salad than reheated. Cool within 1 hour. Rice must be cooled quickly and reheated only once.
Questions
Can I bake the fish instead of frying?
Yes. Slash and season as above, dust with the cornflour mixture, drizzle with oil and roast at 220 degrees C for 20 to 25 minutes until the flesh flakes. The skin will be less crisp than when fried.
What fish can I use instead of mojarra?
Whole sea bream, sea bass, tilapia or small trout. Any fish that is 300 to 400 g works, but adjust the cooking time by a minute or two.
Is this gluten free?
Yes, the coating uses cornflour, not wheat flour. Check that your rice and onions are gluten free as in their base recipes. The dish has no dairy, egg or nuts.
More made with pickled red onions (cebollas encurtidas)
Ramen de Birria (Birria Ramen)
DFEFNFSticky Laksa Chicken Wings
DFEFNFArroz con Camarones al Guajillo (Guajillo Prawn Rice)
DFEFNFArroz con Carne Molida y Frijoles Negros (One-Pan Mexican Beef and Rice)
DFEFNFSee every dish made with pickled red onions (cebollas encurtidas)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
