The trick is simple: dry the fish properly, season it well, then coat it lightly before frying.

What You’ll Need

For the fish:

-Panla fish

-Smoked paprika

-Cayenne pepper

-Fish seasoning

-1 seasoning cube

-A little salt

For the coating:

-Plain flour

-Smoked paprika

-Cayenne pepper

-Oil for frying

1️⃣ Clean and dry the fish

Clean the panla properly and remove any excess moisture.

Pat each piece thoroughly with paper towel.

Don’t skip this step. Wet fish + hot oil is a messy combination, and the coating won’t stick as well.

2️⃣ Season the fish

Add smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, fish seasoning, seasoning cube and a little salt.

Gently rub the seasoning all over the fish.

Leave it to marinate for about 15-30 minutes so the flavours can soak in.

3️⃣ Prepare the coating

In a bowl, add your flour.

Mix in some smoked paprika and cayenne pepper.

This gives the coating extra flavour and a beautiful colour when fried.

4️⃣ Coat the fish

Take each piece of marinated panla and lightly coat it in the seasoned flour.

Shake off the excess flour.

You want a light, even coating, not a thick layer of flour.

5️⃣ Fry until crispy

Heat enough oil in a pan over medium-high heat.

Carefully place the fish into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy.

Don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry in batches if necessary so the fish cooks properly and the coating stays crispy.

Remove and place on a rack or paper towel to drain the excess oil.

The result?

Crispy, spicy, smoky panla fish that works beautifully with:

-White rice and stew 

-Jollof rice

-Salad

-Fried or boiled plantain

-Pepper sauce

-cold soaked garri and ground nut

And honestly, you can eat this fish by itself and still be very happy. 😂

Would you fry your panla this way, or do you have another method that makes it even crispier?