Kibbeling
Photo: Superbass · CC BY-SA 4.0

History

Kibbeling started as the fishmonger's way to sell offcuts: small pieces of cod or whiting that wouldn't sell as fillets, battered and fried fast. By the 1990s the snack had moved off the harbour and into Amsterdam street markets, with Volendammer Vishandel at Albert Cuyp setting the template. The batter is enriched with paprika, nutmeg or curry powder; the garlic mayonnaise is the universal accompaniment.

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Common allergens: Fish, Gluten, Egg

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 25 minTotal 35 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 600g skinless cod loin, cut into 3cm cubes
  • 150g plain flour
  • 30g cornflour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp curry powder
  • 1 large egg
  • 200ml very cold sparkling water
  • 1L sunflower oil for deep-frying
  • Sea salt, lemon wedges
  • For the sauce: 150ml mayonnaise
  • 1 small garlic clove crushed
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley

Method

  1. Pat the cod cubes very dry and season lightly with salt.
  2. Whisk the flour, cornflour, baking powder, paprika, nutmeg and curry powder in a bowl. Add the egg and sparkling water, whisk to a thick pancake-batter consistency.
  3. Heat the oil to 180 degrees Celsius in a deep heavy pan.
  4. Drop the cod cubes into the batter, lift out one at a time with a fork, letting the excess drip back.
  5. Fry the kibbeling in three batches for 3 to 4 minutes each, until the batter is deep golden and the fish flakes when prodded.
  6. Drain on paper, sprinkle with sea salt while hot.
  7. Stir the sauce ingredients together; serve the kibbeling in paper cones with the sauce on the side and a lemon wedge.

Tip from the editors. Use sparkling water from a freshly opened bottle and keep the batter ice-cold; this gives the kibbeling its distinctive light crisp shell. Pollock or haddock substitute for cod.

Where to eat kibbeling

Kibbeling in Amsterdam

Volendammer Vishandel ★ 4.3

€ Street food

Volendammer Vishandel on Albert Cuypstraat sells Amsterdam kibbeling fresh from the fryer, battered cod chunks with garlic mayonnaise, the way the markets.

TryKibbeling with garlic sauce

Directions

Frens Haringhandel ★ 4.6

€ Street food

Frens on Koningsplein near the Bloemenmarkt is the Amsterdam herring stand locals queue at, raw soused herring with onion and pickles, served the proper way.

TryHollandse Nieuwe haring

Directions

Stubbe's Haring ★ 4.4

€ Street food

Stubbe's at the Haarlemmersluis bridge on the Singel near Centraal is the Amsterdam herring stand that ranks alongside Frens, family-run for more.

TryHollandse Nieuwe haring

Directions

All Amsterdam signature dishes →

Kibbeling in Rotterdam

Markthal Rotterdam ★ 4.8

€ MarketDutch cheese, Fresh fish, International street food, Artisan produceCentrum

Europe's first indoor food market hall with a 40m-high arched ceiling and a giant food mural. Located in Centrum. At Dominee Jan Scharpstraat 298.

Directions

Binnenrotte Market ★ 4.5

€ MarketFresh produce, Flowers, Dutch street food, Clothing and householdCentrum

Rotterdam's largest open-air market fills the Blaak square twice weekly with fresh produce, flowers, fish, Dutch street food. Located in Centrum.

Directions

All Rotterdam signature dishes →

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