Trabzon's official recipe for Alabalık Tava coats trout in cornmeal, pan-fries it and finishes it with lemon butter. This home version uses small farmed rainbow trout and measured frying fat, keeping that simple combination at the centre.
Alabalık Tava — Recipe Card
Cornmeal-crusted whole trout with lemon butter
Makes 2 servings · Makes 2 whole-fish portions, one small trout each. Allow about 35 minutes when frying the fish one at a time. The cleaned total weight includes heads and bones.US cup = 240 ml · tablespoon = 15 ml · teaspoon = 5 ml. Cup and weight conversions are approximate. Australian cooks: use a 15 ml measuring tablespoon.
Ingredient quantities and servings are scaled. Cooking times, pan sizes, frying oil depth, and temperatures stay the same; cook larger batches as needed.
Ingredients
How to make Alabalık Tava
Dry the trout
Use 2 cleaned whole trout of about 300 g / 10.6 oz each. Pat the skin and cavities thoroughly dry with kitchen paper. Keep the heads and tails attached. Set out a wide, heavy skillet and a warm serving platter.
Coat lightly
Season the fish inside and out with the salt. Spread the cornmeal on a large plate, turn each fish in it and shake off any loose excess. Aim for a thin, even dusting. Discard any coating left on the plate after contact with raw fish.
Fry the first fish
Heat 15 ml / 1 tablespoon sunflower oil and 7 g / ½ tablespoon butter over medium heat. When the butter foams, lower in the first trout. Cook for 4–5 minutes without repeatedly moving it, then turn carefully and cook the second side for 4–5 minutes. Check that the thickest flesh reaches at least 63°C / 145°F, away from the bone, and is opaque and flakes readily. Continue gently if needed; reduce the heat if the crust colours before the centre is cooked.
Cook the second trout
Transfer the cooked fish to the warm platter, uncovered. Carefully remove any dark loose crumbs from the pan. Add the remaining 15 ml / 1 tablespoon oil and another 7 g / ½ tablespoon butter. Cook the second trout in the same way and check it reaches 63°C / 145°F.
Make the lemon butter
Gently melt the remaining 28 g / 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat, let the bubbling subside, then slowly stir in the 30 ml / 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.
Serve straight away
Spoon the lemon butter over the trout just before serving. Give each person one fish. Lift the flesh from the backbone and check carefully for small bones while eating. A fresh tomato and cucumber salad works well alongside.
Bring this recipe to your kitchen with a printable copy.
Print recipeRecipe from MyTurkishRecipes · https://myturkishrecipes.com/turkish-pan-fried-trout-alabalik-tava. Quantities reflect your selected serving scale. Cooking times are estimates; follow the doneness cues.
A few helpful kitchen notes
Dietary notes
Use gluten-free-labelled pure cornmeal for this gluten-free recipe. Contains fish (trout) and milk (butter). Check any optional pepper flakes and accompanying sauces for gluten.
Heat level
No added chili. For a hotter variation, stir 1 g / ½ teaspoon gluten-free-labelled hot pul biber into the finished lemon butter off the heat.
Fish size and pan heat
The timing is for small whole trout. They should lie flat in the skillet. Keep a steady medium heat and use the internal temperature to judge doneness; larger fish will need longer.
How to store and reheat Alabalık Tava
The crust is best freshly cooked. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is above 32°C / 90°F. Keep at 4°C / 40°F or below and use within 2 days. Reheat the portion needed in a preheated 180°C / 350°F oven until steaming hot throughout and reaching 74°C / 165°F. The coating will soften during storage.
Alabalık Tava: questions and answers
Which cornmeal should I use?
Choose finely ground pure maize meal labelled gluten-free. Cornstarch is a different product, and coarse grits will not give the same light, even coating.
Can I use frozen trout?
Yes. Thaw completely, covered, in the refrigerator at 4°C / 40°F or below. Drain and pat very dry before coating. Use two similarly sized whole fish with a cleaned total weight of about 600 g / 21.2 oz.
Why does the crust come away when I turn the fish?
Wet skin, a crowded pan or moving the fish before a crust forms can loosen the coating. Dry well, use a thin dusting and wait until the first side is golden before supporting the fish with two wide spatulas.
