Serves 6
Jalea is simple and delicious. To make it you can use fish, seafood, or both. The contrasting textures of the crispy plantains and the tender fish and seafood is one of the things I enjoy the most about this dish, as well as the citrusy and spicy sauces that complement them.
10 ounces fish fillets
10 ounces squid cut in rings
10 ounces shrimp, cleaned
Salt and pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour or rice flour
1 ½ cups vegetable oil, divided
2 green plantains, peeled and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 onion, finely sliced
1 tablespoon cilantro leaves, chopped
⅓ cup red or orange bell pepper, cut in thin slices
6 limes, divided
½ cup ají amarillo paste
2 scallions, chopped
Juice of ½ lemon
Mayonnaise
1. Cut the fish in 1½ x 1½–inch squares. Season fish and seafood with salt and pepper, and dredge in the flour.
2. Put in a colander and shake the excess flour.
3. Heat 1 cup vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the seafood in batches and cook until golden. Transfer to a plate covered with paper towels.
4. Heat ½ cup vegetable oil in another saucepan, until very hot. Fry the plantain slices until they turn a lightly golden color.
5. To make the onion salsa: Combine the garlic, onion, cilantro, bell pepper, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add the juice of 2 limes.
6. To make the ají amarillo sauce: Combine the ají amarillo paste, scallions, and juice of ½ lemon in a bowl, and season with salt.
7. Combine the seafood with fried plantains in a dish, and serve accompanied with the onion sauce, mayonnaise, ají amarillo sauce, and lime slices.
Jalea can be served as an entrée or as a shared appetizer, always accompanied by several sauces, thin yucca chips, and cancha (Andean popcorn, p. 25). Tartar sauce, mayonnaise, ají amarillo sauce, and rocoto sauce are just a few of the options you can offer.