Something’s Fishy: Pan Fried-Flounder

When people hear “Flounder”, they would probably start thinking of the cute and loyal fish from The Little Mermaid. A Flounder is not just a fictional character. It’s a real fish you can find in the ocean! And people seem to enjoy eating it, especially when it’s Pan-Fried Flounder!

What’s A Flounder?

Flounders are what you call species of flatfishes. These fishes are easy to identify given their flat appearance. They can be found at the bottom of the oceans. Flounders usually belong to the following families:

Under these families, there are hundreds and hundreds of species of Flounders. However, there are some species that are more well-known to human beings. These include the following species:

• European Flounder
• Gulf Flounder
• Halibut
• Olive Flounder
• Southern Flounder
• Summer Flounder
• Winter Flounder
• Witch Flounder

Over the years, the population of some Flounder species has been declining. There are a lot of factors affecting their decline. There’s commercial fishing, overfishing, and so much more.

Depending on where you are from, some people have their favorite ways of eating and consuming Flounders. In Japan, Olive Flounders are served in sushi restaurants. Some prefer their Flounders well done. And that’s where Pan-Fried Flounders come in.

Is A Flounder Safe To Eat?

Before eating anything, we always have to know if they are safe to consume or not. And in the case of Flounders, they are perfectly okay to eat. But as with most things you eat, you have to do it in moderation. If you want to stay healthy, you have to eat a well-balanced meal, and that includes not overindulging in Pan-Fried Flounders!

Why Eat A Flounder?

You can get a lot of healthy benefits from eating a Flounder. If you are thinking of what fish to incorporate in your diet, consider adding Flounders to the mix. There are various ways to cook a Flounder, including pan-frying it to perfection!

Rich In Protein

Flounders are a great source of protein. One raw Flounder fillet has about 30.71 grams of protein. If you eat this, it meets over half the protein required by your body. You just need to find another protein source and you are good to go!

Low In Fat

Too much fat in your diet is not a good thing. If you have some coronary-related diseases, it’s a major no-no. And if you want to decrease the risk of developing heart problems in the future, you should limit your fat intake.

With Flounders, fat is not a problem. It’s because this kind of fish does not contain a lot of fat. Its fat density is low, so cholesterol levels are too.

Good Source Of Vitamins And Minerals

You can find various kinds of vitamins and minerals in Flounders. You can get a lot of these three from eating Flounders:

• Vitamin B
• Magnesium
• Phosphorus

These are important in producing hemoglobin, producing energy, and keeping teeth and bones healthy and strong.

How To Buy A Flounder?

If you want these health benefits and more, then you need to cook Flounders as soon as possible. But before you can do that, you need to know how to buy one. Yes, you can also get Flounders from restaurants. However, if you want to cook it at home, you need to know how to select the best ones at the fish section of the supermarket!

You can usually find whole Flounders for sale. If not, then they are usually in fillet form. If you are planning on cooking Pan-Fried Flounder, you can get either of these two or both! It’s all up to you! Flounders are usually sold with the skin off. If the skin is still on, it’s totally fine. It’s still safe to eat.

If you are buying Flounders, make sure it’s fresh. If the fish is no longer fresh, you can see and smell it. If Flounder has an odd smell, you might want to skip that. If you are getting a whole Flounder and its skin, gills, fins, and eyes seem odd, then you are better off choosing another one.

There are some establishments selling Frozen Flounders. These are usually “ready to cook” ones. If you opt for this, it’s perfect for pan-frying. Make sure you check the “best before” seal.

How To Cook Pan Fried Flounder?

Pan-frying a Flounder does not take a lot of time and energy. You don’t even have to be an expert in the kitchen to cook the tastiest and crispiest Pan-fried Flounder around.

Whole Pan-fried Flounder

One of the simplest ways of preparing a Flounder is to season it with salt and other seasoning and fry it in your favorite frying pan. If you have a whole Flounder fish, it would be perfect for this. It’s a no-frills approach to pan-frying this fish. It’s fast, easy, and convenient. If you don’t have a lot of time to spare, then this is a good alternative.

Crispy Chinese Style Pan-Fried Flounder

If you have been to Chinese restaurants, you have probably seen them serve Crispy Fried Flounder. If you are craving it, you don’t have to drive to the nearest Chinese place to order this. You can now prepare this yourself.

Start with washing the Flounder in cold water. After that, pat it dry with some paper towels. The next step involves rubbing salt, pepper, and Shaoxing wine all over the fish. Cover the Flounder with some cornstarch.

Now it’s time to start the pan-frying process. Place your large frying pan over high heat. Wait for the pan to get hot. If you see smoke coming out of it, it means it’s ready to go. You can then add your cooking oil.

Once the oil heats up, reduce the heat to medium. Place the fish in the middle of the pan and cook each side well. Observe the fish and check if the insides are cooked. Make sure that the oil covers all sides of the fish. You want the Flounder to be crispy and well-fried.

Before serving, you need to make the sauce. You would be using the same pan to prepare the sauce. Before starting, remove the oil from the pan. While the pan heats up again, get a couple of spoonfuls of used oil.

When the pan is super hot, pour the sauce mixture. The sauce is made of hot water, soy sauce, sugar, and Shaoxing wine. You would know the sauce is done when it starts boiling. Remove it from the pan and drizzle all over the Pan-fried Flounder. You can garnish it with cilantro and scallions if you want.

Fish And Chips: Flounder Edition

If you are thinking of treating yourself to some Fish and Chips, then you should try making this yourself. You don’t have to go to England to get a taste of this yummy meal!

Start with dashing the fish with some lemon juice. While the fish is absorbing the juices, prepare the potatoes for the chips. If you have your own way of preparing the chips, then go ahead and do that.

In a bowl, mix the following ingredients:

• Beer
• Flour
• Paprika
• Pepper
• Salt

These are for your batter. Whisk the ingredients together until the batter looks smooth. Before dipping the Flounder fillets, cover them in flour. Once done, cover the fillets in the batter and prepare for frying.

In a pan, add your cooking oil and wait for it to reach 375°F. When the oil is ready, start pan-frying the Flounder fillets. It would take about 3 to 4 minutes to fry these, but it also depends on how big they are. It also depends on how crispy and golden you want them to be.

When both fish and chips are ready, serve them with your favorite mug of beer! It would surely be a fulfilling fried food experience that you would remember!

Apart from pan-frying these Flounder fillets for your Fish and Chips, you can do some other things to elevate it. There are some sauces that you prepare to pair with the pan-fried Flounder.

One of the best sauces that you can make is Lemon-Butter sauce. Can you imagine the combination of the tanginess of the lemon, the richness of the butter, and the fresh, crispy texture of the Flounder? Now that sounds like a heavenly combination! There are a lot of Lemon-Butter recipes that you can find online. Whatever you decide to follow would work with the Pan-Fried Flounder fillets.

If you want something sweet, sharp, and creamy, then you can also go with Tartar Sauce. You can dip or drizzle it all over the Pan-fried Flounder. You can get store-bought Tartar sauce. But if you feel like making one, go right ahead!

Enjoy Your Pan-Fried Flounder

If you want something healthy and tasty at the same time, there’s no better option than a Pan-Fried Flounder. While it might sound like a simple meal, it’s full of flavor and nutrients. Consider that a win-win on the diet front!