Pan-Fried Carp | Beysehir-Style Scored Carp

Rinse the carp slices twice in cold water and completely remove the dark membrane from the belly cavity. Place the slices in a bowl and rub them with lemon juice. Lemon helps mask the earthy smell sometimes found in lake fish.

Using a sharp, thin knife, make parallel cuts on both sides of each slice, from the backbone toward the belly, spaced 3 mm apart. Cut through the skin and about 5 mm into the flesh, but do not cut down to the backbone. Make another row of cuts in the opposite direction on each side to create a diamond pattern. Hold the slice up to the light; the fine bones should be visible at the cut ends if the scoring is deep enough.

Pat the slices thoroughly dry with paper towels. Rub salt and black pepper into the cuts. Dredge in corn flour to coat both sides, pressing flour into the cuts with your fingers. Shake off the excess.

Heat the oil in a deep skillet to 175°C / 345°F; a pinch of flour dropped into the oil should bubble immediately. Add the slices with space between them and fry for 6 minutes per side. They are ready when the cuts open and curl outward and the coating turns deep golden brown.

Transfer the slices to paper towels to absorb excess oil; resting them on a wire rack keeps the undersides crisp, too. Thinly slice the onion, toss it with parsley, and serve hot with lemon wedges.