Crispy ikan bilis (white anchovies)

Forget popcorn, these snacks are unbelievably addictive. Growing up, my mum used to make these all the time. There’d often be a jar of these in the kitchen, ready for us whenever we felt like adding some extra crunch to our salads, or even just to snack on by itself.

I know, I know, anchovies aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. But if you’re a fan of anchovies, you’ll love this salty, crunchy snack.

Ingredients

• 2 x cups dried ikan bilis (also known as white anchovies, available at most Asian grocers)
• 2 x tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 x pinch chilli powder

Method

• Soak the dried ikan bilis in warm water for about an hour, then drain and pat dry with kitchen paper.
• Heat vegetable oil in a wok and fry the ikan bilis for a minute or two until crispy and golden (make sure you have the kitchen air vent on because the wok can get quite smoky). Then, transfer the fried ikan bilis onto kitchen paper to cool and drain excess oil.
• Once cool, transfer the ikan bilis into a large bowl and sprinkle with chilli powder and toss to mix. Dried ikan bilis are usually really salty, so you shouldn’t need to add extra salt, but feel free to add salt to taste.
• For extra crunch, add a cup of roasted peanuts to the mixture. Store in an airtight container.