Jalea de Mariscos

👩🏻‍🍳 Tamara Talks – About Peruvian Jalea

Peruvian jalea (pronounced ha-LEY-uh) de mariscos is a popular Peruvian dish, typically made from a variety of fried seafood – fish, calamari, shrimp, and sometimes octopus. It is often served with yuca fries (cassava) and tangy salsa criolla, a salad of onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and lime juice. Jalea is crispy and flavorful, with the salsa adding a refreshing contrast to the fried elements.

The dish is known for being a part of Peru’s coastal cuisine, showcasing the country’s abundance of fresh seafood, but I have had it inland as well. It is often enjoyed as a shared platter or appetizer.

I chose seafood that is readily available in the freezer section of most markets, and often found at the fish counter. Gulf shrimp is always available in both freezer and fish counter. The calamari is frozen, and I chose the cod because the pieces were thick enough to hold up to battering and frying. It was a great combination!

History of Peruvian Jalea

Before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, Peru’s indigenous populations, particularly those along the coast, had a strong tradition of consuming fish and seafood, given the proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Techniques such as sun-drying and salting fish were common, but frying seafood was less prevalent because oil was not commonly used at the time. Pre-Columbian societies did, however, create dishes based on fresh fish, like ceviche, which remains a cornerstone of Peruvian cuisine.

The introduction of frying as a cooking method in Peru came with the Spanish colonization in the 16th century. The Spanish brought new ingredients, including wheat and various cooking fats, along with their frying techniques, which contributed to the development of dishes like Jalea. Over time, the local populations adapted the frying method to their abundant seafood, laying the groundwork for what would become Jalea.

During the colonial period, enslaved Africans were brought to Peru, and their culinary practices, including deep-frying techniques, further influenced the development of Jalea. African culinary heritage, particularly the use of frying as a cooking method, was integrated into the Peruvian coastal cuisine, blending with indigenous and Spanish traditions.

By the 19th and 20th centuries, Jalea began to emerge as a distinctive dish in Peru’s coastal regions, particularly in areas like Lima and Callao, where seafood was abundant. The dish started to take shape as a mix of fried seafood, served with fried yuca and salsa criolla (onion, tomato, and lime salsa). The use of lime, onions, and cilantro in the salsa criolla was a nod to the fresh flavors commonly associated with Peruvian cuisine.

Jalea gained popularity as a casual, shared dish, often enjoyed in cevicherías alongside ceviche and other seafood dishes. Over time, it became a staple of criolla (Creole) cuisine, which represents the mix of indigenous, Spanish, African, and other immigrant influences in Peru.

📋 Ingredients Notes

Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.

• seafood – I specify cod, shrimp, and calamari, but you can use your preferred seafood. I like firm, white fish like cod, barramundi, halibut, snapper, redfish, mahi mahi, etc. Large shrimp are easier to handle. Calamari is super easy.
• soy sauce
• lemon juice – When it comes to seafood, fresh is best. Squeeze a lemon!
• flour – I specify both standard (wheat) flour and camote flour. If gluten is an issue, use camote flour for both. Potato flour is another option. Camote (sweet potato flour) is a commonly used Peruvian ingredient.
• eggs
• beer – You’ll want a clean “lager” for this recipe. You don’t want strong flavors! I keep Coronitas in my pantry for cooking. Any lager is probably fine.

🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions

• Prepare accompaniments – On photo day, I made this salsa criolla recipe earlier in the day. It’s really good for 2-3 days. I also did air fryer yuca fries (recipe to come soon!). I parboiled them (about 15 minutes), and tossed with olive oil and seasoning, before popping them into my air fryer. While the yuca fries cook, I then fried the seafood.
• NOTE: I didn’t get as many process shots as I like to. I used a cast iron skillet, and got it a little too hot. I had to move really fast, and it just wasn’t possible. I will try to add some when I have time to shoot photos and eat fried seafood again!

• Marinate the seafood – Whisk together the juice and zest of the lemon and the soy sauce. Add the seafood. Marinate 15-60 minutes while you prepare to batter and fry.
• Pat the seafood dry with paper towels.

• Prepare the coating – To one prep bowl, add half the flour. I use regular bleached wheat flour for dredging. In a second bowl, add the whisked eggs, and remaining flour. I used camote (sweet potato) flour. Add enough beer to make a thick batter (similar to thick pancake batter). NOTE: I do not mean for this to be complicated. I prefer the taste/texture of the camote or potato flour to wheat flour, but it doesn’t matter for dredging. If you prefer to use just one flour, just choose one of the three, and split it into a dredging bowl, and a battering bowl.
• Heat the oil – Pour enough oil into a deep skillet or pot to submerge the seafood in a single layer. Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). You can use a kitchen thermometer to check the temperature, or test with a small drop of batter—it should sizzle and float to the surface.

• Fry the seafood – Dredge each piece in a little flour first, shaking off any excess. This helps the batter stick better. Next dip into the beer batter, making sure pieces are fully coated.
• Carefully lower the battered seafood into the hot oil, one piece at a time. NOTE: DO NOT CROWD THE SKILLET!

• Fry for about 4-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until the batter is golden brown and crispy. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the pieces from the oil. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

❓FAQ

💭 Tips

Keep fried seafood warm in an oven at a low temperature (about 200°F) while frying other batches.

Frying seafood is messy, and not even “healthyish.” However, it never hurts to indulge occasionally, and this jalea recipe is a delicious indulgence!