Reprinted from The SalviSoul Cookbook: Salvadoran Recipes and The Women That Preserve Them by Karla Tatiana Vasquez © 2024.  Photographs copyright © 2024 by Ren Fuller. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

When I was growing up, mojarra frita was the epitome of a Saturday meal. I was in charge of setting the table for dinner, so I would make sure we had enough napkins for the bones, since each of us got a whole fish. My brother would trade his fishtail for my two fish eyes, and, personally, I think I got the better deal. He loved the crunchy eyeballs, but those never appealed to me. This dish was a funny meal to me because we loved that my mom would make it and the only thing that she asked of us was to be mindful eaters and not talk. Her fear was that if we were talking, we’d lose focus and accidentally swallow a fish bone. So my brother and I would silently and happily eat our fish, curating perfect bites of fried fish, frijoles licuados, rice, and fresh radish—all with extra lime on top. It was magnificent.

This rendition is from Rosa Elvira. She adds chicken bouillon and Sazón to her mojarra, making it even more savory. She is the mother of Yenny, my oldest Salvadoran friend, whom I met when I was fourteen. Rosa Elvira is from a coastal town, where she was also a fisher for some time.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

• 4 whole fresh tilapia (10 to 12 ounces each)
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
• 1 tablespoon Sazón
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 cups vegetable oil
• Ensalada Verde, Arroz Frito, Basic Olla de Frijoles, and Tortillas Salvadoreñas for serving
  

Rinse each tilapia under running water and pat dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, score each fish by cutting diagonal slashes, about 1 centimeter deep, into the thickest part of the flesh. Be careful not to make the incisions too deep, or the fish may fall apart once it’s cooked.

In a small bowl, combine the mustard, garlic powder, chicken bouillon, Sazón, and salt and stir to mix thoroughly into a paste. Rub the mustard paste all over each fish until they are well coated. Allow the fish to marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Line a large platter with paper towels or put a wire cooling rack in a baking sheet and set near the stove. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the vegetable oil until it shimmers. Using tongs, carefully place a single fish in the oil and fry until it turns golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer the fried fish to the prepared platter to drain. Repeat for the remaining three fish.

Serve the mojarra with ensalada, arroz, frijoles, and tortillas.

KARLA TATIANA VASQUEZ is a food writer, recipe developer, and food stylist based in Los Angeles. Her writing has been published by the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Teen Vogue, Eater LA, and KCET, among others. Her recipe development work can be seen in Food & Wine, Serious Eats, BuzzFeed Tasty, and Tastemade. She is also a food justice advocate and an active member in her community to increase healthy food accessibility in low-income communities, previously working with Hunger Action Los Angeles and Los Angeles Food Policy Council. She founded SalviSoul in an effort to preserve her family’s recipes, and since then it’s expanded to focus on cultural memory and intergenerational healing for the Salvadoran diaspora.