Bake & Shark
intro
Iconic Caribbean street food: crispy puffed fried dough (bake) stuffed with seasoned fried shark, fresh veggies, and zesty sauces for a bright, satisfying handheld bite.
Ingredients
Steps
Make the bake dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine 320g of the all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp fine sea salt. Stir in 1 tbsp (15ml) vegetable oil and 180ml warm water, mixing until a shaggy, soft dough forms. Knead for 3 minutes on a lightly floured surface until smooth, then divide into 4 equal 80g balls, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.
Marinate shark fillets
Pat the 450g of 1cm-thick shark fillets completely dry with paper towels. Rub fillets evenly with 2 tbsp (30ml) fresh lime juice, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, remaining 0.5 tsp sea salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes while the dough rests.
Fry the bake dough
Heat 750ml vegetable oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to 180°C (350°F) over medium heat. Roll each rested dough ball into a 15cm (6-inch) wide, 0.5cm-thick circle. Carefully lower one dough circle into the hot oil; fry for 45 seconds per side, until fully puffed and deep golden brown on both sides. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on a wire rack lined with paper towels, and repeat for all 4 bakes, monitoring oil temperature to stay between 175-185°C.
Fry the shark fillets
Keep the frying oil at a steady 180°C (350°F) over medium heat. Use the reserved 20g (2 tbsp) of all-purpose flour to lightly dredge each marinated shark fillet, shaking off all excess flour. Carefully lower fillets into the hot oil, frying for 2 minutes per side until the exterior is crispy and golden, and the internal temperature reaches 63°C (145°F). Remove fillets with a slotted spoon and drain on the paper-towel lined wire rack.
Prep fresh toppings
Let the fried bakes and shark drain for 2 minutes to remove excess oil. While they rest, arrange prepared toppings in easy reach: 120g shredded iceberg lettuce, 150g sliced tomato, and 100g thin cucumber slices. Set out 60ml scotch bonnet hot sauce and 80ml creamy garlic sauce for assembly.
Assemble the sandwiches
Slice each warm fried bake open horizontally along one edge to create a deep pocket, taking care not to cut all the way through. Place one fried shark fillet inside each bake, then top each with 30g shredded lettuce, 2-3 tomato slices, 2-3 cucumber slices, 15ml (1 tbsp) scotch bonnet hot sauce, and 20ml (4 tsp) creamy garlic sauce. Serve immediately while the bake and shark are hot and crispy.
Tips
2.Use a candy or deep-fry thermometer to maintain a steady 180°C (350°F) oil temperature; oil that is too hot will burn exteriors before interiors cook, while too-cool oil will leave bakes and shark greasy and soggy.
3.If sustainable, legally sourced shark is unavailable in your area, substitute with an equal amount of firm, mild white fish like mahi-mahi or cod for a similar texture and flavor.
OMG I had bake and shark at a food truck in Miami last summer and have been craving it ever since! This recipe tasted EXACTLY like what I remembered — the fry bake was perfectly fluffy, the shark was crispy without being greasy, and the garlic sauce slaps. 10/10, my whole family went back for seconds at our Sunday dinner. Will be making this for our next block party for sure!
Took this to a potluck last weekend and people were hounding me for the recipe all night! I was a little intimidated by the fry bake at first because I’m terrible at dough, but the step-by-step instructions made it so easy. Cook time took me a little closer to an hour because I prepped all the toppings ahead, but totally worth it. SO good.
I swapped the shark for breaded king oyster mushrooms to make this vegan and it still slapped! The bake was so soft and pillowy, I added extra pickled mango and hot sauce like I get at my local Caribbean spot in Brooklyn. 10/10 will be adding this to my weekly meal prep rotation.
Tried this for my kid’s birthday cookout and it was a game changer! My boys are super picky and they both ate two servings, no complaints. Only note: I added a little extra paprika to the fish seasoning and it gave it such a nice smoky kick. Would definitely make again.
Okay full transparency I burned the first two bakes because I had the oil too hot 😅 but once I turned the heat down a little they came out perfect! This was my first time ever making any kind of fried dough and even with my little mishap it turned out so tasty. The difficulty rating is definitely accurate, not for total newbies but totally doable if you take your time.
I’ve been testing bake and shark recipes for months trying to get that authentic street food flavor and this one is the closest I’ve found by far! The coleslaw topping recipe included is *chef’s kiss*, I didn’t even change a thing. My partner said it’s better than the one we got at the Caribbean festival last summer.
Great recipe! I made a big batch on Sunday to eat for lunches all week, and the bakes held up way better than I thought they would in the fridge. I just reheated them in the toaster oven for a couple minutes and they were almost as good as fresh. The only thing I’ll do different next time is make extra garlic sauce, I ran out by Wednesday!
This was so tasty! I messed up the dough a little at first because I used all-purpose flour instead of bread flour by accident, it was a little denser than I wanted but still really good. The seasoned flour for the shark was perfect, I didn’t even add extra salt. Can’t wait to try it again with the right flour!
Made this for our Ohio State tailgate last weekend and it was gone in 20 minutes flat! I set up a little topping bar with hot sauce, pickled veggies, coleslaw, and mango chutney so people could build their own, and everyone was raving. Even my cousin who swears he hates seafood ate two and asked for the recipe. Total win!
I made this with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for the bake and it worked so well! I was worried it would fall apart while frying, but it held its shape perfectly and had that same crispy outside, soft inside texture. My whole family (none of whom are gluten free) didn’t even notice a difference!
I added extra scotch bonnet pepper to the marinade for that extra heat and wow, it was perfect! I love spicy food so this hit just right. The cool coleslaw balanced out the heat so well, my mouth was burning but I couldn’t stop eating. 10/10, if you love spice don’t skip adding extra pepper!
I grew up eating bake and shark when my family would visit Trinidad for Carnival, and this recipe is so nostalgic for me! It tastes exactly like the ones I’d get from the beach vendors right by Maracas Bay. I added a little extra shadow beni because that’s how my grandma used to make it, and it transported me right back. Thank you for such a perfect, authentic recipe!