The name kibbeling is a shortened, simplified version of kabeljauwwang, the Dutch word for cod cheek. The name refers to any waste products from the cod, which in the 18th and 19th centuries referred to the whole head of the fish. These scraps were, at the time, food reserved for peasants and the poor, but by the 20th century, fishmongers recognized kabeljauwwang for what it was: An opportunity to cash in. These industrious fish sellers began frying cod leftovers and selling it as a street food. The port city of IJmuiden, in North Holland where sea locks control access to the Atlantic Ocean, claims to be the original home of the dish.
Abundant in the North Atlantic, cod is the fish of choice for kibbeling, as well as a similar dish known as lekkerbek. The latter, in which the whole cod fillets are battered and fried, is much closer to a traditional British fish and chips. What sets kibbeling apart is that the fish is cut into bite-sized chunks before it’s served.
The spice mix used in the batter for kibbeling is another element of the dish that sets it apart from other Western fish and chips styles. It usually incorporates a little spice and smokiness from cayenne, ground mustard, and paprika. Ginger and nutmeg are often also added to spice blends, as well.