Thai Grilled Whole Fish With Coriander-Chili Sauce
Traditional Thai fish can be made outdoors on the barbecue, or you can pan-fry the fish indoors (or grill it on a stovetop grill).
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 2 persons
Ingredients
- 1small trout (; cleaned)
- Dash sea salt or Kosher salt
- 2limes, plus wedges for serving
- Optional: 1 cup vegetable oil (for deep-frying)
- For the Sauce:
- ⅓cup water
- ½tablespoon tamarind paste
- 3cloves garlic
- 1heaping teaspoon brown sugar
- 1thumb-size piece galangal, or ginger, peeled and sliced
- 1cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems, plus more for garnish
- 2tablespoons fish sauce
- 1to 2 fresh red chiles, minced, deseeded if you prefer less heat
- ½red bell pepper, de-seeded and diced
Instructions
Step 1
Gather the ingredients.Step 2
Pat fish dry. Make 2 to 3 diagonal cuts on the side of the fish (with the blade of the knife on an angle facing the head). The cuts should be several inches apart.Step 3
Squeeze the juice of 1 to 2 limes over and inside fish. Sprinkle surface with sea salt and set aside while you prepare the sauce.Step 4
Place water, tamarind (or lime juice + soy sauce), garlic, sugar, galangal (or ginger), coriander, fish sauce, and chiles in a food processor. Process well (or chop and mix by hand).Step 5
Pour the sauce into a saucepan. Add the diced pepper and simmer over medium-low heat for 5 to 8 minutes. Taste the sauce for salt and sweet-sour balance, adding more fish sauce if not salty enough, and more sugar if you find it too sour. Cover and keep warm while you cook the fish.Step 6
Grill the fish on the barbecue over medium-high heat (375 F), or deep-fry it in a wok or large frying pan with 1 cup canola or other vegetable oil. Allow to grill or fry about 5 minutes on each side, or until the flesh has browned and flakes easily. Don't flip the fish too early, or the skin will stick to the pan/barbecue. Allow it to cook at least 2 minutes before turning.Step 7
To serve, plate the fish and pour the sauce over. Garnish with sprigs of fresh coriander and wedges of lime. Serve with plenty of Thai jasmine rice and enjoy with a cold lager or glass of white wine.