PREPARE: Thai Deep-fried Whole Fish

This recipe for Thai style deep-fried fish is a stunning dish for a shared banquet.

The crunch of the crispy skin is a wonderful contrast to the delicate flesh of the snapper.

Ingredients

- 1 kg whole snapper, cleaned

- 2 tbsp soy sauce

- 1 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra, to deep-fry

- 2 tbsp tamarind water

- 135 g (½ cup) palm sugar

- 1 tbsp fish sauce

- julienned red bird’s-eye chillies, diagonally sliced spring onions, coriander leaves and lime juice, to serve
Paste

- 2 coriander roots, cleaned, chopped

- 3 long red chillies, seeded, roughly chopped

- 4 garlic cloves

- 3 Asian red eschalots

- 1 tbsp dried prawns


Directions

Marinating time: 10 minutes

To make the paste, using a mortar and pestle, grind all ingredients until smooth.

Rinse fish inside and out under running water. Pat dry inside and out with paper towel.

Using the tip of a sharp knife, make shallow slits spaced ½ cm apart along both sides of the fish. Place fish in a bowl with soy sauce and marinate for 10 minutes. Drain. Pat dry with paper towel.

Fry oil and paste in a saucepan over medium heat for 3 minutes.

Add tamarind, sugar, fish sauce and 100 ml water.

Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Lift gill flaps on sides of fish.

Pin them open using a skewer inserted through centre of fish. This allows fish to stand upright. Make 3 x 2 cm-deep cuts widthwise across top of fish.

Arrange the fish in an S-shape inside a deep-frying basket.

Fill deep-fryer with oil and heat to 170°C.

Carefully add the fish and cook for 8 minutes or until golden and skin is crisp.

Transfer fish to a platter, spoon over the sauce and top with chillies, spring onions and coriander leaves and drizzle over lime juice, to serve.



Tourism Observer

Poached Fish Fillet In Sour Sauce With Fresh Peas

Ingredients:
Serves 1
1 fish fillet 1 tbsp minced spring onions
½ tbsp crushed fresh ginger ½ tsp black pepper
Vegetable oil 2 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp fresh peas (cooked)
1 tbsp wine 1 tbsp vinegar
A pinch of salt 1 tbsp liquid corn flour
1 tsp sesame oil
1 thinly sliced onion 1 crushed garlic

Method

1. Heat vegetable oil in frying pan large enough to accommodate the fish and add the garlic, ginger and the sliced onions. Sauté them for a few minutes until they become translucent but not brown.
2. Add the chicken broth, black pepper, soy sauce, peas, wine, and vinegar and bring them to a boil. Add the liquid corn flour and taste. It should be a bit on the salty side SINCE THE FISH HAS NO SALT.
3. When boiling add the fish and MAKE CERTAIN THAT IT IS FULLY IMMERSED. Poach for about 4 minutes at the most, depending on the thickness of the fish.
4. Remove the fish to a serving plate and gently pour over the sauce.