Dish of Steamed Fish
(click to enlarge)

Steamed Fish with Lime & Chili


Thailand   -   Plaa Naung Manao
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 2 main
***
1 hr
Part		 An entirely delectable (and easy) way to cook moderately flavored fish. The dish the fish is steamed in can be the serving dish. See Photo Gallery, and Comments.

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cl
T
T
T
T
t
t
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Fish, whole (1)  
-- Sauce
Thai Chilis (2)
Garlic
Cilantro root (3)  
Fish Sauce (4)
Lime Juice
Stock (5)
Sugar
Pepper
-- Garnish
Cilantro Leaves  
Lime Slices (6)
Prep   -   (35 min - (exclusive of cleaning the fish))
  1. Scale and clean FISH as required. Make diagonal cuts to the bone on both sides, spaced about 1 inch apart.
  2. Slice CHILIS thin (or dice small if using larger chilis such as Serranos). Peel GARLIC and cut in half lengthwise. Slice CILANTRO ROOT thin. Mix all in a large Mortar and pound just until the Garlic Cloves are broken up fairly small.
  3. Mix together all Sauce items.
Run   -   (20 min)
  1. Set up your Steamer rig (Note-7) with water and the whatever grid you are using. Cover with a domed lid and bring it up to a full boil (Important).
  2. Place fish on a dish with a fairly high rim. Place it on the steamer grid and pour Sauce mix evenly over the fish. Cover with the domed lid and set it to a medium boil. The fish should be ready in about 12 minutes, depending on thickness. At the center of the thickest meat it should be at least 125°F/52°C and there is no need to go over 140°F/60°C.
  3. Serve hot in the steaming dish with the sauce that has been produced there, or serve on a serving dish, or on individual dishes with sauce ladled over.
NOTES:

  1. Fish:

      Weight given is for a Pompano, before cleaning and with head on. Use your own best judgement for other fish, and whether they are steamed with head on or off. For a cleaned fish with head off, about 1 pound. Basically, they have to fit in the steamer. Select a fish with little to moderate skin shrinkage for most attractive results. Fillets are also steamed by this method. My favorite is Golden / Florida Pompano, which has no skin shrink at all and a very small head, so it can be used head on or off. I've also cooked many others fish this way. The photo example is a Pink Ear Emperor weighing 1 pound after cleaning and removing head.

  2. Thai Chilis:

      Green or Red. The pattern recipe called for 8 Thai chilis. I made it with 7, and it was very spicy, even by Southern California standards. I have reduced it to 4 for a general audience, but use your own best judgement, either more or less. If you don't have Thai chilis, fresh de Arbols are a good substitute, or one Serrano chili diced small (they grow Serranos in Thailand now). For details see our Thai Chilis page.

  3. Cilantro Root:

      If you can't get this, and you probably can't, use Cilantro stems - no leaves.

  4. Fish Sauce:

      This clear liquid is as essential to Southeast Asian cuisine as it was to Imperial Rome. If you are unfamiliar with it, see our Fish Sauce - Introduction page.

  5. Stock:

      The pattern recipe calls for Pork Stock, but Chicken Stock will work fine too.

  6. Lime Slices:

      The writer of the pattern recipe insists on Key Limes for both juice and slices. I doubt most people could tell the difference for the juice, but for the slices they are more elegant.

  7. Steamer:

      A wok with a low steamer grid and a high domed cover is perfect for this (see Photos) but other types of steamer will work, so long as they fit the plate that the fish fits on.

  8. Comments:

  9. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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