C – This is my favorite fish dish.
I still request it when I come to visit my parents. The memories of my grandmother feeding me crispy fried fish mixed with rice and a great garlic fish sauce still comes to mind when I eat this. It’s one of my first memories of eating fish. My love of fish has grown ever since.
One thing I love about deep-fried fish with chili sauce is that you really can’t overcook your fish. Frying fish means a crispy outside and juicy moist inside.
Cooking the fish is almost fool proof. Just 8 minutes and flip half way to make the perfect fried whole fish. To be honest, this is the first time I have ever cooked a whole fish. I have always let my parents do it or Luke.
I didn’t quite tell Luke or Jim it was my first time. Jim said I did a good job and didn’t squirm one bit. In my mind, I was screaming. Oh My Goodness!
The taste test. Just like I remembered it. Yummm … home cooking. This is my comfort food. I love the sweet, sour, salty and spicy sauce. There are garlic pieces that get embedded into the fish as you flake it off and eat it.
It’s amazing. Tender, juicy pieces of fish just dripping with fish sauce. Serve it with rice to absorb all the delicious fish sauce. This is one of those dishes where I can’t resist a gigantic bowl of rice. It’s so amazing.
| My Home Cooking Week: Deep-Fried Whole Fish with Chile Sauce |
- 1½ tsp vegetable oil
- 2 Tbsp minced shallots
- 1 Tbsp red Thai chilies (birds-eye chilies), finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp cilantro stems, minced
- 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
- ¼ cup tamarind water
- 2 Tbsp Thai fish sauce
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 8 cups vegetable oil
- 1½ to 2 pound red snapper, scaled, gutted and cleaned
- ½ cup white rice flour (not glutinous rice flour)
- 2 Tbsp tempura batter mix
- Generous Tbsp very coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
- Heat the oil in a small saucepan over high heat until it simmers.
- Add shallots, chilies, cilantro stems and garlic, decrease heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, just until the shallot are translucent. About 2 minutes.
- Add the tamarind water, fish sauce and sugar. Increase heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. About 2 minutes.
- In a wok, dutch oven or wide pot add just enough oil to cover the fish, about 2 inches deep.
- Bring the oil to 350 degrees.
- While the oil is heating, pat the fish dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife held at 45 degree angle, vertically score both sides of the fish every inch or so starting from the gills and going all the way to the tail. Cut deep enough to hit bone.
- In a bowl, mix rice flour and tempura mix together well. Add the fish and turn it in the flour mixture to coat, using your fingers to make sure the flour gets inside the vertical slits. Lightly pat the fish so any excess flour falls back into the bowl.
- When the temperature of the oil is steady 350 degrees carefully add the fish into the oil. (the oil temperature will drop slightly, but will rise again after a minute or so.)
- Fry the fish, carefully turning it over with a fish spatula after 4 minutes. Adjust the heat if necessary to maintain the temperature. Cook until the fish is golden brown and cooked to done at the thickest part. About 8 minutes.
- Transfer the fish to paper towels to drain.
- Place on a serving platter, spoon sauce over top and sprinkle cilantro leaves.
- Serve with rice.
- Enjoy!
It’s still hands down my favorite home recipe. It has one of the best presentations to serve to party guests.
The flavors are even better than the look. You really can’t beat that.