Fish Steamed in Lime Juice, Oz Style

I know I usually talk about greasy fare, but let’s take a breather from deep-fried foods for a change. Today in Bangkokhooker’s Kitchen of Manliness we’re going to learn how to make a real Thai favourite: fish steamed in lime juice or plaa neung manao.

The dish has the harmonious marriage of fish with fresh lime, garlic, chilies and herbs and is most commonly eaten by Thais during lunch and dinner. This recipe works with most fish but is popularly applied to barramundi and striped snakehead. In today’s variation of the recipe I’m using a striped snakehead that I caught during a recent fishing trip. This recipe works best for whole fish no larger than 800 grams (any bigger and it wouldn’t fit in conventional plates or steamers). The head of the fish as depicted in the picture had to be removed in order to fit the steamer, but traditionally the dish is made with a whole fish.

Ingredients:

•   1 whole barramundi or striped snakehead, no bigger than 800 grams in size, cleaned and scored

For the sauce:

•   1/2 cup of lime juice

•   2 tablespoons of chopped large bird chilies (deseed them if you can’t handle spicy food)

•   3 tablespoons of sugar

•   2 tablespoons of fish sauce

•   2 tablespoons of soy sauce

•   3 tablespoons of chopped garlic

•   1/2 cup of chicken stock

For the garnish:

•   2 tablespoons of julienned red chilies

•   3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

•   cilantro, chopped green onions and kaffir lime leaves

Recipe:

1.Bring water in a steamer to the boil. If you don’t have a steamer use a large wok; in that case, place a small bowl or plate at the bottom and place some water at the bottom. This will keep the steaming bowl elevated above the water in order to steam the fish.

2.Put the fish on a large bowl and with oven mitts, carefully place into the steamer.

3.Cover and let steam for 20 minutes.

4.While the fish is steaming, mix all sauce ingredients together. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved.

5.(This step is optional is you have a heated serving container.) Just before that time is up, place the sauce into the microwave for 40 seconds.

6.When 20 minutes are up, carefully remove fish from the steamer and place onto a large serving plate/bowl. If you have one of those metallic fish-shaped, heated serving containers use that instead.

7.Immediately pour the sauce onto the fish while it is still hot.