serves
4
prep
15 minutes
cook
20 minutes
difficulty
Mid
serves
4
people
preparation
15
minutes
cooking
20
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
Stream free On Demand
The Whole Fish
episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • cooking • 25m
G
episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • cooking • 25m
G
Ingredients
- 700–800 g whole barramundi, cleaned
- Salt
- 1 cup garlic cloves, woody stems trimmed
- 1 cup eschallots, trimmed
- 2 cups long red chillies
- ½ cup coriander stems
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil, plus extra for deep-frying
- ½ cup (125 ml) fish sauce
- 500 g palm sugar
- 1 cup tamarind water
- Fried shallots, fried garlic, lime wedges, Thai basil leaves, fried makrut lime leaves, to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the fish by cutting three slits on each side, then season each side generously with salt. Set aside on a large plate or tray until needed.
- Combine the garlic, eschallots, chillies, coriander stems and 1 tsp salt in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Blend to a coarse paste and set aside.
- Heat the ½ cup vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, then fry the paste until aromatic. Stir through the fish sauce, palm sugar, tamarind water and cook, stirring, until dissolved. Bring to a light simmer and cook until the sauce thickens.
- Heat enough oil in a large saucepan or deep-fryer to deep-fry and heat to 180˚C. Use a frying basket or a large spider to shape the fish into a beautiful curve, then carefully lower into the hot oil. Deep-fry until golden and cooked through. Remove from the oil with the spider or frying basket to a wire rack suspended over a tray to drain of any excess oil.
- Transfer the fish to a large serving plate and pour over the 3 flavour sauce. Sprinkle with fried shallots, garlic and fried basil and makrut lime leaves.
Photography by Jiwon Kim.
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Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
Stream free On Demand
The Whole Fish
