Asian Seafood Recipes - Thai Fried Fish with Piquant Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 x 2lb. whole fish, cleaned, gutted and with the head still on

• 1/4 cup cornstarch

• vegetable oil for deep-frying

• 1 Tbs. chopped coriander leaves

Piquant Sauce:

• 1 Tbs. peanut oil

• 4in. piece of fresh green ginger, peeled and finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 1 red chili, seeded and chopped

• 4 Tbs. wine vinegar

• 4 Tbs. soft brown sugar

• 1/2 cup water

• 3 scallions, green part included, finely chopped

• 1 Tbs. soy sauce

• 1 Tbs. cornstarch, mixed to a paste with 1 Tbs. water                                        .

Serves 4-6

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Method:

1. Rub the fish, inside and out, with salt, then wash and dry on kitchen towels. Make four or five deep incisions on each side of the fish, almost to the centre bone. Coat the fish in the corn flour (cornstarch) shaking off any excess.

2. Fill a large deep-frying pan one-third full with oil and heat it until it is very hot. Carefully lower the fish into the pan and deep-fry it for 5 minutes, or until it is golden brown and crisp.

3. Remove the fish from the oil and drain on kitchen towels. Keep hot while you make the sauce.

4. Heat the oil in a deep frying-pan. When it is hot, add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Stir in all the remaining sauce ingredients, except the corn flour (cornstarch) and bring to the boil, stirring constantly.

5. Reduce the heat to moderately low and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the corn flour (cornstarch) mixture and continue to cook the sauce until it thickens and becomes translucent.

6. Arrange the fish on a warmed serving dish and pour over the sauce. Garnish with the coriander and serve at once.

Note: Any whole fish suitable for frying can be used in this dish; sea bream is probably the best but red snapper and jewfish could also be used.