Name: Thai Steamed Fish in Coconut Sauce
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 4 5-ounce skinless white fish fillets such as halibut, snapper or flounder; 2 tablespoons cooking oil, divided; 2 large shallots, 1 chopped (1/4 cup) and one thinly sliced; 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped ginger root; 1 stalk of lemon grass, tough outer layers removed, roughly chopped; 1 small thai red chili (substitute a red jalapeño) seeded and chopped; 1/2 cup coconut milk from a can (shake can well to mix before opening); 2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce; 15 springs of cilantro, leaves separated from stems, divided (you'll use leaves for the garnish and some of the stems to make the sauce); Coarse salt; Freshly ground black pepper; Serve with hot steamed white rice (I recommend jasmine rice)

Description

Steamed fish fillets with fragrant Thai coconut sauce

Ingredients

Units Scale

4 5-ounce skinless white fish fillets such as halibut, snapper or flounder
2 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
2 large shallots, 1 chopped (1/4 cup) and one thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped ginger root
1 stalk of lemon grass, tough outer layers removed, roughly chopped
1 small thai red chili (substitute a red jalapeño) seeded and chopped
1/2 cup coconut milk from a can (shake can well to mix before opening)
2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce
15 springs of cilantro, leaves separated from stems, divided (you'll use leaves for the garnish and some of the stems to make the sauce)
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Serve with hot steamed white rice (I recommend jasmine rice)

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Instructions

To Make the Coconut Sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a small skillet. Add chopped shallot, ginger, lemon grass and chili. Stir-fry for 3 minutes or until fragrant and lightly colored. Scrape into a small food processor or blender. (don't wash skillet - you'll use it for the topping) Add coconut milk, fish sauce and 8 stems of cilantro. Process for 30 seconds or so, until everything is finely blended into a thick sauce.
To Steam the Fish: *Arrange the fish fillets in a single layer on a heatproof plate or glass pie pan. Spread the coconut sauce evenly over the fish fillets. Place plate in a steamer and turn the heat to high. Once the water is boiling, cover tightly and steam fish for 6-8 minutes or until it's just opaque. Test with a knife. If the knife goes in easily, with no resistance, the fish is done. Remove from heat and remove cover.
To Fry the Shallots and Cilantro: While the fish is steaming, line a plate with a paper towel. Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, stir-fry the shallots until browned, 3 minutes of so. Transfer to paper towel lined plate. Add the cilantro leaves and fry them for just a few seconds. Transfer them to the plate.
To Serve: Carefully (I used two spatulas) transfer fish fillets to four plates.(I like to plate them over a bed of rice) Sprinkle with a tiny pinch of salt and a generous sprinkling of pepper. Scatter fried shallots and cilantro on top. Spoon extra sauce over the rice.
* See post for more details on how to set up a steamer

Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Category: Lunch or Light Dinner
Method: Steam
Cuisine: Thai