Ingredients
- whole white fish, at least 2 lb, gutted, preferably scales left on (see note)
- rounds gal angal
- stalk lemongrass, bottom half only, smashed and cut into chunks
- Kaffir lime leaves
- inches pandan leaves
- clove sgarlic
- About3 Tbsp of kosher salt or coarse grain salt, or as needed
- dried chilies, to taste
- clove sgarlic
- Tbsp palm sugar, finely chopped
- Tbsp roasted peanuts, unsalted
- Tbsp lime juice
- Tbsp tamarind juice
- Tbsp Fish sauce
- Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
- Tbsp finely chopped mint
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Add all the herbs to a food processor and process just until they're coarsely chopped.
- Stuff the herbs into the cavity of the fish.
- Rub a thin layer of salt onto the fish; the body should be thoroughly coated but the salt should be thin enough that you can still see through to the skin.
- Place the fish onto a baking sheet lined with a rack (I didn't do this in the video because I didn't have a rack big enough, but if you have one it'll be better.) Otherwise line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Bake for 25 30 minutes or until the fish is fully cooked.
- To test doneness, try to life the thickest part of the fish off the bones, and cooked fish should flake off the bones easily, while undercooked fish will stick to the bones.
- You can also use a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the fish, and it should read at least 140°F before removing from the oven.
- Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce.
- Place the dried chilies in the oven along with the fish and let it toast for 3 4 minutes until they darken and are crispy.
- You can also toast them in a dry saute pan over medium heat.
- Place them in a mortar and pestle and pound into flakes (if you want less spicy, remove the seeds first.) Add garlic and pound into a paste.
- Add palm sugar and pound until dissolved.
- Add peanuts and pound until they are a coarse meal.
- Add all remaining ingredients and stir to mix.
- When the fish is done, brush off the excess salt from the fish and transfer onto a serving plate.
- Peel off the skin and serve with jasmine rice and dipping sauce.
- Enjoy!
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Tips
Traditionally the scale is left on the fish which will prevent the salt from absorbing and over-salting the meat. To buy scale-on fish you have to go to a fishmonger that would scale the fish to-order, and ask them to leave the scales on. You CAN do it without the scales, but the salt will penetrate and season the flesh all the way through, so be light-handed with the salt or it could become too salty.