THAI-STYLE GRILLED WHITE FISH WITH TANGY/SPICY SAUCE
THAI STYLE GRILLED FISH
I have been craving fish for the last month or so, ever since returning from traveling to the Northwest US and Alaska and then on to South Asia. Usually I crave meat and veggies, but all of a sudden my taste buds seem to have changed. So I have been looking for different ways of preparing fish to my liking.
I ended up grilling Basa (Swai) last weekend using a Thai-style marinade and sauce and it turned out really well. The key to this dish is the quality of the fish, so make sure to get white fish as fresh and of the best quality possible. I used frozen Basa, which I defrosted, but I think any thick white fish, like Sea Bass, Cod or Halibut will work well.
I also used a fish grilling basket, which is a very useful thing to have. It’s available in most big box stores and online and totally worth the price, even if you grill fish only once in a while, like me.
This preparation is light and healthy as well as super flavorful and tasty.
Ingredients:
White Fish filet 1 lb (450 gm) (I used Basa)
For Marinade:
¼ cup fresh cilantro
1 tbsp Peanut oil
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp fresh lime juice (juice of 1 lime)
2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
½ tsp red pepper flakes
For Sauce:
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 minced green chilli
1 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
Method:
Wash the fish filets in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
Cut fish into 3-4” pieces.
Make the marinade by combining all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mixing together.
Add the fish and toss to coat all the pieces with sauce.
Cover and let marinate for 30-60 minutes.
Make the sauce by adding all the sauce ingredients in a bowl.
Stir together till the sugar dissolves.
When you are ready to grill, turn on the grill to high (400-450*F).
Place newspapers or other disposable liner on a flat tabletop (to avoid a mess) and place the grill basket on it.
Open up the grill basket and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Place the fish pieces in a single layer on the bottom of the basket (see video).
Close the basket and attach the latch.
Grill on high for 4-5 minutes per side with the grill closed.
Serve the grilled fish with the sauce on the side, to drizzle over the fish.
Note: If you don’t have a grill, you can pan fry the fish in a frying pan with 1 tsp of oil. Alternatively, you could cook in an oven for 8-10 minutes at 400*F.