PLA RAAD PRIK (THAI FRIED FISH WITH TAMARIND-GARLIC SAUCE)
2 to 3 servings
This visually stunning dish is topped with a tangy, spicy sauce of tamarind, garlic, and Thai chiles. You will be looking for other things to serve the sauce with. For tips on breading and coating fried foods, see here. Please read About Deep-Frying and Shallow-Frying Fish.
Heat in a small saucepan over medium-high heat:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Add and cook, stirring, until softened:
- 2 small shallots, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 to 4 fresh red or green Thai chiles, to taste, seeded, if desired, and minced
Stir in:
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste mixed with ¼ cup water
- 3 tablespoons palm sugar or packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
Remove the tamarind-garlic sauce from the heat. Taste and, if needed, add:
- Salt
Have ready:
- One 1½- to 2-pound whole fish, such as red snapper, tilapia, or trout, scaled if necessary
With a sharp knife, cut several deep slashes in both sides of the fish running from the dorsal fin to the belly.
Heat to 350°F in a wok, deep heavy pot, or Dutch oven:
- 2 inches vegetable oil
Mix together well on a large plate or in a shallow baking dish:
- ½ cup cornstarch or rice flour
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
Dredge both sides of the fish in the cornstarch mixture. When the oil is hot, gently lower the fish into the oil and fry for 4 minutes, then turn the fish with tongs and fry until the fish is cooked through, 4 minutes more. Remove the fish from the oil to drain on paper towels. Serve whole topped with the tamarind-garlic sauce.