Pla Tub Tim Thod Sam Rod
FriedTilapia With Three-Flavor Sauce Crispy fried fishbathed in a spicy and sweet sauce is fundamentally Thai. You’ll find this dishalong the banks of the extensive river systems that run through Thailand. It’salso common to see this application on saltwater fish in the south, but that’sthe beauty of Thailand and the diversity of our food. You can substitute any ofyour favorite whole fried fish and bump up the spice by subbing Thai chiliesfor the Fresno peppers.
Equipment
Ingrediënten
Fish
- 1 large whole tilapia about 2 lb [907 g], scaled and gutted
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- Canola or other high-temperature cooking oil for deep-frying
- 1 cup 128 g cornstarch
Sauce
- 2 tbsp 30 ml canola or other high-temperature cooking oil
- 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 2 long red Fresno chilies stems removed and small diced
- 1 red or green bell pepper medium diced
- ¼ cup 60 ml tamarind concentrate
- ¼ cup 55 g palm sugar or brown sugar
- 2 tbsp 30 ml fish sauce
- 2 tbsp 30 ml fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp 8 g cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp (15 ml) water to make a slurry
- 2 scallions thinly sliced on the bias, for garnish
Instructies
- To make the fish, pat the fish dry inside and out with paper towels.
- Score each side two to three times down to the bone to allow the oil to penetrate.
- Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat about 4 inches (10 cm) of oil in a 4- to 5-quart (3.8- to 4.7-L) Dutch oven or pot until the oil reaches 360°F (180°C).
- Prepare a sheet pan with a wire rack or a large plate with paper towels.
- Place the cornstarch in a bowl wide enough to hold the fish.
- Dredge the fish in the cornstarch on both sides until it is well coated.
- Knock off any excess and carefully place the fish into the hot oil.
- Fry the fish for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.
- Transfer the cooked fish to the rack or drain over paper towels.
- While the fish is frying, make the sauce.
- Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat and add the 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of oil.
- When a wisp of white smoke appears, add the garlic, chilies and bell pepper and cook for about 1 minute, until the peppers start to soften.
- Stir in the tamarind concentrate, sugar, fish sauce and lime juice and cook until the sugar dissolves and the sauce comes together, about 1 minute.
- When the sauce reaches a boil, stir in the cornstarch slurry.
- Constantly stir until the sauce thickens, then turn off the heat.
- Place the fish on a plate, then smother with the three-flavor sauce and garnish with the scallions.
