Deep-fried Fish with Chilies

Name: Deep-fried Fish with Chilies
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 63 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Side dish
Ingredients: 400 g Whole Fish; Cooking Oil; 1/4 cup Anchovy Sauce; 1 pinch Sugar; 1 Tbsp Coriander; Jasmine Rice; 8 Chilli Padi; 1 Red Shallot; 1 clove Garlic; 1/4 cup Fish Sauce; Lime Juice

Level

easy

Cooking

18 min

Preparation

45 min

Ingredients

Servings

Whole Fish such as grouper, snapper, or sea bream, cleaned and scaled	400 g
Cooking Oil
Anchovy Sauce	¹⁄₄ cup
Sugar	1 pinch
Coriander chopped	1 tbsp
Jasmine Rice
Chili in fish sauce
Chilli Padi sliced	8
Red Shallot sliced	1
Garlic finely chopped	1 clove
Fish Sauce	¹⁄₄ cup
Lime Juice optional

How to cook

Prepare chili in fish sauce

Place the chilies, shallot and garlic (if using) in a bowl and pour over the fish sauce.
Leave to steep – the longer, the better, as the heat becomes quite mellow with time.
If using the lime juice, squeeze it in just before serving.

Prepare the fish

Rinse the fish then pat it dry with paper towel.
Score the fish by making several diagonal cuts into each side, going almost to the bone.
Pour the deep-frying oil into a large, stable wok or a wide, heavy-based pan until it is about two-thirds full.
Heat the oil over a medium–high flame until a cooking thermometer registers 180°C.
Alternatively, test the temperature of the oil by dropping in a cube of bread – it will brown in about 15 seconds if the oil is hot enough
Marinate the fish in the fish sauce and sugar for about 5 minutes (fillets will need less time – just a minute or two), turning it once or twice.
When the oil is ready, shake off the excess fish sauce and deep-fry the fish, carefully turning it once or twice to ensure even colouring and cooking.
Depending on the size and thickness of the fish, it can take as long as 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn the fish as it takes on a deep golden colour.
Once cooked, remove the fish from the oil and drain on paper towel.