Pla Kapong Neung Manao – this is the bomb when it comes to steamed fish!
It’s steamed Asian sea bass (also called barramundi, in other places) bathed in a spicy lime sauce. Adored with cilantro and celery, this beautiful dish is just as tasty as it looks. The flavors of all the spices in the sauce just agree together. Simply brilliant!
In re-creating this dish, hubby and I aimed to get the same flavors, aroma, colors and texture that we used to enjoy in Thai food restaurants that we used to go to with our friends. If there’s one thing that I miss in Bangkok, it would be the food. I am missing the company of our friends, too; but I can still talk with them through mails and messengers. :) It is really the sumptuous Thai foods that keep me going back to memory lane. It’s a blessing, too that I (well, we really, my hubby and me) had the joy of experiencing Thai foods first hand that we are now able to re-create the same or very close Thai flavors wherever we may be.
What you’ll get when you try this recipe is a Thai restaurant quality meal. Err, hopefully...
If you’re into spicy, aromatic, fish dish, perhaps you may like this. Create the authentic flavors of a traditional Thai dish right in your own kitchen as we did.
Here’s how cooked our steamed sea bass dish.
Ingredients:
-Sea bass, 1 whole
-Lime, 4 tbsp.
-Garlic, 1 bulb, chopped
-Palm sugar syrup, 2 tbsp* (or 2 tsp of raw sugar)
-Seafood sauce, 2 tsp (optional but preferred)
-Bird’s eye chili, 3 pcs, chopped
-Lemongrass, 2 stalks, cut at desired lengths
-Cilantro, 1 cup
-Chinese celery, 1 cup
*Syrup is made by dissolving ½ cup of grated palm sugar to 3 tbsp water. Store the remaining syrup.
Directions:
1. Insert the lemongrass inside the sea bass.
2. Place the fish on a deep plate or an aluminium foil (if no dish available). Steam for 12-18 minutes, depending on the size of the fish. You’ll know that the fish is cooked when it’s eyes have slightly popped from its face. (See the first photo above.) Also, another indication that it’s cooked is when the flesh on its head becomes flaky.
3. Prepare the spicy lime sauce by mixing the following in a bowl – lime, garlic, syrup or sugar, seafood sauce and the chili.
4. When the fish is cooked, add the juice of the fish from the dish or aluminium foil into the spicy lime sauce in Step 4 for a stronger flavour.
5. Put the fish in a dish big enough for it to sit.
6. Pour the sauce unto the fish.
7. Place cilantro and celery on top of the fish.
8. Eat with steamed rice.
Yummm!!! I hope you enjoy this one!
It’s steamed Asian sea bass (also called barramundi, in other places) bathed in a spicy lime sauce. Adored with cilantro and celery, this beautiful dish is just as tasty as it looks. The flavors of all the spices in the sauce just agree together. Simply brilliant!
In re-creating this dish, hubby and I aimed to get the same flavors, aroma, colors and texture that we used to enjoy in Thai food restaurants that we used to go to with our friends. If there’s one thing that I miss in Bangkok, it would be the food. I am missing the company of our friends, too; but I can still talk with them through mails and messengers. :) It is really the sumptuous Thai foods that keep me going back to memory lane. It’s a blessing, too that I (well, we really, my hubby and me) had the joy of experiencing Thai foods first hand that we are now able to re-create the same or very close Thai flavors wherever we may be.
What you’ll get when you try this recipe is a Thai restaurant quality meal. Err, hopefully...
If you’re into spicy, aromatic, fish dish, perhaps you may like this. Create the authentic flavors of a traditional Thai dish right in your own kitchen as we did.
Here’s how cooked our steamed sea bass dish.
Ingredients:
-Sea bass, 1 whole
-Lime, 4 tbsp.
-Garlic, 1 bulb, chopped
-Palm sugar syrup, 2 tbsp* (or 2 tsp of raw sugar)
-Seafood sauce, 2 tsp (optional but preferred)
-Bird’s eye chili, 3 pcs, chopped
-Lemongrass, 2 stalks, cut at desired lengths
-Cilantro, 1 cup
-Chinese celery, 1 cup
*Syrup is made by dissolving ½ cup of grated palm sugar to 3 tbsp water. Store the remaining syrup.
Directions:
1. Insert the lemongrass inside the sea bass.
2. Place the fish on a deep plate or an aluminium foil (if no dish available). Steam for 12-18 minutes, depending on the size of the fish. You’ll know that the fish is cooked when it’s eyes have slightly popped from its face. (See the first photo above.) Also, another indication that it’s cooked is when the flesh on its head becomes flaky.
3. Prepare the spicy lime sauce by mixing the following in a bowl – lime, garlic, syrup or sugar, seafood sauce and the chili.
4. When the fish is cooked, add the juice of the fish from the dish or aluminium foil into the spicy lime sauce in Step 4 for a stronger flavour.
5. Put the fish in a dish big enough for it to sit.
6. Pour the sauce unto the fish.
7. Place cilantro and celery on top of the fish.
8. Eat with steamed rice.
Yummm!!! I hope you enjoy this one!
