Sweet-Salty-Spicy Fish

It was fish night around these parts again and I decided to make something I haven't had in a long (very long) time. You've probably seen it called something like Deep fried Fish with Thai Basil and Chilies. That name tells you very little about the dish. Traditionally, a whole fish (like pompano) is deep fried then quickly turned in a sauce made from red curry paste, sugar, fish sauce and Thai sweet basil. The result is deliciously balanced...sweet, spicy and salty in every bite.

Thai sweet basil has a very distinctive taste. Some say it has an anise flavor. I encourage you to try it side by side with regular basil to see for yourself. BTW, you can use the flowers too!

I've adapted the recipe to cut down on the prep mess and to use what I could find at my local grocer. Here in Portland, despite being known for having access to some of the best seafood in the country, I can usually only find whole trout. I’m not crazy about that fish. Instead, I thought of using a fish fillet with skin, which basically leaves only salmon. Mom, who is a traditionalist, was a bit horrified when I told her I used salmon, but it turned out great.



Fish with Thai Basil and Chilies

• 1 whole fish (cleaned) OR 1 pound fish fillet with skin, de-scaled (pompano, tilapia, red snapper, perch or even salmon will work)
• ¼ cup Thai basil leaves, well dried
• 2 to 3 Thai chilies split lengthwise, seeds and membranes removed (optional)
  
• ½ to 1 tbs red (green okay too) curry paste (store-bought is fine, or see recipe below)
• 2 tbs fish sauce (start with 1/2 tbs if using store-bought curry paste)
• 2 tbs brown sugar
• 3 tbs water
• 3 kaffir lime leaves, julienned (optional)

When using fish fillets, pan searing works well. For this task, some people swear by non-stick. I always use cast iron. Whatever you use, it should be able to stand high heat.

Brush the fish with oil on both sides (vegetable or peanut is best). You could even spray the fish with cooking spray if you prefer. When your pan is nice and hot (I mean very hot), put the fish in it, skin side up. Don’t be tempted to rotate the fish. Just let it sear for about 2 or 3 minutes (longer may be necessary for thicker fillets). It needs to form a nice crust; otherwise it will stick to the pan. Flip the fillets and finish frying, skin side down, until done to your liking. We like our salmon a little pink in the center with crispy skin. Remove from the pan onto a plate, with the skin side up to keep it crispy. Keep warm.

Make the sauce (and heat the wok) while cooking the fish. In a small bowl, add the fish sauce, sugar and the water. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Set aside until ready to use.

Heat a wok over high heat until very hot. Add about 1 to 2 tbs oil (peanut or vegetable; no olive oil!) and push it up the sides of the wok. Add the dry basil leaves (be careful because they will spatter, no matter how dry they are). Let them fry, without stirring for about 30 seconds. When crispy, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Do the same with the chilies.

To the hot oil left in the wok, add the curry paste. Fry, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds. Add the sauce mix. It should begin to caramelize immediately. Stir to dissolve the curry paste. Add 1 or 2 tbs more water if the mixture gets too thick too fast. Taste and adjust with more fish sauce if necessary. Lastly, add the fish and coat it with the sauce, carefully flipping once. Remove from heat and serve immediately garnished with the julienned kaffir lime leaves, fried basil leaves and chilies and a side of steamed jasmine rice.



Store-bought paste is fine, but I feel homemade paste gives the sauce a little more texture. You can also make it as spicy as you like, and it won’t contain all the salt found in the store-bought stuff. It may seem like a bit of work, but you’ll have enough to freeze for future use.

Red Curry Paste

• 10 fresh or dried Thai red chilies, seeded and roughly chopped
• 3 (or more) whole red chilies, chopped
  
• 2 stalks lemon grass, whites only, finely chopped
• 1 tbs finely chopped galangal
• 6 or 7 finely chopped kaffir lime leaves
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 Asian shallots (or 2 tbs regular shallots), finely chopped
• 4 or 5 coriander roots, chopped (if you can’t find roots, use a bunch of stems)
• 2 tsp fermented shrimp paste (also called kapi shrimp paste)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• vegetable or peanut oil as needed

The easiest way to do this is to throw everything into a food processor. With the processor on, add a little oil to help the processing. Stop to scrap down the sides. Try to get the herbs as fine as possible, but don’t expect it to look like the store-bought stuff. And don’t expect it to be red. It will probably be greenish-brown with flecks of red. Freeze in batches of 1 or 2 tbs.

Thai Beef Salad

No, I haven’t been on vacation. Nor did I get lost in the woods for 10 days. I’ve just been busy with work. So busy, in fact, that I haven’t fried, roasted or even chopped a thing since my last post. I kept thinking I was going to make this or that, but by the end of the day, I had just enough energy left to pick up the phone to order out or stick a frozen entrée into the microwave. Luckily, things have settled down again, and I actually have the time and energy to step into my kitchen.



Today we had Thai beef salad. It’s super easy to make. In its simplest form, it’s grilled (or pan-seared) beef that is thinly sliced and tossed with sliced onions, herbs and a lime-chili dressing. Traditionally the herbs are mint and cilantro. Mom likes to add sliced cucumber and sometimes sour cherry tomatoes. Sometimes I add a couple stalks finely sliced lemongrass, finely sliced green onions and/or grated ginger. Sweet red, yellow or orange bell peppers are also a nice addition. Be as creative as you like!

Thai Beef Salad
feeds about 3 adults

• 1-pound steak (I used blade steak, but use whatever you like)
• ½ sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch mint, roughly chopped (save a few leaves for garnish)
• 1 handful cilantro, roughly chopped
• 4 tbs lime juice
• 2 tbs fish sauce
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• sliced Thai chilies or sambal oelek, to taste
• romaine lettuce or green cabbage leaves, to serve

For the dressing: Mix the chilies or sambal with the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar in a small bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Taste the dressing and adjust the flavor to taste. Set aside until ready to use.

For the steak: I like to sprinkle the steak with a mixture of kosher salt, sugar and fresh cracked white or black pepper. The formulation is 1 tbs kosher salt + ¾ tsp brown sugar + pepper to taste. You won’t use all of it; save what’s left in an airtight container. Grilled steak tastes best, but that’s not happening when it’s 29°F outside. The second best option is to pan-sear the steak. Don’t cook the steak beyond medium because the lime in the dressing will “cook” the steak a bit further. Once the steak is cooked, set it aside to cool to room temperature before slicing. Be sure to slice against the grain.

In a large bowl, toss the onion, herbs and any other additions of your choice. Add the sliced steak. Just before plating, drizzle the dressing over the salad (start with about ½), toss and taste. Add more dressing to taste. Serve with (or atop) the lettuce or cabbage leaves. I also like to serve it with Thai sticky rice.