A highlight of Tara Sutaria's week is sharing what scrumptious dish (or more!) she whipped up in her kitchen. The week past in particular, has been high on calorie-laden happiness for the actor. Between her Persian inspired lamb shank on a bed of berry palao, her "first attempt at a beautiful, bubbling Vietnamese Pho" and a turkey leek pie, what truly stood out was her lemongrass chilli fish dinner. So of course we had to get our hands on a similar recipe!
Thai fried fish with lemongrass sauce
Ingredients: For the fish — large sea bream (butterflied) - 2, plain flour - 1 cup, salt and pepper to taste; For the sauce — cilantro - 1 cup, lime juice - 1/4 cup, water - 2tbsps, Thai fish sauce - 2tbsp, lemongrass stalks - 4 (only white part with the outer layer peeled), smashed garlic cloves - 5, minced galangal or ginger - 1tbsp, roughly chopped green bird’s eye chillies - 3, palm sugar or honey - 1tbsp, long red chillies (chopped into ringlets) - 2
Method: For the sauce, blend two chopped lemongrass stalks with the coriander, lime juice, water, fish sauce, garlic, galangal, bird's eye chillies and sugar until smooth. Now heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or canola oil in a large frying pan. Add the sauce in and bring to a simmer, keep it warm and don't let it drop to room temperature. Separately heat about a bottle of rapeseed (canola) oil in a large wok bringing it to a temperature of about 180C. For the fish, place the butterflied pieces on a plate and dust with the flour and salt and pepper to taste. Make sure the flour is adequately coating the fish and that it is seasoned evenly on all sides. Pat off the excess flour. Now slowly lower one fish piece into the oil and fry for about 8 minutes. Fry the other fish separately. Add the remaining lemongrass and sliced red chillis to the oil and fry for a few seconds until lightly browned. Then transfer to a paper towel to soak up excess oil. Spoon some of the sauce onto your plate and place the fish atop. Drizzle with more sauce and garnish with the fried sliced lemongrass and chillis.
{{/usCountry}}Method: For the sauce, blend two chopped lemongrass stalks with the coriander, lime juice, water, fish sauce, garlic, galangal, bird's eye chillies and sugar until smooth. Now heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or canola oil in a large frying pan. Add the sauce in and bring to a simmer, keep it warm and don't let it drop to room temperature. Separately heat about a bottle of rapeseed (canola) oil in a large wok bringing it to a temperature of about 180C. For the fish, place the butterflied pieces on a plate and dust with the flour and salt and pepper to taste. Make sure the flour is adequately coating the fish and that it is seasoned evenly on all sides. Pat off the excess flour. Now slowly lower one fish piece into the oil and fry for about 8 minutes. Fry the other fish separately. Add the remaining lemongrass and sliced red chillis to the oil and fry for a few seconds until lightly browned. Then transfer to a paper towel to soak up excess oil. Spoon some of the sauce onto your plate and place the fish atop. Drizzle with more sauce and garnish with the fried sliced lemongrass and chillis.
{{/usCountry}}Is your mouth already watering like ours?