thai recipes for fish

[anna]

Hi-I recently had an excellent and very light thai fish dish at a restaurant. I have a lot of freshly caught fish and want to try some asian recipes with it. Any suggestions?? P.S. I'm an amateur at this type cooking so simpler would be better! Thanks!

[sneezles]

anna
You didn't say what king of fish you had and while this recipe isn't exactly Thai it is very tasty. It is from Fushion Food Cookbook (c1994)

Braised Catfish in Hot Garlic Sauce

*Easy
*Serves 4 as a main entree

4 large or 8 small fresh catfish, salmon, or halibut steaks, about 2 pounds total
1/4 pound ground pork
2 whole green onions, trimmed and chopped
1 1/2 tsp finely minced garlic
1 tbs finely minced fresh ginger
1 cup chicken stock
14 cup dry sherry
3 tbs hoisin sauce
1 tbs bean sauce
2 tbs oyster sauce
1 tbs dark sesame oil
1 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tbs Asian chile sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp freshly ground Szechwan pepper
2 tbs cornstarch
2 tbs cooking oil

In separate containers set aside fish, pok and green onions. Combine the garlic and ginger. In a small bowl, combine the stock, sherry, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, bean sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, chile sauce, sugar and pepper.

Mix the cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water. Place a large wok or 12-inch skillet over highest heat. When hot, add the cooking oil and coat the surface of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the garlic-ginger mixture. Saute a few seconds, then add the pirk. Using the back of a spoon, press the pork against the pan to break into individual grounds. As soon as the pork loses all its raw color, add the sauce. Bring the sauce to a low boil, gently add the fish steaks, sprinkle on the green onions, and cover the pan.

Turn the heat to low and simmer until the fish just begins to flake with a fork, about 8 minutes. Be sure the sauce simmers but does not boil. When the fish is done, transfer to 4 heated dinner plates.

Turn the heat up to high and stir in a little of the cornstarch mixture to lightly thicken the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Spoon the sauce over the fish.

Note:
Use this sauce as you would marinara sauce.
Make it in a saute pan and add it to stir-fried shrimp, spoon it over broiled fish or toos it with 1/2 pund cooked penne pasta.

[This message has been edited by sneezles (edited 10-30-2000).]

[emilycat]

Anna,
I eat alot of fish, and I love Asian influenced dishes. I'm at work now, so I don't have any recipes on hand, but when I get home I have a plethora in my cookbooks and CL archives, all of which are light and many of which are relatively simple to make. If you have access to it, I'm not sure if someone's posted it on the boards, or if it might be in the recipe index, the Malaysian Lime-Coconut CL recipe from a few months back is incredible. Anyway, I digress. I'll pick out my favorites and post them when I get home http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif
Em

[mightyh]

Here's a quick and easy Thai fish recipe. Serve with the coconut rice recipe that follows.

Fast flounder Thai Style
(2 servings)

1 shallot
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 inch length of ginger, peeled and chopped
1 scallion, cut into 1 inch slices
1/2 c. canned unsweetened low fat coconut milk
4 sprigs of fresh cilantro
1 tsp. Thai fish sauce
2 (6 oz.) flounder filets

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a 9X13 casserole with cooking spray.

Put all ingredients except flounder in blender and puree briefly. The mixture does not have to be completely smooth.

Place the flounder filets in the casserole and pour the sauce over the fish, using your hands to make sure all of the filets are completely coated. Bake on the center rack of the oven until the filets are just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Note: may substitute sole for the flounder, but reduce cooking time to 6 to 8 minutes

Coconut Rice
(4 servings)

1 15 oz. can unsweetened lowfat coconut milk
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1 clove garlic
6 sprigs of cilantro
2 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 c. rice

Put the coconut milk, onion, garlic, scallions, cilantro, ginger, and salt in the bowl of a blender and puree until just smooth. Transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan and add the broth and rice. Cover the pan and bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the rice is just cooked through.

[mightyh]

Here's another good one... more Chinese, though.

Wok-seared Tuna

Marinade:
2/3 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 1/2 Tb. sesame oil
2 tsp. sugar
2 quarter size coins fresh ginger, smashed
3 scallions, cut into 1 inch nuggets and smashed

1 lb. fresh tuna cut 1/2 inch thick then cut into 3 inch triangular steaks
oil for searing

Combine all marinade ingredients in a samll bowl and let stand for 5 minutes to infuse. Put the tuna in a small dish large enough to hold it snugly. Scrape the marinade on top and marinate for 15 minutes, turning the fish once or twice. Drain the tuna. At this point it may be selaed and refrigerated overnight. Discard the marinade.

Heat a wok or heavy skillet on high heat until hot enough to evaporate a bead of water on contact. Add some oil, swirl to galze the pan, and heat until nearly smoking. Add the tuna pieces, making sure not to crowd the pan. If all the pieces do not fit, clean the pan and repeat the process. Sear briefly until tuna is browned and a bit charred at the edge, 30 to 60 seconds. Turn to brown the other side, 15 to 30 seconds. For best flavor, tuna should be rare in the center. Remove to a wire rack, so tuna does not continue cooking. Serve hot or at room temp.

[anna]

I am reviving this old post hoping Emilycat will see it and suggest some of her favorite thai fish recipes that she mentioned posting. I still haven't tried any thai cooking, but want to learn. Thanks!

[emilycat]

Ohmygosh, I'm so sorry, Anna! (Insert embarrased smiley here)

I completely forgot...later tonight, I promise, I'll type some up for you.

Oh, did you ever try the Malaysian one I mentioned? It really is a wonderful dish.

Emily

[emilycat]

Okay, I lied again...I'm a master of procrastination http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

I really have too many to type them all up right now, but I'll write up the simplest ones first, since those are the ones you seemed most interested in.

Thai Fish Cakes (from Low-Fat Moosewood Favorites)

These spicy little cakes are traditionally served as an appetizer, but you may decide to make a meal of them. The recpe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed more people (or to feed more to the same number of people). You can make the mixture a few hours ahead of time and refrigerate it until you're ready to cook.
We prefer the crisper outer coating that results from our sotve-top method of cooking the fish cakes, but they can also be baked on a lightly oiled or sprayed baking pan at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes

1/2 pound skinless white fish, such as scrod
3 T. minced onions
1 egg white
1 T. Thai Curry Paste
1/4 t. salt
2 t. cornstarch, plus some for dusting hands
2 T. minced green beans (about 4 beans)
2 T. minced red bell pepper

*Commercial curry pastes may be substituted for homemade, but you may wish to reduce the amount used, since many brands are extremely spicy. We suggest that you begin with 1 t. and add more to taste

Combine the raw fish, onions, egg white, curry paste, salt, and cornstarch in the bowl of a food processor (or blender) and blend until well mixed but not totally smooth. Stir in the green beans and bell peppers.
Dust your hands with a little cornstarch to prevent sticking and form the mixture into eight patties. Lightly spray or oil a nonstick skillet and saute the cakes in two batches on medium heat for about 4 minutes on each side, until golden and cooked through. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 as an appetizer, 2 as a main course
Makes eight 2 1/2 inch cakes
Total time: 25 to 35 minutes

Thai Curry Paste

1/4 c. chopped scallions
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro, basil or Thai basil
2 T. minced garlic cloves
2 T. grated fresh ginger root
1 T. freshly grated lemon or lime peel or minced tender inner stalk of fresh lemongrass
1 T. brown sugar
1 or 2 fresh red or green chiles, minced
3 T. fresh lemon or lime juice
1 T. ground coriander
1 t. turmeric
1/2 t. salt

Combine all of the curry paste ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until quite smooth.

Southeast Asian Fish Rolls (From Low-fat Moosewood Favorites)

The herb-based filling for these succulent fish rolls is a classic combination of Asian seasonings

8 two- to four-ounce thin fish fillets, such as flounder or sole
1/4 c. fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
2 T. soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
1 t. grated fresh ginger root
3 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 t. freshly grated lime peel

Preheat the oven to 375.
Rinse the fish fillets, pat dry, and set them aside. In a medium bowl, mix together the lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, basil, ginger, cilantro and lime peel. Lay the filets, skin side up, on a cutting board or counter and spoon 1/8 of the filling onto one end of each fillet. Roll up each fillet and place the rolls close together in a nonreactive baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Serves 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Baking time: 20 to 25 minutes

Grilled Catfish with Hoisin-Peanut Sauce (From The Best of Vietamese and Thai Cooking)

Serves 4

2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 t. ground chile paste
1 t. vegetable oil
4 (8-ounce) skinless, boneless farm-raised catfish fillets
1 c. hoisin-peanut sauce

Garnish
5 dried black mushrooms, soaked in hot water 30 minutes, drained and thinly sliced
2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 T. roasted peanuts

Combine the garlic, chili paste and oil in a shallow dish. Add the catfish fillets and let marinate for 20 minutes. Meanwhiles, preheat the broiler or a grill to high heat.
Just before serveing, heat the hoisin-peanut sauce.(If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a little stock or water). Grill or broil the catfish fillets just until done, 5 or 6 minutes on each side.
Place the fish in the center of individual serving plates and carefully spoon the hoisin-peanut sauce on top. Do not cover the fish completely. Sprinkle with black mushrooms, green onions, and roasted peanuts. Serve with steamed vegetables and rice.

Hoisin-peanut sauce
Makes 2 cups

1 c. hoisin sauce
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
1/3 c. pureed or finely minced yellow onion
1 T. ground chili paste, or to taste
1 T. chopped roasted peanuts for garnish

Put first four ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Add a little water if too thick. Set aside to cool. Transfer mixture to a sauce dish and garnish with chili paste and chopped peanuts.

Spicy Garlic Shrimp with Kaffir Lime Leaves (From The Best of Vietnamese and Thai Cooking)

Serves 4

3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 T. chopped fresh cliantro
1/2 t. whole black or white peppercorns
3 T. vegetable oil
1/2 pound raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 small yellow onion, sliced
1 to 2 fresh Thai bird or any red chiles, chopped (optional)
2 t. fish sauce
1 T. oyster sauce
3 T. homemade unsalted chicken stock or water
1 c. bamboo shoots, boiled 5 minutes and drained
5 Kaffir lime leaves, cut into thin slivers
2 red ripe tomatoes, preferably Roma
fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish

Place the chopped cilantro, garlic, and peppercorns in a mortar and pound into a paste.
Heat the oil in a wok or fry pan over high heat. Add the spice paste and stir until fragrant, about 20 seconds. working quickly, add the shrimp, onion and chilies, and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the fish sauce, oyster sauce, chicken stock, bamboo shoots, lime leaves and tomatoes and stir-fry another 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Garnish with cilantro.

Grilled Salmon with Thai Basil Sauce (From The Best of Vietnamese and Thai Cooking)

Serves 4

Sauce
2 T. vegetable oil
1 t. minced garlic
1 t. ground chili paste
1 fresh Thai bird or any chili, chopped (optional)
1/2 c. fresh Thai basil, cut into thin slivers
1 T. soy sauce
2 t. fish sauce
2 T. brown sugar
1 1/3 c. homemade unsalted or canned low-sodium chicken stock
1/3 c. water
1 T. cornstarch

Salmon
2 T. vegetable oil
4(6-ounce) salmon fillets, skinned and boned

To make the sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan over moderate heat. Once hot, add the garlic, chili paste, and chili and let sizzle for 30 seconds. Add 1/4 c. of the basil and stir for another 20 seconds. Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, and chicken stock. Stir to dissolve and let mixture come to a slow boil. Reduce heat to very low and simmer for 5 minutes. Sauce should be slightly reduced.
In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch. Add cornstarch mixture to the sauce, 1 t. at a time, until the sauce is thickened just enough to coat a spoon. Remove from heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, preheat the broiler or a grill to medium high.
Just before serving, brush the additional oil on the salmon and grill or broil 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or to desired doneness. Remember, the fish will continue to cook even after you remove it from the heat.
To serve, arrange the salmon on a platter and drizzle with the sauce. Garnish with the remaining 1/4 c. basil.

I hope some of these work for you! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Em

[This message has been edited by emilycat (edited 02-07-2001).]

[This message has been edited by emilycat (edited 02-08-2001).]

[anna]

Wow- thank you so much Emilycat! I didn't realize you were having to input those manually - sorry to have asked that of you, but thanks a bunch and I'll let you know when I try some! Thanks again. Maybe someday I can return the favor!

[emilycat]

Oh, it's not a problem at all...as odd as it sounds, I sometimes enjoy typing http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif
Besides, I couldn't count how many recipes others have typed up for me! Ask away any time.

Emily

[L.Rose]

Emily,

Those recipes look truly delicious! I can't wait to try them out. I do have a question about kaffir lime leaves. There is an Asian grocery store in town that has them, but not always. The last time they had them, I bought a whole bag and stuck it in the freezer. I still haven't taken any of them out.

My question is, do you always use fresh, or have you tried it in other forms (frozen, dried, etc.)-- if you've tried the leaves in other forms, is the effect more or less the same?

I've tried lime peel as a substitute as some cookbooks suggest, but I don't think it's the same taste at all.

Thanks,
Rosa

[emilycat]

Rosa,

I haven't been able to find Kaffir lime leaves as of yet, so I don't have any personal advice to give, but the cookbook that calls for them is written by a Thai chef extraordinaire, and she says that that "if you are lucky enough to find them, stock up as they will keep for months in the freezer." So I'd say you're set with the ones you have!

Also, I wanted to add that I made the grilled salmon with Thai basil sauce last night and it was absolutely amazing...probably one of the best salmon dishes I've ever made. My guest devoured two servings!
Let me know if you try any! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Emily

[venus]

If you're having a problem finding Thai basil, it is often sold as Holy Basil. The Thai chef I used to work with would substitute Italian basil whenever neccesary. Thai basil isn't that much sweeter, it just tends to have a more pungent flavor.

I want to try these fish rolls. They look so good!

[browneye]

Gail,
Here is one that is probably not quite what you had, but it is very nice. It is quite fast cooking, too. Serve with Jasmine Rice. I always add hot red chile pepper flakes or Chile Paste with Garlic to this as well, cuz we like it HOT!

Pattaya Shrimp (Goong Pad Pong Gahee)
For two servings:

1/2 Pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 tblsp. oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. curry powder
2 Tblsp. fish sauce
1 Tblsp. oyster sauce
1 Tblsp. sugar
1/2 cup slivered red bell pepper
1/4 cup sliced shitake mushrooms
1/4 cup sweet basil leaves (Thai basil)
1/4 cup slivered onion
Heat oil in a large saute pan or frying pan. Add garlic and shrimp. Saute 1 minute. Add Curry, fish sauce, oyster sauce and sugar. Stir and saute until well mixed. Add the vegetables and basil, cook 2 minutes. Serve immediately with steamed Jasmine Rice.
Hope this helps.

[Gail]

Thank you, Browneye-- sounds good. No, it isn't quite what I had, but sounds worth trying just the same, as does Emily's recipe.

Thanks also for the link, L Rose. I'd checked SOAR before, but I went back just to be sure they hadn't added anything new. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Gail]

I'm going to sneak in a question here as long as I've hopefully got the attention of Thai food gurus...

Does anyone have any garlicky Thai recipes for either shrimp or lobster? One of my fondest memories of Thailand was a meal of river lobster I was served by room service at the Royal Orchid. It didn't have a noticeable sauce, nor was it surrounded by tons of veggies. But it was the most aromatic, succulent, DIVINE bit of heaven I can recall. I don't expect anyone to locate the exact recipe, but heck, I'd appreciate just about anything! I'm drooling all over the keyboard just remembering it.

[lorilei]

For those looking: I found a source recently for the Kafir lime leaves -- Thaigrocer.com.

They have fresh leaves 1 oz for $3.75
(just run a search for "lime leaves")

Fresh Kaffir Lime Leaves / 1 oz.
In Thai called 'Bai magroot'. Use them whole in soups such as Tom Yum, Tom Kha; and curries, as an aromatic ingredient not meant to be eaten. Or slice them into very fine, edible sliver. Either way, they add a wonderful flowerlike fragrance and taste. Kaffir lime leaves is one of the most important Thai herbs and spices which make Thai food different from other cuisine.


[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 02-08-2001).]

[Joyce]

I have a question too, is Thai basil the same as regular basil? And what type of chili do you suggest to replace the Thai bird?

[emilycat]

Joyce,

I also haven't been able to find Thai basil, so I've just been using the regular stuff, but this is what my book has to say about it:

Also known as anise basil, this herb is used extensively in Southeast Asian cooking and fortunately is becoming more easily available in the U.S. The Vietnamese love to tuck a few of thse sweet licorice-tasting leaves into their salad rolls, while te Thais throw cupfuls into their stir-fries.

As for the Thai bird chilies:
Both the Thais and Vietnamese love this special variety of chili. Slender and tiny (about 1 inch long), Thai bird chilies are extremely hot and flovorful. Available green and red, they are wonderful when smashed and added to dipping sauces and stir-fries. You may use any hot chili, such as serrano or jalepeno, as a substitute.

Also, Gail, I looked for a recipe like you described, but all I could find was the one that I already typed up for Spicy Garlic Shrimp with Kaffir Lime Leaves....it doesn't sound terribly similar to what you had, but I suppose if you're desperate... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Emily

[lorilei]

Joyce,
Thai basil is definitely different than sweet basil. It grows on purplish stems, topped with pretty, reddish purple flower buds. -- a good substitute is Anise basil or Licorice basil (sometimes sold as Thai Basil).

Also -- serrano chilies are a very good substitute for the thai bird http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Ah, emilycat, I see we were thinking along the same lines... at the same time!

[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 02-08-2001).]

[L.Rose]

Emily,

Thank you for the reassuring tip about the frozen lime leaves!

Gail,

This is my favorite site for authentic (I think) Thai recipes; they have many for shrimp:
http://soar.Berkeley.EDU/recipes/ethnic/thai/indexall.htm

Joyce,

Thai basil is different-- it's a lot sweeter. I have a Thai cookbook that advises to use "regular" (Italian?) basil as a substitute for Thai mint, not Thai basil. That having been said, I often use regular basil in place of Thai and enjoy the results, even if they're not exactly the same.

Unfortunately, I don't have the book with me, or I'd look up your second question. I don't know a thing about the chilis!

[This message has been edited by L.Rose (edited 02-08-2001).]