A wonderful recipe from our very first book.

“This Asian-style fish is what connects us to our new life in Australia – broadening our palates to embrace flavours from the East. This recipe combines Asian flavours with a method for cooking fish that we learnt while on holidays in Portugal many years ago.” – Cathy Milwidsky in ‘Monday Morning Cooking Club – the food, the stories, the sisterhood‘.

Asian-Style Snapper

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Mains

Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

The Sauce

2 tbsp peanut oil
3 whole limes juiced
1 lime, finely zested
1 stalk lemongrass (stalk) bottom third and tender leaves only, very finely chopped
1 knob ginger grated
1 bunch coriander stalks and roots only, cleaned and chopped
1-2 whole red chillies seeded and chopped
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
1 tbsp grated palm sugar or brown sugar

The Fish

2.5 kg whole snapper (or ocean trout, red emperor), butterflied
coriander leaves, finely chopped, to serve

Method

Put all the sauce ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan on the stovetop and simmer, covered, on a low heat for around 30 minutes, or until it thickens. If not using immediately, set aside until needed. Gently reheat before pouring over the BBQ'd fish.
Preheat a barbecue to hot. Put the fish on the barbecue, flesh side down, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until a crust forms on the underside. Using two large slides, turn the fish over so it is now cooking with the skin side down. Cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked at the thickest part. Place on a serving plate (you can remove the fillets from the bone, or serve on the bone) and while it is hot, pour over the hot sauce. Garnish with the coriander.
Note: You can substitute fish fillets for the whole fish if you prefer.