Serves: 4 // Prep: 25min // Cook: 15min
Ingredients
Whole baby snapper
1 stalk lemongrass (give it a good whack to release flavour)
Plain flour for dusting (approx. 1C)
2T Danny Balboa's Season Segal
3-4cm ginger cut into matchsticks
Vegetable oil for frying
A Handful of coriander leaves, red chilli and bean sprouts to serve (make sure you save the coriander roots) White rice
Sauce
1 red chilli finely diced
4 spring onions, finely sliced
3-4cm ginger cut into matchsticks
4 cloves garlic crushed
1⁄4C sesame oil
2T soy sauce
1T brown sugar
Squeeze of lime
1⁄2C chicken stock
1 stalk lemongrass (another good whack here)
1⁄2t each salt/pepper
Sides
2 Lebanese cucumbers roughly diced
1T soy
2T coconut vinegar (find this at any Asian grocer, or substitute with white vinegar)
2 tomatoes roughly chopped
1⁄2 red onion finely diced
1T fish sauce
Method
1 Prep your fish first by stuffing it with a stalk of lemongrass and half your coriander
(make sure you have removed the roots first) and seal it shut with a metal skewer.
Score both sides of your fish in the fleshiest part by cutting 3 lines on each side deep
enough to go through the skin and just into the flesh. Mix together flour and Danny Balboa's Season Segal before lightly dusting your fish, shake off excess and set aside.
2. To make your sauce set a saucepan over medium heat and start by frying off all your
aromatics (chilli, shallots, ginger, garlic). Give them 5min before adding the rest of your
ingredients, including those coriander roots you set aside earlier. Let this gently simmer while you prep your sides.
3. Place your chopped tomatoes and cucumber in 2 separate bowls and season both with salt and pepper. For the tomato add your red onion and fish sauce and for the cucumber use the vinegar and soy. Stir both well and set to the side.
4. In a large wok pour in enough vegetable oil to be able to submerge your fish. Make
sure it is banging hot (350F) before you put your fish in otherwise it won’t crisp up. For
this baby snapper, it will take approx. 5min each side, so once one side is done, flip that
sucker over. If any of your fish doesn't quite reach the oil you can use a ladle to scoop
the hot oil over it.
5. When that fish is golden and crispy, lift it out and let any excess oil drain before
placing it on your serving platter. Chuck your ginger into the oil to crisp up (this will
only take 1-2min so keep a really close eye on it).
6. Top your fish with a mix of coriander, bean sprouts and sliced red chilli before
sprinkling with that crispy ginger. Drizzle with your sauce (making sure you removed
those coriander roots) and serve with white rice and your tomato & cucumber salad