This recipe is from Aliya Zarei as part of the Massachusetts Seafood Ambassador Program led by Eating with the Ecoystem.
Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the fish:
· 1 whole black sea bass
· ½ cup corn starch & ½ cup rice flour (rice flour is optional but it gives nice, lighter crispy batter. If not using rice flour, increase amount of corn starch)
· Salt
· Oil for deep frying
For the Thai salad:
· Your choice of fruits/veg i.e. young papaya, cucumber, carrot, young mango. I used half of young papaya in this recipe
· Sugar (palm sugar if you have, otherwise mix brown and white sugar) - adjust according to your preference. I used one small cube of palm sugar.
· 2 cloves of garlic
· 3 hot chili peppers (or sub with pepper flakes). Feel free to reduce or increase amount accordingly
· 1 tablespoon fish sauce - adjust according to your preference
· Juice 1.5 limes - adjust according to your preference
· 1 shallot
· Your choice of herbs, such as Thai basil or Italian basil, mint, cilantro, dill
· Optional: 1 tablespoon chopped peanuts, fermented fish sauce, ½ tsp dried shrimp or anchovies
Directions
For the fish:
Score both sides of the fish (deep, all the way to the bones) - this will help fish cook evenly. Generously season with salt and then lightly coat with flour mix. Carefully slide fish into hot oil (don’t worry if the fish is slightly bigger than your pan/wok, just be sure to tilt the pan/wok and baste those uncovered areas with hot oil). Use a tong and wide/large spatula to carefully flip fish. Cook the fish for about 15-17 minutes in total or until golden and crisp.
For the Thai salad:
Julienne and thinly slice your choice of fruits/veg i.e. young papaya, cucumber, carrot, young mango etc. Use a pestle & mortar to pound sugar, garlic and pepper. Once sugar is crushed, add the rest of the ingredients and pound them together (lightly, only to bruise and release the flavors and tomato juices, we are not making a paste). If you don’t have a pestle and mortar, you can simply chop the aromatics (shallot, garlic, hot chili pepper or sub with pepper flakes) followed by mixing the seasonings (sugar, fish sauce, lime juice) before adding the veggies in and let them rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Assembly:
Serve fish overtop Thai salad. Optional: sprinkle with chopped peanuts, drizzle with fermented fish sauce and dried shrimp or anchovies.
These recipes are brought to you as part of the Massachusetts Seafood Ambassador program led by @eating_with_the_ecosystem. The program is made possible by funding provided by commercial fishermen of MA from permit fees at no additional cost to the fishermen via @massmarinefisheries Seafood Marketing Grant Program.