Thai Barbequed Fish

Originally posted by Phil Hartcher in the Grilling Forum on 5/26/05

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This is a fantastic recipe that I have done may times. The secret of cooking fish as handed down from generation to generation in my family is "do not overcook it". By cooking the fish wrapped and sealed in aluminium foil you retain all the moisture. If you leave it wrapped in the aluminium foil until you serve it, the latent heat will finish cooking it and keep it hot and moist.

Instead of the 4 fish you can just do a single big fish if you like - just make sure it is sealed in the aluminium foil completely:

Thai Barbequed Fish
Fish
4 whole fish (1 per person, head off, 350 – 450 grams)(1 lb)
4 stalks lemon grass
1 medium onion finely sliced
4 kaffir lime leaves (finely chopped)
1/2 cup coriander leaves (finely chopped)
1/2 cup sweet basil leaves (finely chopped)
2 Thai chillies (finely chopped)
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
Juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons palm sugar (or brown sugar)
pinch of salt
4 oiled sheets of Aluminium foil (big enough to double over and then wrap each fish in)

Split lemon grass stalks lengthways, cut in half and bruise to release flavour. Place 2 pieces of lemongrass in the centre of a doubled over sheet of oiled Aluminium foil. With a sharp knife make 3 deep cuts across the fish on both sides and place the fish on top of the lemon grass. Mix kaffir leaves, coriander, basil, chilli, garlic, limejuice, fish sauce, palm sugar and salt together and spoon the mixture over each fish. Arrange onion slices on top and wrap fish making sealed aluminium foil packages.
After you have prepared the fish, preheat the Q for 10 minutes on medium heat. Place the fish with the spice side down and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes with the lid down. Gently turn the fish parcels taking care not to puncture the aluminium foil. Cook for a further 5 minutes with the lid down. Remove and let stand for 5 minutes in the aluminium foil before serving. Serve with Thai Potpourri Sauce (recipe below), coconut rice and a crisp Chardonnay.

Thai Potpourri Sauce

1 stalk lemon grass
4 kaffir lime leaves (finely chopped)
1/3 cup coriander leaves (finely chopped)
1/3 cup sweet basil leaves (finely chopped)
2 Thai chillies (finely chopped)
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons palm sugar (or brown sugar)
pinch of salt

1 can coconut milk

Place all the ingredients in a blender and pulse on medium speed for 30 seconds or until well blended.
Place in a stainless steel or non-reactive saucepan and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. The sauce may be thickened to a desired consistency by gently adding a slurry of 2 teaspoons of corn flour mixed with an equal amount of water.

Recipes prepared by “The Gourmet Cabernet” alias “Captain Cook”

Captain Cook

Life is a Cabernet

Looks like a great recipe. I love the taste of Kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass. What fish do you you usually use? Snapper, Tilapia.....? Have you tried it wrapped in banana leaves?

I use any fish that is not oily and has firm flesh. It is best with a whole fish. Snapper is a great choice or any fish that is similar in shape and texture would be good.
I have not tried banana leaves for this. They are too hard to get in Melbourne. The secret with this dish is to ensure that the fish is completely sealed, this way it retains the moisture.

I betcha this would be good with rainbow trout...i might have to pick some up at costco tonight to give it a try!

jason

Phil, how do you prepare your coconut rice?

Jason

The easiest way is tell GLW (good lady wife) to make it.(LOL)
However if you must make it yourself just add 1/2 a tablespoon of dessicated coconut or 1/2 a tablespoon of fresh ground coconut flesh for every cup of rice grains and cook the rice as you would normally. - Best to let GLW do it - that's kitchen responsibility not BBQ. (I sure hope she doesn't read this!)
Rainbow trout is best hot smoked. I don't know if you have them in the USA, down under we hav a device called a fish smoker which is best described as a rectangular box with a lide inside of which is a wire tray sitting about half way up. The box sits on a spirit burner. You put sawdust in the bottom of the box, your fish with a rub on the rack, lid on, light the burner which makes the sawdust smolder and smoke. The lid keeps the heat in and 10 - 15 minutes later Voila smoked fish.

I made my own out of a Galvinised Iron tool box about 20" long and use a portable gas burner to fire it up. I fillet or butterfly the trout. I make a rub out of equal parts of brown sugar and ground up sea salt. I apply this liberally to the fish and let it marinate for 15 minutes then smoke it for 12 minutes. It is the best smoked fish you will ever try (well maybe.)
To make the sawdust I just throw a bit of red gum or fruitwood on the wood lathe amnd catch all the shavings. My mate uses a router (when he can't borrow my lathe), it works just as well.

Cheers.

Thanks Phil.. i do have one of those boxes, they are very useful for smoking small pieces of salmon, trout or even a chicken... I have made hot smoked trout, and it is great!

Made your recipe last night with a salmon fillet, turned out quite good, even though i overcooked the salmon! Next time i think i'll brine it first, to try and get more moisture and salt in the flesh. Otherwise the spices on it were great!

jason

Jason
Because you are only doing fillets and not whole fish you will need to reduce the cooking time. Also reduce the heat and ensure the package is completely sealed. Make sure you do it with the skin lemon grass on the skin side and do 1/3 of the cook time with the flesh down first then finish off with the skin side down. I would suggest 7 1/2 minutes minutes - 2 1/2 on the flesh side and 5 on the skin side. If you do it again let me know the outcome.
I developed and perfected the recipe for the Weber Q for small whole fish on a medium heat. (I turn the Q down to 3 1/2 strokes below high.)
If you give me the results of your trial withn the heat setting etc I can add it to the recipe.

I am trying to develop some recipes for the Weber Q with an international and typical Australian flavour. Winter has just started here but I cook on the Q about 3 nights a week and am always trying new recipes or variations of ethnic dishes Q style.