Jimmy Shu

Chilli baked reef fish

Ingredients

600 grams whole fish, gilled and gutted
1/2 litre peanut oil
10 dried red chilli
40 grams red onions, chopped
40 grams fresh garlic
30 grams fresh lemongrass
2 tablespoons coriander roots, chopped fine
1 teaspoon kaffir lime peel
1/2 tablespoon galangal
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Thai shrimp paste
1 1/2 tablespoons white palm sugar
7 tablespoons coconut cream 3 kaffir lime leaves, sliced thinly

Method

Cut the dried chillies into 1 inch lengths and boil in a little water for 15 minutes.

Drain and blend together with the onions, garlic, lemon grass, coriander roots, kaffir lime peel and galangal to form a paste.

Heat the oil in a wok and fry the fish first on one side for about 2 minutes and then the other for another 2 minutes.

Remove fish and place on paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Spoon most of the oil out of the wok leaving approximately 1/4 cup and continue to fry the blended ingredients for about 15 minutes.

Next add the fish sauce, salt, shrimp paste and the palm sugar.

When the mixture starts to boil add the 6 tablespoons of coconut cream and bring to the boil.

Remove from the heat and spoon over fish.

Bake in pre heated oven for approx 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread the last spoon of coconut cream over the fish.

Finally sprinkle the thinly sliced kaffir lime leaves over before serving.