Perch with 3-Flavored Sauce Recipe

Perch with 3-Flavored Sauce Recipe

1 x 800 g perch, left whole

vegetable oil

15 g holy basil leaves

2 kaffir lime leaves, julienned

1 large red chili, julienned

lime or lemon wedges

3-Flavored Sauce:

1 coriander root, scraped and cleaned

1 x 1 inch piece turmeric, peeled

2 red bird's eye chilies

3 long red chilies, seeded

3 red shallots, peeled

1 teaspoon roasted shrimp paste

1½ tablespoons chopped lesser galangal

vegetable oil

200 g palm sugar, shaved

50 g tamarind

1½ tablespoons sea salt or fish sauce

100 g fresh pineapple, peeled and diced

Method:

To make 3-flavored sauce,  pound the coriander root, turmeric, chilies, shallots, shrimp paste and wild ginger in a mortar and pestle until a uniform paste is achieved.  Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the paste until crisp and fragrant.  Add the palm sugar and a tablespoon of water to help dissolve the sugar.  Keep cooking until the sugar caramelizes slightly, then add the tamarind, salt and pineapple and simmer for about 5 minutes to allow the pineapple to soften.  Keep warm.

Score the fish on both sides.  Heat the oil in a wok and deep-fry the fish until crisp.  Drain on absorbent paper, then transfer to a serving plate.  Fry the basil leaves in the oil until crisp.  Drain.  Pour the sauce over the fish and garnish with the crisp basil, lime leaves and chili.  Serve with steamed jasmine rice and fresh lime wedges.