Unlike some who dislike eating fish due to its smell, l simply love a good plate of steamed fish for meal! It's probably because I have always been blessed with eating fresh, tasty fish from young as my parents are truly experts in picking the freshest fishes from market (Plus the fact that my grandma was a fishmonger too).
Steaming fish and dressing it with Thai flavours is one of my favourite cooking methods. But if you don't like to eat fish, here's a quick and easy recipe using prawns instead. The dish delivers sour, sweet, spicy, garlicky flavours which one is most familiar with Thai food.
Let’s get started.
Serves 3 -4
Ingredients
10pcs fresh sea prawns
Pinch of salt and pepper
Dash of corn starch
For the sauce :
1/2 cup good chicken stock (fresh preferred)
1 Tbsp finely chopped palm sugar or white sugar
4 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp fish sauce
4 gloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 chili padi to taste, finely chopped
1 red chilies to taste, finely chopped
Handful of cilantro, chopped
Handful of spring onions and basil leaves, chopped
Few sprigs of mint leaves (optional)
Direction
Marinate the prawns for 20 mins. Prepare a pot and steam the prawns over high boiling water for about 7- 9 minutes.
In a saucepan, heat the chicken stock until it comes to a boil, and then toss in the sugar, reduce heat, and boil until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour the mixture into a bowl and set aside.
Mince the garlic, chilies, and cilantro, and mix into the chicken stock soup, along with fish sauce and lime juice. Stir gently and then taste test. Make sure it's sour, and balanced with a hint of sweetness.
When the prawns are fully steamed, transfer it to a serving plate. Gently scoop on all the sauce over the prawns, putting most of the garlic and chilies on the top of the prawns. Garnish with the cliantro, spring onions, basil and mint leaves.