Cá lóc nướng (Grilled Lemongrass Fish)

Fire-charred skin, crispy and aromatic, hiding incredibly delicate white flesh. The scent of grilled lemongrass and reduced fish sauce hits you instantly.

• Prep time: 25 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 948
• Protein: 53 g
• Carbs: 56 g
• Fat: 56 g

Ingredients

• 800 g Pangasius hypophthalmus ( whole gutted )
• 3 piece lemongrass ( minced bulbs )
• 2 piece Garlic ( minced cloves )
• 2 piece Shallot ( finely diced )
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp Brown sugar
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 4 tbsp Peanut oil
• 2 piece Spring onion, sauté/poêlé sans matière grasse ( sliced )
• 50 g Peanut ( roasted and crushed )
• 1 piece Thai chili optional ( minced )
• 800 g Snakehead fish

Instructions

1. Preparing the marinade

   Finely mince lemongrass, garlic, and shallots. In a mortar, pound them with brown sugar, turmeric, and chili until a paste forms. Stir in the fish sauce.

2. Scoring the fish

   Score the fish skin diagonally every 3 cm. Rub the lemongrass paste generously over the fish, ensuring it enters the slits so flavors penetrate the flesh.

3. Grilling

   Place the fish on a very hot grill. The skin should blister and char slightly in spots. Flip carefully when the flesh starts to turn opaque at the edges.

4. Making Mo Hanh

   Heat oil in a small pan until shimmering. Pour instantly over the sliced scallions. It should sizzle immediately.

5. Finishing and plating

   Brush the hot fish with the scallion oil. Sprinkle with crushed peanuts. The flesh should flake off in large, moist chunks with a fork.

Chef's tips

• Only flip the fish once to prevent the skin from sticking to the grill.
• If using rice paper to serve, don't soak them too long: they should be pliable but not gummy.

Storage

Best consumed immediately after cooking to maintain the skin's crispiness.