Steamed Fish with Lime and Garlic (Pla Neung Manao)

1Preparation

1. Rinse and dry the fish and make 3 diagonal cuts down to the bone on each side.
2. Rub the fish with the salt and stuff the belly with the lemongrass.
3. Mix the garlic, chilies, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar until the sugar dissolves.

2Cooking

1. Bring water to a boil in the base of a steamer and set the fish on a heatproof dish in the steamer basket.

   🔥 high heat⏱ 5 min timer
2. Cover and steam until the flesh is opaque and lifts easily from the bone at the deepest cut.

   🔥 high heat⏱ 16 min timer
3. Meanwhile, bring the stock to a boil, then pour it over the lime-garlic mixture and stir.

   🔥 medium heat⏱ 3 min timer

3Serving

1. Move the fish to a serving platter and pour the hot sauce over it.
2. Top with lime slices, celery and coriander and serve at once with jasmine rice.

💡 Tips & common mistakes

• Common mistake: pouring the sauce on too early, which dulls the garlic and turns the flavour bitter. Pour it on just before serving.
• No steamer? Set the dish on a rack inside a wide covered pot of boiling water.
• The sauce should be clearly sour first, then salty, then hot, with just a hint of sweetness.

🔁 Substitutions

• Sea bass: grouper or another whole white fish of the same size, or white fish fillets steamed for just 8 minutes.
• Celery: green onion.