Salt-Crusted Grilled Fish | Pla Pao | ปลาเผา
This salt-crusted grilled fish recipe results in slightly salty and perfectly tender pieces of fish every time.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 pound whole white fish (such as red snapper or tilapia)
- 2 stalks lemongrass
- 4 kaffir lime leaves
- 1/2 cup coarse sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1-2 red Thai peppers
- 1 head butter leaf lettuce
- 6 ounces khanom jeen (or somen noodles)
- Fresh herbs including Thai basil (mint, and/or cilantro)
Instructions
- 1
Wash your dressed fish. Cut shallow diagonal lines into the flesh on each side.
- 2
Cut the lemongrass into 3-4" long pieces and then cut each piece in half. Bruise each half with a knife. Tear the lime leaves into halves by removing the middle vein.
- 3
Stuff the cavity of the fish with the bruised lemongrass and torn kaffir lime leaves. Seal the cavity with toothpicks, if needed.
- 4
Completely coat the outside of the fish with sea salt. Grill over low to medium heat until the fish is cooked through but still moist.
- 5
While the fish is grilling, prepare your accompaniments. Make the dipping sauce by mixing all of the sauce ingredients together. Boil the khanom jeen noodles for 3 minutes or according to package instructions. Wash your lettuce and fresh herbs.
- 6
Once the fish is done, peel off the salty outer skin to reveal the moist inner flesh. Serve by placing a piece of fish on top of a lettuce leaf, adding some khanom jeen noodles and fresh herbs. Drizzle a spoonful of the dipping sauce on top, wrap, and enjoy!