Description
A vibrant stir-fry combining tender fish with fresh herbs for an explosion of flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 350 g halibut (or another firm-fleshed fish), skin on preferably, cut into large cubes
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cilantro roots or 6 cilantro stems
- 1/4 teaspoon white peppercorns
- 1–3 Thai chilies, to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped mild red chili pepper (like spur chili)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup water or unsalted chicken/pork stock
- 1/3 cup julienned grachai (fingerroot), loosely packed
- 1 Tablespoon young green peppercorns, picked and discard the stem
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves
Instructions
- Marinate the fish: In a bowl, combine the halibut cubes with 1/2 tablespoon of fish sauce. Let it marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Make the herb paste: In a mortar and pestle, pound together minced garlic, cilantro roots (or stems), white peppercorns, Thai chilies, and spur chilies. Aim for a rough paste but with a little texture to enhance the bite.
- Heat the wok: Pour a drizzle of vegetable oil into a wok over medium heat. Once hot, add the herb paste and sauté for about 2-3 minutes until fragrant and golden.
- Cook the fish: Raise the heat to high, toss in the marinated fish, and give everything a good mix for about 1 minute.
- Add flavors: Pour in the remaining fish sauce, sugar, and a splash of water or stock. Toss everything together to combine.
- Incorporate grachai and peppercorns: Add the julienned grachai and young green peppercorns. Toss again, cooking the fish undisturbed for about 4-5 minutes until it’s cooked through. Flip halfway to ensure even cooking.
- Adjust consistency: If the mixture appears too dry, add a little more water or stock to keep it juicy.
- Finish with Thai basil: Once the fish is cooked, remove from heat and toss in the Thai basil leaves until just wilted.
- Serve: Plate the stir-fry over jasmine rice or your grain of choice and enjoy the burst of flavors!
Notes
Don’t overcrowd the wok; cook in batches if necessary for best results.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stir-frying
- Cuisine: Southeast Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 375
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 60mg