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Mok pa
Herb fish steamed in banana leaf
Mok pa (ໝົກປາ): Lao herb fish steamed in banana leaf
Mok pa is cooked all over Laos, from Vientiane's riverside markets to village kitchens near the Mekong, where freshwater fish is the everyday protein. Chunks of white fish are mixed with a paste of lemongrass, shallot, garlic and chilli, a handful of dill and lime leaves and a spoon of sticky rice flour, then wrapped in banana leaf parcels and steamed until set and fragrant. Eat it with sticky rice and raw vegetables. Chef's tip: soften the banana leaves by passing them briefly over a flame or into hot water; they fold without cracking.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the paste
- 2 stalks lemongrasstender part, finely sliced
- 3 shallotschopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- ⅓ oz galangal or gingersliced
For the parcels
- 1 ⅓ lb firm white fish fillets (tilapia, catfish or cod)cut into 3 cm chunks
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 egg
- 1 large handful fresh dillchopped
- 3 spring onionssliced
- 4 lime leavesvery finely shredded
- 4 large sheets banana leavesor baking paper and foil
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Pound or blend 2 stalks lemongrass, 3 shallots, 3 cloves garlic, 2 red bird's-eye chillies and ⅓ oz galangal or ginger to a coarse paste.
8 minStep 2: Mix the paste with 1 ⅓ lb firm white fish fillets (tilapia, catfish or cod), 2 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp glutinous (sticky) rice flour, 1 egg, 1 large handful fresh dill, 3 spring onions and 4 lime leaves. Keep in the fridge while you prepare the leaves.
5 minStep 3: Wipe 4 large sheets banana leaves and soften them by passing over a gas flame for a few seconds or dipping in hot water. Cut into 25 cm squares and layer two per parcel.
8 minStep 4: Spoon a quarter of the fish into the centre of each, fold in the sides and ends to make a neat packet, and pin closed with 8 toothpicks. A common mistake is wrapping too loosely; juices leak and the fish dries out.
8 minStep 5: Steam over boiling water for 20–25 minutes until the parcels are firm. Open one: the fish should be opaque and flake easily, and the mixture set. Rest for 2 minutes and serve in the leaves with sticky rice.
25 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mok pa take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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