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Pla pao (salt-crusted grilled fish)
Pla pao (ปลาเผา): whole fish packed in salt, stuffed with lemongrass and pandan and grilled over charcoal
Walk through any night market from Chiang Mai to Hat Yai and you will see rows of whole fish, white with crusted salt, grilling slowly over charcoal with lemongrass stalks poking out of their bellies. The salt shell keeps the flesh steaming in its own juice, so it comes out moist, clean-tasting and scented with lemongrass and pandan. People peel back the skin and eat the fish wrapped in lettuce with rice noodles, herbs and a fierce lime and chilli dip. Chef's tip: pat the fish completely dry before salting; a wet fish lets the crust slide off in the first five minutes.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
For the fish
- 1 whole sea bass or tilapiaabout 800 g, gutted and scaled, fins trimmed
- 3 lemongrassstalks, bruised and cut in half
- 3 pandan leavesknotted
- 4 kaffir lime leavestorn
- 4 slices galangal
- 9 oz coarse sea salt
- 3 tbsp water
For the dip
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp coriander leaveschopped
To serve
- 5 ½ oz rice vermicellicooked and drained
- 1 head lettuce leavesseparated
- 1 handful mixed herbsmint, Thai basil, coriander
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Light a charcoal barbecue and let it burn down to medium-hot embers, or heat the oven to 425°F.
20 minStep 2: Pat 1 whole sea bass or tilapia very dry inside and out. Stuff the cavity with 3 lemongrass, 3 pandan leaves, 4 kaffir lime leaves and 4 slices galangal.
Step 3: Mix 9 oz coarse sea salt with 3 tbsp water to a damp, packable crust. Press it thickly all over both sides of the fish, leaving the stuffed belly open.
Step 4: Grill the fish 15 cm above the embers, or on a rack in the oven, for 15–18 minutes a side, turning once carefully with two spatulas, until the crust is dry and browned and the flesh near the backbone is opaque and flakes easily when tested with a knife.
35 minStep 5: Meanwhile pound 4 cloves garlic and 6 green bird's-eye chillies to a coarse paste, then stir in 4 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tsp sugar and 2 tbsp coriander leaves.
Step 6: Peel away the salty skin and serve the fish with 5 ½ oz rice vermicelli, 1 head lettuce leaves, 1 handful mixed herbs and the dip, so everyone wraps their own bites.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 45 g
- Carbs
- 43 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pla pao (salt-crusted grilled fish) take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 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 garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
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