Thailand

Pla Pao

Name: Pla Pao
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Thailand
Ingredients: 1 (600 g) Whole fish (e.g. sea bream); 200 g Coarse salt; 2 stalks Lemongrass; 4 Kaffir lime leaves; 2 tbsp Flour; to serve Thai chilli dip (nam jim)

Thai salt-crusted grilled fish

Pla pao is a whole fish encased in a salt crust and grilled over charcoal - a sight at every Thai night market.

The cavity is stuffed with lemongrass and lime leaves; the salt crust keeps the fish juicy and aromatic within.

Servings2

Time50 min

LevelMedium

Ingredients

Whole fish (e.g. sea bream)1 (600 g)
Coarse salt200 g
Lemongrass2 stalks
Kaffir lime leaves4
Flour2 tbsp
Thai chilli dip (nam jim)to serve

★ = available authentic in the Asia Boutique

Preparation

Gut the fish, stuff the cavity with lemongrass and lime leaves.
Mix the salt with a little flour and water into a paste.
Cover the fish all over with the salt crust.
Grill over charcoal or in the oven until the crust is firm.
Crack the crust, serve the fish with nam jim dip.

Make it original

Lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves for pla pao are in the Asia Boutique.

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