Thai Drunk Fish

This recipe packs the fresh taste of Thai herbs which make it is so refreshing!  Careful when making this one, as I have managed to catch the stove on fire a couple of times with oil (gas stove).  Trust me, this will be your next favorite fish recipe ever!

Ingredients: 

1 cleaned whole fish, such as talapia, rainbow trout, sea bream, snapper, or other white fish

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. or more fresh lime juice

1/2 cup white flour

1 to 1 1/2 cups canola, sunflower, or other oil

garnish: tomato and cucumber slices, plus handfuls of fresh basil and cilantro 

Sauce:

6 cloves garlic
juice of 1 lime (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 tsp. white or black pepper
3-4 green onions, sliced
1/2 loose cup fresh cilantro (including stems)
3 Tbsp. fish sauce
3 Tbsp. palm or brown sugar
4-5 lime leaves, sliced into slivers
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup coconut or other good-tasting oil
1-2 red chilies, or 2-3 tsp. chili paste (Thai)
2 Tbsp. water

Instruction: 

Rinse the fish and pat dry. Using a sharp knife, make 3-4 slightly diagonal cuts along each side. Squeeze about 1 Tbsp. of lime juice over the fish, then sprinkle with salt. Repeat on both sides. Set aside while you prepare the sauce.

Place all sauce ingredients in a food processor and process until you have a beautiful bright green paste-like sauce.

Taste-test the sauce, adding more fish sauce if not salty enough, more sugar if too sour, or more chili/chili sauce if not spicy enough.

Pour sauce into a sauce pan and set aside until later. Spread flour over a plate or other clean surface. Then dredge the fish in it, turning until it's well coated. Set fish beside the stove, with tongs and a paper towels.

Pour enough oil into a large frying pan (large enough for the fish) so that oil is about an 1 inch deep. Turn heat on high. When you see bubbles forming on the bottom of the pan. When hot enough, carefully place fish in the oil. Careful, if there is any liquid on the fish it could pop when you add the fish! Turn the heat down to medium, or just above medium. Allow fish to cook at least 3 minutes per side before turning, this will set the skin from sticking. Depending on how thick your fish is, it will take 8-12 minutes to cook. The fish is done when the skin is golden-brown and the flesh inside the cuts is white and opaque.

Turn off the heat and remove fish from oil. Set it on the paper towel to drain and crisp up. Meanwhile, place sauce over medium heat for a minute or two - just until warm enough to serve. Note: If you boil the sauce, you will lose its fresh flavor!

To serve, place fish on a large platter, and surround it with the sauce. Garnish with slices of tomato, cucumber, plus a few sprigs of cilantro and basil. Enjoy while hot as it cools very quickly!

The herb green sauce.