Ingredients

Serves 4


1 whole fish (snapper or similar), about 500-700gr
½ cup plain flour
1litre oil for frying (peanut or similar)
500ml McCormick Thai Cuisine Stock
½ cup spring onions, sliced finely on the diagonal
½ cup coriander leaves
¼ cup finely shredded ginger
1 red chilli, finely shredded (use more chilli if you like it hot)
4 tsp cornflour, mixed with enough cold water to make a thin paste

 

 

Method


Cut 2 or 3 slashes through to the bone on both sides of the fish. Coat with flour on both sides, shaking off any excess.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan until it reaches 180°C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 30 seconds). Carefully lay the fish in the pan and deep fry for about 5 minutes. Turn carefully and cook on the other side for a further 5 minutes. Remove and drain well on kitchen paper.

Heat the stock until boiling and thicken with cornflour.

Place fish on a suitable serving platter and scatter spring onions, coriander, ginger and chilli evenly over the top.

Pour over the hot stock and serve immediately with steamed rice.


Notes
You could definitely make the stock for the sauce for this dish from scratch (using lots of ginger, lemongrass, garlic and chilli in a chicken stock), but this commercial stock is an acceptable time saver.

You could also steam the fish if you don?t like the idea of deep frying.  It would probably take about 25 minutes.  Alternatively you could use fillets and either fry, grill or steam them. I like to use a whole fish and deep fry as the presentation is quite spectacular.


Deep Frying Tips
Proper temperature is important for best results. Use a deep-fry thermometer in fryers that don't have a temperature guide. Thermometer should be placed in fryer at the start of frying.

If a deep-frying thermometer is not available, use this simple test to see if the fryer has reached the correct temperature: Fry a one-inch square of bread for one minute. If cube browns, the temperature will be about 180ºC.

Actual heating time for oil in a deep fryer may vary with the brand of fryer. Plan on a minimum of ten minutes.

Follow manufacturer's directions to determine the correct amount of oil to use, as deep fryers vary in size. Do not fill fryer over halfway. But for best results, do not skimp on the amount of oil. There should be enough to cover food and permit easy movement.

Setting temperatures too low can result in greasy foods. Outside will not brown quickly enough to form a crust that will prevent entry of oil.