Baked Thai Style Fish

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 (4 lb) fish, cleaned, whole, with head (or 6 large fish fillets or 1 kg whole fish)
• 1 lb english cucumber (about 500 g)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons thai fish sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 -3 garlic cloves, chopped and crushed
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
• 1 hot chili pepper, seeds removed, chopped (or equivalent hot chili sauce)
• 3/4 cup green onions, finely chopped or 3/4 cup chives

Recipe

• 1 i give directions for oven-baking a whole fish, but you can just as well fry fish fillets in a skillet. never overcook! then serve with this sauce.
• 2 if possible, make the sauce the day before or earlier in the day, so the flavours develop, but i confess i always make it at the last minute.
• 3 do not boil the sauce -- heat gently.
• 4 make the sauce: coarsely grate the cucumber into a small pot, liquid and all, then stir in the rest of the ingredients given above.
• 5 use enough cucumber! the sauce is not really strong, just flavourful -- don't overdo the hot pepper! if in doubt, add a few drops of tabasco.
• 6 taste for seasoning, keeping in mind that fish and oyster sauces are salty, and their flavours become more pronounced on standing. cover and keep cool.
• 7 to prepare the dish, for a using a whole fish:.
• 8 heat oven to 425 deg f (210 deg c).
• 9 score fish on both sides by making 2 or 3 shallow cuts through the skin.
• 10 tear off a large piece of foil, large enough to enclose the fish completely and still leave space for steam.
• 11 spray the foil with a non-stick spray to prevent the fish sticking.
• 12 carefully put the fish on the foil (no salt) and close foil tightly, tent-like, so there is extra room for air to circulate.
• 13 when oven reaches the correct temperature, bake the fish for 30 minutes exactly. it will be done just right (really!) after 30 minutes.
• 14 keep the fish warm, and heat the sauce gently but do not cook. (or simply put the sauce in a dish, cover with foil, and put in a warming oven to heat up).
• 15 roll the baked whole fish carefully on to a warmed platter with the liquid that will have formed, and spoon over the sauce while hot.
• 16 (or use the sauce with fried fish fillets).
• 17 if there is too much sauce for the platter, serve the rest extra, in a small jug.
• 18 serve with jasmine or sticky rice, coconut-coated fried bananas, one sweetish veggie (pumpkin, butternut or sweet potatoes sprinkled with cinnamon) and a large salad of mixed greens.
• 19 don't forget the chilled wine!