Australian snapper is a soft, delicately flavoured fish but it stands up well to these robust Thai flavours and lends itself well to baking.
Preheat your oven to 190ºC (375ºF). Take the cleaned and gutted whole fish, season with salt and pepper and stuff the cavity with ½ a cup of fresh holy basil (Thai basil) leaves. Heat some peanut oil in a large fry-pan over high heat until smoking then quickly brown the snapper for approximately 30 seconds on each side. Place the fish in a roasting pan and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of fish sauce. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the flesh flakes easily. Meanwhile add some more peanut oil to the same frypan over medium heat. Stir in 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of minced fresh ginger (or galangal if available), 2 small sliced red chillies and 1 seeded and diced red or yellow pepper. Cook for a few minutes until the pepper has softened. Stir in 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons of water and 2 seeded and diced tomatoes. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat until thickened to your liking. Pour the sauce over the snapper and garnish with extra holy basil leaves. Serve with steamed rice.
*recipe by Chili Spice on allrecipes
michelle picker cooks 