Pla Rad Prik (Whole Fish with Crispy Chili)
A Thai showstopper: whole fried fish topped with a glossy, crunchy chili-garlic sauce. Crispy outside, tender inside, and explosively flavorful.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- 1 fish (about 1.5 lbs) whole white fish (sea bass or tilapia, scaled and gutted)
- ½ cup for frying plus 3 tablespoons for sauce neutral oil, divided
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar or brown sugar
- 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 6 peppers dried red chili peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- 1
Pat the fish dry inside and outside with paper towels, removing all surface moisture so it will crisp properly when fried.
- 2
Score the fish by making three shallow cuts across the thickest part of the body (the side), angling your knife diagonally and cutting only into the flesh, not through the spine.
- 3
Pour the flour into a shallow bowl or plate and mix it with 0.5 teaspoon of salt and 0.25 teaspoon of pepper.
- 4
Coat the entire fish—inside and outside—with the flour mixture, shaking off any excess so it sits in a thin, even layer.
- 5
Mince the garlic until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice, about the size of pencil-tip dots, and set it aside in a small bowl.
- 6
Pour 0.5 cup of neutral oil into a 12-inch skillet or wok and heat over medium-high heat until it shimmers and a small piece of fish skin sizzles immediately when it touches the oil, about 2 minutes.
- 7
Carefully slide the fish into the hot oil—it should sizzle loudly. Fry without moving it for 5–6 minutes until the underside is golden brown and crispy, checking by gently lifting the edge with a spatula.
- 8
Using two spatulas or fish turner and spoon, flip the fish carefully and fry the other side for 5–6 minutes until golden brown, again checking by lifting the edge to peek at the color underneath.
- 9
Transfer the fried fish to a serving plate lined with paper towels to drain for 2 minutes, then discard the paper towels before serving.
- 10
Pour 3 tablespoons of neutral oil into a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 1 minute.
- 11
Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds until it turns light golden and smells strongly fragrant—do not let it burn.
- 12
Add the halved chili peppers to the hot oil and stir for 20 seconds until they darken slightly and release their aroma.
- 13
Pour in the fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar, then stir with a spoon for 20 seconds until the sugar dissolves and everything is combined.
- 14
Pour the entire hot chili sauce—including the peppers and garlic—over the fried fish, covering the top and letting some drip down the sides.
Tools you’ll need
- paper towels
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- shallow bowl or plate
- 12-inch skillet or wok
- spatula or fish turner
- serving plate
- small saucepan
- spoon
- small bowl
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