Thai Steamed Fish with Lime and Chili
Delicate white fish steamed in a fragrant lime and chili broth that doubles as a sauce. Ready in under 20 minutes with minimal cleanup and maximum Thai flavor.
- Total time
- 18 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 165
- Protein
- 28g
Ingredients
- ¾ lb white fish fillets (halibut, cod, or flounder)
- 2 whole lime
- 1 whole red chili, fresh
- 3 whole garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- ¾ cup water
Instructions
- 1
Slice 1 lime into thin rounds, about 1/8 inch thick, by cutting crosswise perpendicular to the length of the fruit.
- 2
Juice the remaining lime by cutting it in half and pressing each half hard against a citrus juicer or fork over a small bowl until all liquid drains out.
- 3
Slice the red chili lengthwise from tip to stem into thin strips, about 1/16 inch wide, leaving the stem attached.
- 4
Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots.
- 5
Pour 0.75 cup water into a 10-inch skillet and place it over medium-high heat until you see small bubbles rising rapidly from the bottom and steam rising from the surface, about 3 minutes.
- 6
Stir the lime juice, fish sauce, and minced garlic into the hot water and let it bubble gently for 30 seconds so the flavors blend.
- 7
Lay the fish fillets flat in the simmering broth, spacing them about 1 inch apart, and place the lime slices and chili strips on top of each fillet.
- 8
Cover the skillet with a lid or aluminum foil and reduce the heat to medium-low so the liquid simmers gently without boiling over, about 1 minute to adjust heat.
- 9
Steam the fish until the thickest part flakes easily when you press it with a fork, about 8 to 10 minutes—the flesh should turn from translucent to opaque white.
- 10
Use a wide spatula or fish server to carefully lift each fillet from the skillet and transfer it to a shallow serving bowl.
- 11
Ladle the hot broth, lime slices, and chili strips from the skillet over the fish in the bowl, dividing them evenly between servings.
Tools you’ll need
- 10-inch skillet with lid or aluminum foil
- small bowl
- citrus juicer or fork
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- wooden spoon for stirring
- wide spatula or fish server
- shallow serving bowls
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