Thailand

Pla pao

Name: Pla pao
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 1 whole fish about 1 kg (tilapia or sea bass), scaled and gutted fish; 2 cups coarse salt for the crust mostly discarded salt; 1 to bind the salt egg white; 3 stalks bruised lemongrass; 5 leaves kaffir lime leaves (makrut lime leaves); 2 leaves knotted (optional) pandan leaves; 5 bird's eye chillies green chilli; 3 cloves garlic; Lemon juice, juice of 2 limes; 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce; 2 tsp sugar; a few sprigs coriander leaves (cilantro); 200 g thin rice noodles cooked rice noodles; 1 head leaves separated lettuce; Basil leaves, Thai basil; a handful mint leaves

A whole fish in a salt crust, grilled until smoky, eaten wrapped in lettuce. Thai market magic.

60 minTime

30 gProtein each

hotSpice

Fish in a salt coat2 chapters · 1 min read

Make it your way

Grandma's wayThai salt crusted grilled fish with herbs and nam jim.

The original

367kcalsame

30 gproteinsame

2 gfibresame

60minutessame

Pla pao.

Per serving, worked out from the ingredient table.

Ingredients

Fish1 whole fish, about 1 kg (tilapia or sea bass), scaled and gutted

Salt2 cups coarse salt for the crust, mostly discarded

Egg white1, to bind the salt

Lemongrass3 stalks, bruised

Kaffir lime leaves (makrut lime leaves)5 leaves

Pandan leaves2 leaves, knotted (optional)

Green chilli5 bird's eye chillies

Garlic3 cloves

Lemon juicejuice of 2 limes

Fish sauce1½ tbsp

Sugar2 tsp

Coriander leaves (cilantro)a few sprigs

Rice noodles200 g thin rice noodles, cooked

Lettuce1 head, leaves separated

Basil leavesThai basil

Mint leavesa handful

Method

5 steps

1Stuff the fish cavity with lemongrass, lime leaves and pandan.
2Mix salt with egg white and pack it thickly over both sides of the fish, leaving the head and tail.
3Grill over medium coals, turning once, until the crust is dry and charred and a skewer slides through easily.
4Pound chillies, garlic and coriander stems, then add lime juice, fish sauce and sugar.
5Peel back the salty skin and serve the flesh with noodles, lettuce, herbs and dip.

Serve it like this

Lay the whole fish on banana leaf, crust cracked open, with platters of noodles, lettuce, herbs and a bowl of nam jim.

Bloom picks tonight's dinner for your diet and allergies, then cooks it with you step by step.

Thailand

Pla pao

A whole fish in a salt crust, grilled until smoky, eaten wrapped in lettuce. Thai market magic.

60 minTime

30 gProtein each

hotSpice

Fish in a salt coat2 chapters · 1 min read

Make it your way

Grandma's wayThai salt crusted grilled fish with herbs and nam jim.

The original

367kcalsame

30 gproteinsame

2 gfibresame

60minutessame

Pla pao.

Per serving, worked out from the ingredient table.

Ingredients

Fish1 whole fish, about 1 kg (tilapia or sea bass), scaled and gutted

Salt2 cups coarse salt for the crust, mostly discarded

Egg white1, to bind the salt

Lemongrass3 stalks, bruised

Kaffir lime leaves (makrut lime leaves)5 leaves

Pandan leaves2 leaves, knotted (optional)

Green chilli5 bird's eye chillies

Garlic3 cloves

Lemon juicejuice of 2 limes

Fish sauce1½ tbsp

Sugar2 tsp

Coriander leaves (cilantro)a few sprigs

Rice noodles200 g thin rice noodles, cooked

Lettuce1 head, leaves separated

Basil leavesThai basil

Mint leavesa handful

Method

5 steps

1Stuff the fish cavity with lemongrass, lime leaves and pandan.
2Mix salt with egg white and pack it thickly over both sides of the fish, leaving the head and tail.
3Grill over medium coals, turning once, until the crust is dry and charred and a skewer slides through easily.
4Pound chillies, garlic and coriander stems, then add lime juice, fish sauce and sugar.
5Peel back the salty skin and serve the flesh with noodles, lettuce, herbs and dip.

Serve it like this

Lay the whole fish on banana leaf, crust cracked open, with platters of noodles, lettuce, herbs and a bowl of nam jim.

Bloom picks tonight's dinner for your diet and allergies, then cooks it with you step by step.

Pla pao

Make it your way

Ingredients

Method

Pla pao

Make it your way

Ingredients

Method

Make it a meal