Thai-Style Fried Fish, 'Pla Jian'

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This is another simple traditional treatment for fish: this time it is deep fried. The recipe includes some minced pork: this can easily be omitted. It is included in this case only to reproduce the traditional taste, as in the past this dish was deep fried in pork fat, which transferred the pork flavor to the fish. Today it would more typically be fried in vegetable oil, hence the small quantity of pork.

Equally traditionally this dish is deep fried in a wok and you should use at least a 20" wok

The fish is normally fried with the head on.

You need a small-to-medium flat fish (pomfret, flounder, ...), cleaned and with the sides slashed for the marinade to penetrate.

Ingredients

Marinade

1 tablespoon chopped garlic
3 ounces minced pork (optional, see above)
1 small carrot, julienned
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 tablespoons dried shiitake mushrooms, sliced (soaked for 15 minutes before slicing)
1-2 teaspoon yellow bean sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
1 teaspoon palm sugar
4 tablespoons fish stock or you may use our chicken stock
2 tablespoon chopped onion
1 tablespoon sliced red jalapeno pepper
1 teaspoon Thai pepper powder

Method

Mix the marinade, rub into both sides of the fish, and leave it to stand, covered in a cool place, in the marinade for at least an hour.

Remove the fish from the marinade, and allow it to drain. Transfer the remaining marinade to a small saucepan and add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, one tablespoon of sliced jalapeno, and one tablespoon of grated ginger. Simmer to reduce to a sauce like consistency.

Heat enough oil to deep fry the fish in a suitable pan over medium heat, and slide the fish into the hot oil, turn once, and cook until the fish is cooked through. Serve on a platter, pouring the reduced sauce over the fish.

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