Dried Kingfish
Submitted by pbutter72
Sun-dried butterflied kingfish fried until golden and crisp, served with a tangy Thai green mango salad dressed in fish sauce, lime, and palm sugar. Sour, salty, and crunchy in every bite.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minThis is Thai street food at its most elemental. A whole kingfish gets butterflied, scored, and dried in strong sunshine until the flesh firms up, then deep-fried to a shatteringly crisp golden finish.
The real magic is the accompanying salad. Thinly sliced shallots, shredded green mango, and hot chilies get tossed in a dressing of fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar where sour leads the way. That bright, punchy relish cuts right through the rich fried fish.
It’s bold, it’s unapologetic, and it hits every flavor note Thai cooking is famous for.
Pro Tips
- Sun-drying is traditional, but if sunshine isn’t cooperating, you can air-dry the butterflied fish uncovered in your refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours. The dry cold air does the same job.
- The fish must be thoroughly dry before it hits the oil. Any lingering moisture means splattering oil and soggy skin instead of crunch.
- Green mango is key to the salad. It should be firm, tart, and unripe. Ripe mango will be too sweet and too soft for this dish.
- Balance the dressing so sour dominates, with salty and sweet playing backup. Taste as you go and adjust the lime and fish sauce until it makes your mouth water.
Ingredients
Directions
Wash, clean and butterfly the fish leaving the two sides joined along the belly.
Open the fish out flat so that the skin is downward, remove the bones, and score the flesh with a knife.
After allowing it to dry, lay the fish opened out flat in strong sunshine for five to six hours, turning regularly so the sun strikes both the skin side and the interior.
Pour the oil into a deep frying pan and place on medium heat.
When the oil is hot, place the fish, still opened out, in the oil.
When the lower side becomes crisp and golden, turn the fish and continue frying until it is done on both sides; then, remove from the pan, drain, place on a serving dish.
Toss the shallots, mango and chilli together, seasoning with fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar so that a sour taste is the predominant one.
Spoon into a bowl and serve with the fish.
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