In this article, I will share my method of preparing a Thai-inspired steamed fish recipe, which I modified from the recipe we used in my previous restaurant. This Thai steamed fish recipe is easy to prepare and has a unique flavor quite different from other steamed fish recipes, especially Chinese ones.

The key to this recipe is the sauce, which comprises a blend of saltiness, sweetness, sourness, and spiciness. The good news is that making this dish is relatively straightforward, and no complicated techniques are involved. All you need is to have all the ingredients ready and follow the step-by-step instructions below, and you will make it just like those served in Thai restaurants.

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1. Get all the ingredients required for steamed fish Ready

Always choose fresh fish for steaming. In Asia, we prefer using the whole fish.

However, you can also use fish fillets if you prefer. In our previous restaurant, we used fish fillets since the setup was cafe-style.

I will use the local siakap (Barramundi fish) for this recipe, but tilapia,  snapper, catfish, and other white fish are also common. Since cleaning the fish is tedious, I always recommend asking your fishmonger to remove the guts and gills to save time and effort when cooking the fish.

• Stock. I use chicken broth instead of plain water to make the sauce.  You can use fish broth if you have, but I have plenty of homemade chicken broth.
• Lime juice. The sourness of the sauce comes from lime. To get the best taste, always use freshly squeezed lime juice and avoid ready-made lime juice sold in the bottle. In Malaysia, we usually use the bigger variety of lime available in the market, as we need quite a fair bit of lime juice. If you don’t have lime, you can use fresh lemon juice as a substitute, although the taste will be slightly different.
• Fish sauce. Fish sauce is the main seasoning ingredient in Thai cuisine, combining anchovies with salt and sugar. It is saltier than Chinese light soy sauce and is sold in most Asian grocery stores and larger supermarkets. It is a staple ingredient in Thai cuisine, like light soy sauce for Chinese cooking. While I used Squid brand fish sauce, you can use any brand available in your area.
• Palm sugar. For this recipe, sugar is necessary to balance the sourness of the lime juice. Palm sugar is preferred due to its unique aromatic flavor, but substitute it with white or brown sugar if unavailable.
• Garlic. Garlic can effectively remove the fishy smell of seafood, making it an excellent choice for steaming fish. I use one head of garlic for a fish weighing around one kg. It may seem like a lot, but it’s just the right amount to create a perfect balance with the other ingredients in the sauce.
• Chilies. The spiciness of the sauce comes from the chilies. We use bird’s eye chilies (cili padi), about two to three inches long. They are quite spicy compared to larger chilies. They come in red and green varieties, with the red ones slightly spicier than the green ones. As I cannot tolerate too much spiciness, I prefer green ones. If you want it to be even less spicy, substitute them with larger red chilies, which are less spicy.
• Coriander. For this steamed fish recipe, the final ingredient is coriander. I am referring to the stems and leaves of coriander, not the seeds. Coriander has two uses in this recipe. Firstly, the stem and the coriander roots are finely chopped and mixed into the sauce for an aromatic smell. Secondly, the fresh coriander leaves are used for garnishing.

Note: 

Thailand is a neighboring country of Malaysia, so Thai food is very popular in Malaysia. When we made Thai fish in our cafe, we added some local ingredients besides lime juice to enhance the sourness. We included some tamarind juice (Asam Jawa). Our customers highly appreciated the tamarind’s unique flavor. However, I am not adding it to this recipe, as it might not be available in certain places.

2. Steps to steam the fish

You do not necessarily need to buy a steamer to steam fish. A steamer may not be large enough to hold a big fish.

A stainless steel wok with a lid is the best tool, as it can hold the entire fish. Simply bring some water to a boil in the wok and place a steamer rack or a trivet inside. If you don’t have a steamer rack, place two chopsticks parallel to each other just above the water’s surface to support the plate.

1. After cleaning the fish, make three diagonal incisions at the thickest part of the fish on both sides. This step will increase the surface area to let the sauce’s flavor penetrate the flesh.
2. This Thai steamed fish recipe is incomplete if you do not infuse the flavor of lemongrass into the fish. Insert the bashed lemongrass into the fish’s cavity before steaming, and only use the white part of the lemongrass to get the best results. However, if you are steaming a fish filet, you won’t be able to insert the lemongrass. In that case, you can finely chop the white part of the lemongrass and mix it into the sauce to maximize the flavor.
3. Place a chopstick on the steaming tray, and put the fish on top for the best streaming result. The purpose of placing a chopstick beneath the fish is to provide some space to let the steam pass through the bottom side so that the fish’s top and bottom will be steamed evenly.
4. Steam the fish over medium-high heat. The cooking time may vary, but typically, it takes about 8 to 10 minutes to steam a 1 kg fish. The best way to check whether the fish is done is to open the lid and use the chopstick to lift a part of the flesh of the fish. The fish is cooked if it is no longer translucent and the flesh becomes flaky. Overcooking should be avoided as it can toughen the flesh of the fish.

3. Prepare the flavorful Thai-style sauce

The second part of the recipe involves preparing the Thai-style sauce. Here are the steps:

1. Bring a small pot of chicken broth to a boil. 
2. Add sugar to the hot broth and stir until it is fully dissolved. 
3. Chop garlic, chilies, and coriander stems and add them to the pot. Cook for 15 seconds. 
4. Finally, add fish sauce and lime juice.

Note: Do not cook the lime juice, which can turn bitter.

4. How to serve Thai steamed fish

1. Once the fish is cooked, remove it from the steamer.
2. Discard the water from the steaming plate as it has a fishy smell.
3. Place coriander leaves on the serving plate and put the fish on top. You can either leave the lemongrass stalks inside the fish cavity or remove them.
4. Drizzle the sauce on top of the fish.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves, lime twists, and chopped red chilies. You may also add some spring onions to garnish.
6. Serve with steamed jasmine rice, which is the best.