Dinner · 35 min · thai

Pla Rad Prik

Whole sea bass does the heavy lifting here, with dried chilies rounding it out. A Thai dinner that takes 35 minutes, start to finish.

Ingredients

• 2 lb Whole sea bass
• 10 Dried chilies
• 6 Shallots
• 6 cloves Garlic
• 3 tbsp Tamarind pulp
• 2 tbsp Palm sugar
• 3 tbsp Fish sauce
• 1/2 cup Thai basil

Steps

1. Score the fish three times per side, pat very dry, and fry whole at 350°F for 8 minutes until the skin crisps and the flesh flakes — dry skin is the difference between crisp and soggy.
2. Pound the chilies, shallots, and garlic to a coarse paste; fry in oil 4 minutes until darkened and intensely fragrant.
3. Stir in tamarind, palm sugar, and fish sauce; simmer 5 minutes into a thick, brick-red sauce that balances hot, sour, sweet, and salty.
4. Set the crisp fish on a platter and pour the bubbling sauce over the top — it should sizzle on contact.
5. Shower with Thai basil and serve immediately; the sauce softens the crust within minutes, so timing matters.
6. Present the fish whole at the table for maximum drama, then portion with two spoons.
7. Rad prik means “poured with chili” — the sauce is ladled, never cooked with the fish.

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