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Thai · Dinner

Thai steamed fish with lime, garlic, and chile (pla neung manao)

Delicate white-fish fillets gently steamed over cabbage and finished with a vivid broth of fresh lime, garlic, chile, fish sauce, and cilantro.

About 35 minTotal
About 35 minActive
$$$Cost
EasyDifficulty
Makes 4 servings
Thai steamed fish fillets with lime, garlic, chile, fish-sauce broth, cabbage, cilantro, scallions, and jasmine rice.

Equipment

  • Use another covered 12-inch oven-safe skillet or transfer before the oven finish.

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 4 servings

  • 4 skinless white-fish fillets, 5 to 6 ounces each, such as barramundi, sea bass, cod, or snapper
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 4 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
  • 1 lemongrass stalk, tender lower portion thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 to 3 Thai chiles or 1 serrano chile, finely chopped, to taste
  • 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped palm sugar or light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • Cooked jasmine rice, for serving

Instructions

  1. Pat fish dry and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spread cabbage and lemongrass in a , add water and remaining salt, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

  2. Set fish in one layer on the cabbage so it sits above most of the liquid. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and steam 6 to 10 minutes without repeatedly lifting the lid, until the thickest part flakes and reaches 145°F.

  3. Meanwhile combine garlic, chile, lime juice, fish sauce, and palm sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then taste for a strong fresh balance of sour, salty, hot, and lightly sweet rather than a candy-like sauce.

  4. Transfer cabbage and fish to a warm shallow platter. Measure 1/3 cup hot steaming liquid and whisk it into the lime mixture, then spoon the broth around and partly over the fillets.

  5. Finish with cilantro and scallions and serve immediately with jasmine rice. Keep extra chile at the table so the fresh sauce stays lively without making every portion punishingly hot.

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