Ingredients
3-4 Mackerel fillets, 2-3 cm thick
3 red Asian shallots, finely diced
2½ tablespoons fish sauce
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ tablespoons sugar oil, for frying
150 ml coconut milk
3 cm knob of galangal, peeled and cut into thin strips
1 long red chilli, cut into 5 mm rings pinch of freshly ground black pepper, extra
4 spring onions, sliced
½ handful coriander sprigs
Summary
- Combine the mackerel with the shallots, 1 tbsp of the fish sauce and the pepper and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, put the sugar and 1½ tablespoons water in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and then cook until the sugar is a rich golden colour. Pour in 250 ml of water, standing away from the pan. When the spluttering has stopped, stir until the caramel sauce is smooth.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and brown the mackerel on both sides. Add the caramel sauce, coconut milk, galangal, chilli and remaining fish sauce. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat.
- Transfer the fish and sauce to a clay pot or casserole dish, cover and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for a further 4–5 minutes.
- Serve the fish in the clay pot, sprinkled with the extra pepper, spring onions and coriander, with a bed of white jasmine rice.
You can order organic galangal and ginger when in season, along with many other groceries from our webstore.
Hints and Tips
Recipe by Tracey Lister & Andrew Pohl in 'Vietnamese Street Food' blogged by social enterprise Streat. Available from Readings Bookstores.
Where can I get galangal? I see it in lots of yummy asian foods and lots of yummy-sounding recipes like this one… any hints?
Sorry Maria we haven’t been able to source certified organic galangal grown in VIC yet. It’s a typically tropical and sub-tropical plant, so it’s more likely than not that any you can buy in Melbourne will be from further afield. I would try your local green grocer or health food store (if it has a fresh produce section). We’re always on the lookout though, so if you do find a local organic supplier feel free to let us know. We try to stock what people request if we can get it 🙂 I’ve looked at some online forums and it seems you might be able to grow your own in warmer months if you have a warm spot spare. Hope that helps!
It says to combine sugar and water – how much sugar?
There is only: 1½ tablespoons sugar oil, for frying in the ingredients list
Hi Ashleigh, it doesn’t actually say does it. Based on the small amount of water I would try dissolving a couple of teaspoons, and add more if it isn’t sweet enough as it cooks down to a sweet caramel sauce. I’m sorry I don’t have this original recipe, so it is just a guess. If I come across this cookbook I will look it up for you and correct the post!