Whole fish braised with lemongrass, chilli and turmeric root

Pink tilapia fish with fresh curry paste, wrapped  in turmeric leaf

This meal is possibly the best 80 baht that I have spent this week.
That rounds out to about $2.60, and as a Saturday brunch it was beyond compare. If one dish with sticky rice and morning glory could be described as an orgiatic feast, this could possibly be it.
We used pink tilapia - a freshwater fish with no fishy taste - and softy white flesh. This would be awesome with snapper, grouper, blue eye cod, sweetlip, red emperor, coral trout or the usual premium white fish suspects.


This is another simple recipe that is easily achieved if you decide to plant a couple of turmeric roots in your garden or make a quick trip to the Asian market.


Ingredients:
1 each Whole Pink Tilapia or similar meaty white fleshed fish
1 stalk lemongrass, smashed
1 each Turmeric leaf for wrapping
1 cup water

To make fresh curry paste
12 cloves of fresh Garlic
1 tsp Salt flakes
7 grams/ 1 dsp Turmeric root, fresh, peeled
10 each Dry red chillies
1 stalk Lemongrass, fresh, thinly sliced

1. Pound the curry paste ingredients together in a mortar and pestle until you have a paste
2. Split the fish open along the back on one side, butterfly one fillet open only so it can be stuffed. see pictures. Don't fillet it fully. The bones add flavour and you're going to leave some anyway unless you are a pro.
3. Remove the guts and discard them, feed them to the cat, or mail them to a friend. Up to you. Be generous with your imagination. If you like Pro Hart, you can even chuck them at some canvas and then open an art gallery, but you don't need them for this recipe (thank God!)
4. Spread the fine-smelling, salubrious curry paste combo onto the inside of the fish as pictured.
5. Lay the other stalk of lemongrass on top. Just cut in in half or quarters and smash it a bit first to break the fibres and release the flavour into the fish as it cooks.
6. Close fish, lay it on a turmeric leaf, and fold the leaf over the top to wrap it inside.
7. Put into a saucepan with a little water only. About a cupful / 250ml is fine.
8. Put the lid on, and simmer GENTLY until cooked.

There you go - the tastiest fish you've had in ages.
I got the lions share for brunch today - but you end up cleaning the plate anyway and mopping up the delicious sauce. Guaranteed.
Not having enough can actually cause family feuds, so make sure you are generous with the amount you make.
Health benefits of turmeric: This wicked, memorable root is considered to be an anti-inflammatory, it fights infection and also helps settle the stomach.
I believe it also brings one close to orgasm if my experience eating it today was anything to go by. You could marry this dish!