Thai Steamed Fish in Garlic and Lemon Sauce

Craving for some Thai food? Why not try this easy Thai steamed fish in your kitchen? It needs just a few minutes of cooking time and a handful of basic ingredients. You just can’t go wrong with this one. 

Jump to:

• Why Make the Thai Steamed Fish?
• Ingredients For the Recipe
• How to Make the Thai Steamed Fish?
• Thai Steamed Fish in Garlic and Lemon Sauce

Why Make the Thai Steamed Fish?

Walk into any restaurant that serves authentic Thai food, and order their Pla kapong neung manao and you’ll be served a nice steamed fish topped with a runny sauce of some of the most flavorful ingredients like garlic, lemongrass, red chilies, and more! 

The dish is really a treat for your taste buds, and despite having so many flavors, it is still quite well balanced. 

And that’s exactly what this recipe is about! Here’s how you can replicate the Thai steamed fish in your kitchen. 

Ingredients For the Recipe

The beauty of this recipe is that you’ll just need a handful of basic ingredients to achieve these seemingly complex flavors. Here’s what you’ll need. 

For the fish

• Basa (fillet): 3-4
• Fish sauce: 2 tbsp
• Brown sugar: 1 tbsp
• Garlic: ½ tbsp
• Lemongrass (chopped): 1 tbsp
• Kafir lime leaves (shredded)
• Galangal (sliced): 1 tbsp
• Thai red chilies (whole): 2-3
• Sesame oil

For the sauce

• Oil: 1 tsp
• Garlic: 2 tbsp
• Spring onions (chopped): 2 tbsp
• Soya sauce: 1 tbsp
• Thai fish sauce: 1 tbsp
• Brown sugar: 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice: 1 tbsp

How to Make the Thai Steamed Fish?

Ready with your ingredients? Here’s the step-by-step process of making the steamed fish. 

In a bowl, add the fish fillets along with all the other ingredients mentioned under fish. Give it a good mix and steam the fish until it is cooked.

In a small pan, add oil. Next, add the garlic and spring onions. Fry them for about 30 seconds. 

Next, add the fish sauce, soya sauce, and brown sugar and mix. 

Once the sugar starts to dissolve, add the lemon juice and mix. 

Place the steamed fish on a plate and pour the prepared sauce over it. 

Serve hot with rice.

Can I Store This For Later?

Unfortunately, this isn’t one of those recipes that you can make and store for later. Steamed fish tastes best when served right away, and if you do refrigerate or freeze it, it won’t have that perfect texture and taste to it that you’re hoping for when you reheat it. 

You can, however, prepare the sauce in advance, and store it in the refrigerator. Then, all you have to do is steam the fish and put the sauce and fish together to complete the recipe. 

Just remember to use an airtight container or a glass jar to store the sauce, to preserve its freshness. 

Can I Use Another Kind of Fish?

While using a Barramundi is your best bet, you can definitely try and replicate the dish with other kinds of fish too. Just make sure you pick a kind of fish that has a mild flavor and white flesh. Tilapia and sea bass are two good alternatives you could opt for. 

Most Thai restaurants may serve the entire fish, but you can just stick to the fillets if you find prepping the entire fish too much work. 

Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe

Ready to get into your kitchen and try this out? Here are a few additional tips and tricks to keep in mind to nail the recipe. 

• While steaming can be an excellent healthy way to cook and serve fish, there is a chance it may all go horribly wrong if you don’t focus on the cooking time. Depending on the size of the fish fillets you’re using, the steaming time can range anywhere between 10-25 minutes. 
• To check for the doneness of the fish, slightly press a fork into the center of the fillet or the fish. If the fish is done, it should feel firm and soft to touch, and of course, it should turn white in color too. 
• If you want to make the sauce runnier, you can throw in a little chicken stock and let it simmer for a few minutes. This will also lend a bit more flavor to the sauce. 
• If you don’t have brown sugar, you can use any other natural sweetener you prefer. Palm sugar and honey are two good options. 
• If you’re using a whole fish, stuff the cavity with some lemongrass and kaffir lime leave before you steam it. This will help the fish get a more intense flavor. 
• If you don’t have a steamer, you can set up a quick makeshift steamer yourself by simply putting together a double boiler situation on your stove. Remember to cover the fish with some aluminum foil- this will help keep all the juices and flavors concealed nicely within the fish. Just make sure that the fish doesn’t come in contact with water. 

Serving Ideas & Suggestions

Ready to put this incredibly flavorful fish on the plate and serve? Here are a few cool ideas to get you going! 

• In most Thai restaurants, you’ll find this served on a bed of Chinese celery, but if you don’t have it, you can just place the fish on a nice elongated serving tray and drizzle the sauce around it. 
• The easiest, foolproof way to serve the Thai steamed fish is with some freshly steamed Jasmine rice. The rice can help soak up all the delicious sauce and make it a complete meal. To make it look extra fancy, you can also sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds on the top. 
• You can also go the extra mile and whip up a complete Thai spread of Thai drunken noodles, some Thai fried rice, and complete it with some iced tea. 
• The fish also tastes great when paired with some Thai green papaya salad on the side. The crunchiness of the salad can be a nice difference in texture and can really take the dish to the next level.  
• Don’t forget to top the dish generously with some chopped coriander leaves and lime slices for some extra freshness.