Ingredients
- 1-1.5 lbs fish fillet (eg. tilapia, basa) sliced into 2-inch wide strips
For the fish marinade:
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ginger grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsps shallots minced
- ½ tsp white pepper (or black pepper)
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsps neutral oil eg. vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Other ingredients:
- 1 bunch fresh dill
- 2 yellow onions cut into wedges
- 3-4 scallions cut into 3-inch segments
- roasted salted peanuts
- nước mắm *see recipe notes
Instructions
Marinate the fish:
- In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the fish marinade: fish sauce, granulated sugar, ground turmeric, grated galangal (or ginger), minced garlic, minced shallots, white pepper, salt, neutral oil and cornstarch. Mix well.
- Add the fish fillet pieces to the marinade mixture, ensuring each piece is coated evenly.
- Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
Cook the fish, the onions, scallions and the dill:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the marinated fish pieces in a single layer, ensuring they are not overcrowded. You may need to cook in batches.
- Pan-fry the fish pieces until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the fish to a separate plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet or wok, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil if needed. Heat over medium heat. Add the finely minced yellow onions to the skillet and sauté until golden brown and translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add the chopped fresh dill to the skillet and sauté for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Return the cooked fish pieces to the skillet with the sautéed onions and dill. Gently toss to combine and heat through for about 1-2 minutes.
Serve:
- Serve hot with rice noodles on the side and lettuce.
- Garnish with crushed roasted peanuts and herbs (eg. mint), and drizzle with nước mắm.
Notes
For the nước mắm, combine and mix ¾ cup of water with 4 tbsp white granulated sugar, 4 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon, 6 tbsp fish sauce and 2 cloves of garlic (minced).