Appetizer: Royal Catfish Enrobed with Coconut milk and Lemongrass

Ingredient for 4 servings

Paste

3 dried New Mexico chilies, soaked, seeded and deveined

1 tablespoon sliced lemongrass

3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

2 medium shallots, coarsely chopped

5 kaffir lime leaves, deveined and shredded

2 teaspoons peeled, coarsely chopped galangal

1/4 teaspoons shrimp paste

1/2 cup water

Other ingredients

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 catfish fillets

1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

4 kaffir lime leaves deveined and julienned

Preparation

To make the paste, put all the past ingredients in a blender and blend for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth. Then set aside.

Heat 1/4  cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Fry the fish until firm and golden brown, turning once every 6 minutes per side.   Set aside, covered to keep it warm.

In a second skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil.  Add 1/2 cup of the coconut milk and cook over medium high heat until the oil separates from the coconut milk.  Add the paste and cook for abut 2 minutes or until the aroma is release.  Add the remaining 1 cup coconut milk, fish sauce and sugar and cook for 5 minutes while stirring.

Remove from the heat and add the fish, spoon the sauce over the fillets to cover fully and allow to sit for 1 to 2 minutes.  Carefully transfer the fish and sauce to a platter.  Sprinkle the kaffir lime leaves over the top of the fish.  Serve over the rice for 4 people .

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