Whole Sea Bass in Thai Curry Broth

Ingredients

• 3 stalks lemongrass
• 3 kaffir lime leaves
• 15 g ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 shallots
• 3 red chilies
• 4 organic limes
• 2 star anise
• 0.5 cinnamon stick
• 3 cardamom pods
• 3 tbsp Fish sauce
• 2 tbsp palm sugar (15 g each)
• 0.5 bunch cilantro (10 g)
• 400 ml coconut milk
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2 sea bass fillets (about 1 kg each; ready to cook)
• 100 ml Vegetable broth

Instructions

1. 1.

   For the Thai spice paste, clean and wash lemongrass, remove the dry top half, cut the rest into large pieces. Wash and pat dry kaffir lime leaves. Peel and roughly chop ginger, garlic, and shallots. Halve chilies lengthwise, deseed, wash, and chop coarsely. Squeeze juice from 2 limes. Crush star anise, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pods in a mortar.

2. 2.

   Blend the spices with lemongrass, lime leaves, ginger, garlic, shallots, chilies, lime juice, fish sauce, and palm sugar in a tall mixing bowl using an immersion blender until smooth. Wash half of the cilantro, pat dry, roughly chop, and mix into the curry paste with coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper.

3. 3.

   Wash the sea bass fillets inside and out, pat dry, and make parallel shallow cuts on both sides of the skin. Place fish in a roasting pan, rub about two‑thirds of the paste onto each side. Wash another lime hot, dry, grate, slice into rounds, and place inside the cavities of the fish. Stir remaining curry paste with vegetable broth and pour over the fish. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C (180 °C fan) on the middle rack for 20–30 minutes.

4. 4.

   Meanwhile, wash another lime hot, dry, grate, and cut into wedges. Wash remaining cilantro, pat dry, finely chop leaves. Add both to the fish before serving.