Grilled Whole Red Snapper with Yellow Curry
This beautiful wild caught fish was simply salted, the cavity was stuffed with lime slices and cilantro leaves, then it was grilled. A quick, easy, and very tasty, warm yellow curry sauce was poured over the fish. Then it was finished with an herb mixture of shallots, radishes, chilies, cilantro, and Thai basil.
Ingredients
- 1 2- pound whole snapper scaled and cleaned
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil or Avocado oil
- 3 lime slices
- Handful of cilantro & Thai basil with stems
Curry
- ⅓ cup yellow curry paste
- 1 can coconut cream 400ml
- Zest of one lime
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
Salad
- 3 shallots thinly sliced
- 3 radishes thinly sliced
- 2 long red chillies thinly sliced (seeds optional)
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- ⅔ cup cilantro leaves
- ½ cup Thai basil leaves substitute basil or tarragon
For serving, optional
- Lime wedges
- Jasmine rice
Instructions
- Preheat the grill on medium-high heat (about 400F)
Prepare the Snapper
- Pat dry the fish with paper towels. Then using a sharp knife, score three lines in the thickest part of the fish, repeat on both sides.
- Brush both sides of the fish with the oil and season both sides plus inside the cavity with the salt. The oil will help crisp up the skin and prevent it from sticking on the grates.
- Stuff the cavity with lime slices, cilantro and basil leaves. Then using butchers’ twine, securely tie the fish closed to keep the limes and cilantro from sliding out.
Grill the Whole Red Snapper
- Place the fish on the preheated, clean and well-oiled grill grate. Grill until golden, orange/brown, about 10 minutes. Using a fish or wide spatula, carefully turn the delicate fish over, close the lid and continue grilling until just cooked through, about 10-12 to minutes more or until the flesh is opaque and easily flakes with a fork.
- While the fish is cooking make the curry and salad.
- Cooking times may vary depending on the size of the fish, so keep a close eye on them to prevent overcooking. Let the fish rest for 5 minutes.
Make the Curry
- Combine the curry paste, coconut cream, lime zest, brown sugar, and fish sauce in a 2-quart saucier (or saucepan) over medium heat on the grill. Cook, stirring, for 7-8 minutes or until fragrant and beginning to thicken. Keep warm over very low heat until ready to serve.
Make the Salad
- Combine the shallots, chilies, radishes with the rice wine vinegar and stir to combine. Add the cilantro and basil leaves just before serving, toss to combine.
Assemble & Serve
- When the snapper is ready, place it on a platter and drizzle some of the warm curry sauce over the fish. Sprinkle with some of the salad mixture and serve with lime wedges, rice, the warm sauce and remaining salad mixture. We also grilled some broccolini along with some calamari and bathed it in the same curry and salad mixture.
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Video
Notes
Tips
For buying a whole red snapper: Look for clear, bright eyes, shiny and firm skin, and a vibrant red colour. Gills should be clean and red, not slimy or discoloured. Check for a clean, ocean-like smell – it should not have a strong fishy odor. The flesh should be resilient when pressed and bounce back. If possible, buy from a reputable fishmonger to ensure freshness.
Grilling a whole red snapper: Place the fish on the preheated, clean and well-oiled grill grate to prevent sticking. Oil the grates just before grilling. Grilling a whole fish can be intimidating, to make grilling easier, you can place the fish on a griddle, in a fish grill basket or use foil to create a makeshift “boat” to hold the fish while grilling.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!