Description
This Thai Lime‑Garlic Steamed Fish features delicate white fish fillets gently steamed with a fragrant sauce of fresh lime juice, garlic, and chiles, finished with vibrant cilantro and scallions. It’s light, healthy, and packed with bright Thai flavors.
Ingredients
- 2–3 white-fleshed fish fillets (cod, sea bass, snapper, or tilapia)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1–2 fresh chiles (Thai bird’s eye or serrano), sliced
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce (optional)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar or palm sugar
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 scallions, sliced
- Optional garnish: sliced red chili, lime wedges
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together lime juice, lime zest, garlic, chiles, fish sauce, soy sauce (optional), brown sugar, and oil. Taste and adjust for balanced tangy, salty, sweet, and spicy flavors.
- Place fish fillets in a heatproof dish suitable for steaming.
- Steam fish over simmering water (in bamboo steamer, wok, or pot) for about 7–10 minutes until opaque and just cooked through.
- Immediately pour the lime‑garlic sauce over the hot fish, allowing residual heat to warm and slightly wilt the aromatics.
- Top with chopped cilantro and scallions. Add optional sliced chili or lime wedges.
- Serve immediately with jasmine rice to soak up the flavorful sauce.
Notes
- Use firm, white-fleshed fish fillets for best results with steaming.
- Prepare the lime-garlic sauce ahead of time and pour over the fish just before serving.
- Adjust chiles to control heat—remove seeds for milder spice.
- Steam shrimp or scallops similarly, reducing cook time to ~5 minutes.
- No steamer? Place dish on a rack in a pot with a little water, cover, and steam gently.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fillet
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 560mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
