Dish of Fish with Herbs
(click to enlarge)

Fish with Herbs


Burma - Kachin
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 2 main
***
1 hr
Part		 A delicious dish of fresh water fish, with plenty of flavorful herbs, especially good for warm summer days. It cooks very quickly, and is also very healthful with little oil and all fresh ingredients.

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Fish Fillets (1)
-- Paste
Chili, green (2)
Garlic
Ginger Root
Salt
-- Herbs
Rau Ram (3)
Culantro (4)
Scallion Greens  
Chili, green (5)
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Water
Lime Juice
Oil (6)
Salt
-- Serve with
Lime Wedges
Prep   -   (35 min )
  1. Prepare FISH as required. Cut into about 1 inch cubes. Catfish and Tilapia can both be skin-on.
  2. Prepare PASTE:   Chop all Paste items small. Run in a Mini-Prep food processor or pound in a mortar - or process and then pound for best texture.
  3. Massage Paste into Fish and set aside.
  4. Prepare HERBS:   Measures are coarsely chopped and moderatey packed, except Chilis which should be chopped fine. Mix all.
  5. Squeeze Lime Juice and cut Lime Wedges.
Run   -   (20 min)
  1. In a wok or spacious sauté pan, place Fish with all it's flavoring paste, Water and Lime Juice. Cover and bring to a boil for just a couple of minutes until Fish is cooked through.
  2. Stir in Herb mix and cook another minute.
  3. Stir in Oil and Salt.
  4. Serve hot with Lime Wedges.
NOTES:

  1. Fish:

      Kachin State is at the top of Burma, between India and China, so fresh water fish is in order for this recipe. The pattern recipe suggested Carp, Tilapia and Pickerel. I used Asian Catfish, which is popular with all the river peoples - BUT - I consider the Swai fillets sold in practically every fish department in California Unsuitable! They have been prepared with great skill to have almost no fish flavor at all. I buy Asian Catfish frozen as whole fish minus head and guts, and cook them skin-on. If you can't get those, you're far better off with American Channel Catfish or Tilapia. The first suggestion, Carp, is a problem. While outright delicious, and the most heavily farmed fish in the world, Americans haven't learned to deal with the thread bones that are found through the flesh. For details, see our Varieties of Fish page (very large page).

  2. Green Chilis:

      The patern recipe calls for "2 green Cayenne chilis", but no such thing is available in North America (and what is a "cayenne chili" is uncertain). I suggest 2 Thai Green Chilis, or 1/2 a Serrano. For details see our Thai Chilis page.

  3. Rau Ram:

      This is an important herb in Southeast Asia. For details see our Rau Ram page. The Asian markets I shop at always have Rau Ram - except the day I needed it for this recipe. I used Watercress.

  4. Culantro:

      [Sawtooth Herb]   This herb from the Americas is now very important in Southeast Asia. It can be found in markets serving an Asian or Latin American community. Fresh Cilantro is a defective substitute, but as close as you're going to get. For details see our Culantro page.

  5. Green Chilis:

      Again, the patern recipe calls for "2 green Cayenne chilis", but no such thing is available in North America (and what is a "cayenne chili" is uncertain). I suggest 1 whole Serrano. For details see our Thai Chilis page.

  6. Oil:

      The pattern recipe calls for Peanut Oil, which is popular in Burma, but Pure Olive Oil (not Virgin) will work fine.
  7. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch tt=to taste ar=as required
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