Ingredients

Fish

• 6 medium or 9 small trout fillets, pinbones removed and scaled
• 3 tbsp Thai sweet chilli sauce
• 1 tbsp peanut oil

Sauce

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4 large red or green chillies, seeds removed and chopped finely
• 2 tbsp. coriander stem, finely chopped
• 2 cm ginger, chopped finely
• 2 tbsp. peanut oil

• 3 tbsp. palm sugar or brown sugar
• 2 tbsp tamarind water*
• 3 tbsp Thai fish sauce
• juice of 1/4 lime
• 2 tbsp. water

Deep Fried Herbs

• 4 red shallots, sliced & deep fried
• 2 garlic cloves, slice and deep fried
• 2 kafir lime leaves, shredded
• 2 tbsp holy or normal basil leaves, deep fried
• 1 tbsp coriander leaves, deep fried

Method

• Sauce: Pound the garlic, chillies, coriander and ginger in a mortar and pestle or place in a food processor and blender and blitz it briefly so that you have a rough paste. Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the paste until it is aromatic. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve.
• Fish: Preheat a grill to moderate-high Mix the sweet chilli sauce and peanut oil together. Slice each trout fillet in half widthwise. Brush both sides of the trout fillets lightly with the sweet chilli mixture. Place the trout fillets skin side up on a foiled grill tray and put under the grill. Cook the trout fillets for 3-5 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden (be careful as the trout fillets will burn easily). Remove the fillets from under the grill and serve.
• To Serve: Place 2-3 fillets on each plate so that they are overlapping slightly. Spoon the sauce over the fish and sprinkle over the deep fried shallots, garlic, basil and coriander leaves and the lime leaves. Serve hot with steamed rice.