The 1st time I tried this sweet & sour fish was at a Zhi-char (煮炒) stall near my home. This Fish head dish is very different from the usual Fish Head Curry where the gravy is thick. This sauce is soupy. The moment I tasted it, I was in 7th heaven. It’s spicy, sweet & sourish; it sang a melodious tune! After that, I knew I had to try making this at home.
1 Sea bass or any other fish 2 tbsp Tom Yam paste 4 tbsp Sweet chilli sauce 250g Lady’s fingers/Okras 1 slice of Pineapple 2 Tomatoes 2 Lime 2 Lime leaves 1 tsp Cooking oil 4 small bowls of Water
Method
Remove scales & inards from fish if it's not done for you. Rinse & set aside.
Slice off the top & end of Okras. Cut Okras into halves & Tomatoes into wedges. Slice Pineapple into cubes.
Squeeze lime into chilli paste (tom yum + sweet sauce). Throw in the lime skin as well & mix well. Heat oil. Add paste & vegetables & stir-fry. Add water, cover & simmer for about 1 min.
Add pineapples & water. Simmer for another minute. Put in fish & let it simmer for about 5-7 mins. Do not overcook or fish will not be tender.
Tips
Insert toothpick into fish. Fish is cooked if toothpick pierces through easily. Dish out your fish & place the serving plate on a warmer to retain its temperature. Drizzle the sauce over a plate of fragrant rice & enjoy. You'll never get enough of this Thai-style Seabass!
Since it was my 1st attempt, I bought some cheap chilli paste to experiment with in case I don’t succeed :)
Thai Heritage Sweet Chilli Sauce (S$1+), Holly Farms Sambal Tom Yam (S$3+). If you can’t find these brands, you can use any brand of sauces that is a little spicy & sweet + tom yam paste.