Hanoi-Style Grilled Fish

Recipe from New World Saigon Hotel

Adapted by Nina Simonds

Total Time: 35 minutes
Rating: 4(30)
Notes: Read community notes

Featured in: As Vietnam Opens Up to the World, So Does Its Food

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

1pound monkfish or swordfish, cut into 4 steaks
1tablespoon muoc mam (Vietnamese fish sauce)
1½teaspoons powdered turmeric
1¼tablespoons minced galangal root or ginger root
½teaspoon fresh black pepper
2tablespoons safflower or corn oil
1cup coarsely chopped fresh dill (stems removed), rinsed and drained
½cup minced scallions
½pound thin rice sticks (vermicelli noodles), softened in warm water for 15 minutes, blanched for 5 seconds, then drained
½cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, stems trimmed
¼cup fresh Thai holy basil or sweet basil leaves (stems trimmed), coarsely chopped

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Rub fish with sauce, turmeric, galangal or ginger root, and pepper.
Step 2
Heat a heavy skillet, add the oil, and heat until hot. Lay the fish in the pan, and sear over high heat for 5 or 6 minutes on each side until golden on the outside and cooked inside. Sprinkle the top with the fresh dill and scallions. Then remove.
Step 3
To serve, arrange rice noodles in bowls, and place fish on top. Sprinkle the remaining fresh herbs on top, and serve with dipping sauce.

Ratings

4 out of 5

30 user ratings

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Tk4 years ago

For anyone else looking for the dipping sauce, it’s in here as “Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham” or at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6587-vietnamese-dipping-sauce-nuoc-cham

david6 years ago

Lovely preparation of the fish. I was somewhat alarmed at the quantity of dill, but it all works out! I did find a need for something to bring the fish and noodles together, though... perhaps that’s the role of the “dipping sauce”, but as there’s no receipe provided, I'm not sure what that is really intended to be. We used a splash or two of tamari...

David5 years ago

Mix roughly equal amounts of lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar (I prefer a little more lime and less sugar - adjust to taste). Season with a generous amount of grated ginger and garlic, add minced thai chiles or chile paste to your desired level of spice. You're looking for a balance of salty, sour, and sweet that pleases your palate, so play with it, but fish sauce is non-negotiable, so get a good one, like Red Boat. Some people add finely grated carrot or minced cilantro. Go wild.

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