FISH FISH FISH!!!!!!! OH Quick Air Fryer Fish my kids love.
When we were looking to introduce some fish to ours kids diet (5 year old and almost 2 year old), we started to look around at all the different types of fish. However, they all turned out to be a bit too fishy to taste. (I think all parents will understand what I mean by “too fishy”). In fact, my kids enjoy salmon once in a while but we needed a break from it and wanted to try something else.
Meanwhile my mother was here from Thailand visiting before the pandemic and the one thing she loved doing is going to the Real Canadian Superstore and buying groceries. Yes, she would rather go grocery shopping than go to BANFF. LOL On one of these adventurous trips to the grocery store she picked up this fish called the “Golden Pompano“. She came home and told me how she used to cook this exact same fish for my grandfather almost every week. Then, I remembered going to the market early in the morning with her when I was very little to buy this fish. It was my grandfather’s favorite. She would deep fry it and serve it with Thai seafood sauce for breakfast fresh. Consequently, when she saw it at the superstore she immediately picked it up.
Why we love this Fish ?
Firstly, unlike tilapia it is a saltwater fish and has white flesh. Secondly, it doesn’t have that “fishy” smell you can sometimes get from salmon or other types of fish. Thirdly, it is very versatile and very easy to clean.
You can either steam it or put it in the air fryer. For this recipe we are using the air fryer.
This is a great mid week dinner that can be ready in less than 20 minutes. With a bowl of warm rice and a side of stir fry baby bok choy, it is perfection!!!!!!!! ENJOY 🙂
Ingredients
1 Golden Pompano Fish
Salt
5-6 cloves of Garlic
Cilantro
1 Lemon grass
2-3 Kaffir Lime Leaves (if you can’t find this you can use Lime)
Thai Seafood Sauce
2 cloves of garlic
2-3 thai red chillies
1.5 lime
2 tbs of fish sauce
1.5 tsp of Palm Sugar grind it with Mortar and Pestle
Instructions
Fish
1. Clean and Rinse your fish. Additionally, you can remove the head but we usually leave it on.
TIP: Use salt to rub the fish. Doing this will help remove some slime on its skin. Then, use half of lime and rub the fish. This will help remove the fishy smell. After doing that, rinse your fish thoroughly.
2. Score the fish. Use a sharp knife to cut slits roughly 1 inch apart. They do not need to be deep.
3. Brush the fish with oil inside and outside.
4. Stuff the fish with Kaffir lime leaves and Lemon grass. (If you don’t have Kaffir lime leaves you can use half of a lime)
5. Season with salt on both side of the fish.
6. Cook the fish in Air Fryer at 400° F for 18 minutes.
TIP: Flip your fish half way.
Thai Seafood Sauce
1. Combine 2 cloves of garlic, 2-3 thai red chilies and grind them with Mortar and Pestle. If you have small blender you can use that as well.
2. Season with lime, palm sugar and fish sauce, taste and add more lime if you like it a little bit more sour.
Note: You can also completely skip the crispy garlic step below and still enjoy the fish with seafood sauce. Its not essential but I always have this crispy garlic sitting at my kitchen counter so I like to add that in.
Crispy Garlic
1. Peel and Mince 5-6 garlic cloves. You can leave some peels in the minced garlic.
2. Fry them up. In a small pot over medium heat put in minced garlic and add oil enough to cover your garlic. Make sure you are consistently stirring because we want all the garlic to brown at the same time. Garlic burns quick so keep a close eye. The difference between over done and just right fried garlic is maybe 5 seconds, I’ve burnt my garlic many times and if you overcook, its no good. It will be bitter to taste.
3. Remove from heat. Once the garlic starts to turn light golden brown remove from heat and drain out the oil. Now you have crispy minced garlic.
Tip: You can save this garlic infused oil for other recipes.
Put it together
Place the fish on the plate, julienne 1 mini carrot, pick 5-6 cilantro leaves. Sprinkle the fried garlic on top of the fish then carrot and cilantro. Serve warm with thai jasmine rice and dig in! Each bite of the fish put a little bit of Thai Seafood Sauce on it.
Note: For the kids, serve with a bowl of rice, plain white fish and veggies. Skip the spicy sauce. 🙂 Raiden loves the crispy fish skin.
Here are Items I use in this recipe
