Make the viral Thai street food at home: crispy fried tilapia flaked over hot rice and drizzled with a tangy, spicy fish sauce chili dressing. Simple, cheap, and addictive.

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Here it is: the fried fish rice bowl that has taken Thai food stalls by storm. A whole tilapia is fried until the skin is crisp and the flesh is snowy and tender, then flaked over steaming rice and drizzled with a punchy fish sauce chili dressing. It is cheap, easy, and something the whole family will love. Buying it is not expensive, but making it yourself is far more satisfying, and there is no line to wait in.

This version, from Mae Phueng's Bee Happy Kitchen, also shares the trick for frying fish without it sticking to the pan, so you get beautiful golden skin and soft white flesh every time.

Ingredients

For the fried fish

  • 1 whole tilapia (or another firm white fish), cleaned
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Oil for frying
  • Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

For the spicy fish sauce dressing

  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • 5 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chilies (bird's eye or Thai chilies)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped scallions
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. Rinse the tilapia and pat it completely dry. Rub the fish all over with the salt.
  2. Heat a generous amount of oil in a wide pan. When the oil is hot, lay the fish in and fry over medium heat, without moving it, until the underside is cooked and golden, then flip. Waiting until the fish releases naturally is what keeps it from sticking.
  3. Fry until the skin is crisp and the flesh is cooked through and tender. Drain on paper towels.
  4. Meanwhile, make the dressing: stir together the lime juice, vinegar, fish sauce, and sugar until the sugar dissolves, then mix in the shallots, garlic, chilies, scallions, and cilantro. It should taste sour, salty, sweet, and hot all at once.
  5. Flake the fish into large pieces, discarding the bones, and pile it over bowls of hot rice.
  6. Spoon the spicy fish sauce dressing generously over the fish and rice and serve immediately.

Tips

  • Drying the fish thoroughly and not moving it for the first few minutes of frying gives you crisp skin that does not stick.
  • Adjust the chilies to taste; the dressing is meant to be bold, so do not be shy with the lime and fish sauce.
  • Leftover dressing keeps in the fridge for several days and is great on grilled meats and salads too.
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