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Snapper with Red Curry

Fried snapper in red Thai curry is a delicious and spicy seafood dish that I loved as a child, and was only served on special occasions. Growing up in the Northeast we had incredible seafood, but snapper being a southern fish was a rarity to see at our local fish monger.
I hope you enjoy this recipe with your family and friends!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Course Main Course
Cuisine Thai
Servings 4 People

Equipment

  • 1 large wok or frying pan
  • 1 medium sauce pan

Ingredients
  

Snapper Preparation and Cooking

  • ½ cup Corn Starch
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp White Pepper Black pepper is fine as well if you don't have white pepper
  • 1 gal Frying Oil Peanut or Vegetable is what I use

Red Curry Sauce

  • 1 can Thai Red Curry Past I used Maesri Thai Red Curry but any will do
  • 1 can Coconut Milk
  • 2 tbsp Palm or Brown Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Fish Sauce
  • 2 Green onions Green tops sliced into 1 inch segments. Finely dice the white bottoms for garnish at the end.
  • Cilantro Roughly chopped for garnish (optional)
  • Fried Garlic Optional
  • Fried Red Onions Optional

Instructions
 

Preparation for the Snapper

  • Rinse the snapper under cold water to remove any dirt or debris.
  • Lay the fish on a flat surface, such as a cutting board, with the belly facing up.
  • Hold the fish firmly by the head with one hand and use a descaling tool or the back of a knife to scrape against the scales in the opposite direction of their growth, starting from the tail and moving towards the head.
  • Be sure to remove all the scales from the fish's body, paying special attention to the area around the fins and the head.
  • Once all the scales are removed, rinse the fish again under cold water to remove any loose scales or debris.
  • Use a clean towel to pat the fish dry before cooking.
    Note: If you don't have a descaling tool, you can use the back of a knife, but be careful not to cut into the fish's flesh while descaling. You can also ask your fishmonger to descale the snapper for you.

Red Curry Sauce

  • Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large saucepan over medium heat.
  • Add the red curry paste and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  • Pour in the coconut milk and stir to combine.
  • Add the fish sauce and palm sugar, and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
  • If the sauce is too thick, you can thin it out by adding chicken or vegetable broth, a little bit at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
    Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. If the sauce is too spicy, you can add a little more coconut milk or sugar to balance the flavors.

Frying your Snapper

  • Dredge the fish in cornstarch, shaking off any excess.
  • Heat the vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
  • Gently add the red snapper fillets to the wok, skin side down, and fry for 3-4 minutes until the skin is crispy and golden brown.
  • Use a slotted spoon or spatula to carefully flip the fish over and fry the other side for an additional 2-3 minutes until the fish is fully cooked and golden brown.
  • Once done, use a slotted spoon or spatula to remove the fried fish from the wok and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
    Your fried red snapper is now ready to serve with the Thai Red Curry sauce. Pour the sauce over the fried fish and garnish with fresh herbs or sliced chili peppers, if desired. Serve with steamed rice or noodles on the side.
Keyword Fried, Red Curry, Red Snapper, Thai, Thai food