Steamed marinated fish curry in banana leaves, ho nueng pla
- InFusion
- Jan 12
- 2 min read
A Northern Thai steamed curry
Ho nueng pla, literally steamed wrapped fish, belongs to the family of Northern Thai steamed curries. Unlike creamy ho mok prepared with coconut milk, this dish relies on a robust curry paste mixed directly with the fish and fresh herbs, then gently steamed in carefully folded banana leaves. This rustic technique, typical of Northern Thai cuisine, allows for slow cooking without added liquid, concentrating aromas inside the parcel and preserving the natural texture of the fish.
Steamed marinated fish curry recipe - Ho nueng pla – ห่อนึ่งปลา - Recipe for two people
Ingredients
Curry paste
10 to 20 fresh red bird’s eye chillies
10 g lemongrass
10 g galangal
10 g fresh turmeric
15 g garlic
15 g shallots
1 tablespoon shrimp paste
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
1 snakehead fish, cut into 2 cm thick slices, or two fillets cut into bite sized pieces
3 kaffir lime leaves, very thinly sliced
10 g coriander, roughly chopped
10 g spring onion, roughly chopped
Chinese cabbage leaves
Banana leaves
Preparation
Pound all the curry paste ingredients together until smooth and homogeneous.
Heat the oil in a pan and briefly fry the curry paste until fragrant. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Mix the curry paste with the fish, kaffir lime leaves, coriander and spring onion, ensuring each piece of fish is well coated.
Cut the banana leaves into rectangles and layer two leaves for each portion. Place a Chinese cabbage leaf in the centre, then arrange the marinated fish on top.
Carefully fold the banana leaves to form tightly sealed parcels and secure with a wooden toothpick.
Steam for twenty minutes. Check that the fish is cooked through, then serve immediately, ideally with sticky rice.
Variations
This preparation can also be made with pork, or with a combination of chicken and bamboo shoots, depending on local availability and seasonal preferences.
To go further
If you enjoy steamed Thai curries, you may also appreciate related dishes such as steamed fish ho mok cooked in banana leaves, or seafood ho mok prepared and steamed in a young coconut.
This steamed fish curry ho nueng pla, is taken from our book Recipes from the North, dedicated to emblematic dishes from this region and to traditional cooking techniques.
For those who wish to practise these recipes in their cultural context, our Thai cooking classes on Koh Samui focus on curry pastes, steaming techniques and the balance of flavours specific to regional Thai cuisines.
Comments