Thai Steamed Fish with Lime – Pla Neung Manao

Thai steamed fish with lime, served whole with garlic, lime, fresh chillies and herbs.

A classic of Thai steamed cookery

Thai steamed fish with lime, Pla Neung Manao, is one of the most representative dishes of steam cooking in Thai cuisine. The method relies on a short cooking time that preserves the tenderness of the flesh. The contrast between the delicate fish and the raw dressing, made with lime juice, fish sauce, garlic and fresh chillies, defines this recipe which is widely served both in restaurants and at home. In Thailand, the fish is always cooked whole, placed on a bed of spring onion and ginger, then immediately topped with an aromatic sour, sweet and spicy dressing.

Recipe for Thai steamed fish with lime – Pla Neung Manao (serves two)

This dish cooks in 10 to 15 minutes and requires only a few minutes of preparation.

Ingredients

Fish

1 whole sea bass, about 500 g, scaled and gutted

20 g ginger, sliced

15 g spring onion

Lime sauce

2 tablespoons fish sauce

4 tablespoons lime juice

1 to 2 tablespoons coconut sugar

Fresh bird’s eye chillies, sliced, to taste

25 g garlic, chopped

Garnish

Thin slices of lime

Thin slices of garlic

A few mint leaves

A few coriander leaves

Preparation

1. Place the sliced ginger and the spring onion in a shallow heatproof serving dish, then set the fish on top.

2. Steam the whole fish for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 60°C.

3. Transfer the fish to the table, keeping it in the same serving dish used for steaming. Pour the dressing over the fish while it is still hot.

4. Garnish with lime slices, sliced garlic, mint leaves and coriander leaves.

Tips and technical points

Steam the fish briefly to preserve the tenderness of the flesh. An internal temperature of 60°C ensures a soft, even texture

It is best to cook the fish directly in its serving dish, as transferring it once cooked may cause it to break.

Some condensation will naturally collect in the dish during steaming. This is expected and contributes to the aroma.

Pouring the dressing while the fish is hot allows the flavours to diffuse fully.

The dish is traditionally served very hot.

Fillets may be used instead of a whole fish for ease of serving, but in this case the steaming time must be reduced to 5 to 10 minutes depending on thickness.

Further exploration

You will also find this traditional Thai pla neung manao in our book Meat, fish and chilli sauce, alongside many other emblematic dishes of Thai cuisine.

Our cooking classes on Koh Samui teach the essentials of Thai steamed preparations, including steam management and the characteristic sour, salty and spicy balance of this dish.

If you would like to explore variations of this seasoning, a well-known alternative uses pork tenderloin. You can find the recipe for mu manao here.

Meat, fish and chilli sauce

THB 190.00

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