Grilled Snapper In Coconut Sauce

A grill basket makes preparing this recipe and stress-free. Traditionally, African bird's eye chile, called piri piri in Swahili gives this dish extra heat. Find bottled piri niri sauce and crushed chiles at specialty grocers or online.

4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 (2- to 2 1/2-lb.) whole red snapper, cleaned and scaled
  • 1/3 c fresh lime juice (from 3 limes)
  • 3 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 to 2 red piri piri chiles, Thai chiles, or similar chiles, seeded and chopped (about 1 tsp.)
  • 1 green Thai chile, seeded and chopped (about 1 tsp.)
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 c well-shaken and stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk (such as Thai Kitchen Organic)
  • 2 tbsp tamarind concentrate (such as Tamicon)
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp.ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro stems
  • 1 tbsp coarse sea salt, divided
  • Canola oil, for grilling basket
  • Cooked coconut rice, for serving

Instructions

1

Make 4 (3-inch-long) parallel cuts on each side of snapper, cutting down almost to the bone. Place fish in a 13x9-inch baking dish; set aside.

2

Combine lime juice, ginger, garlic, chiles, and black pepper in a blender. Process until smooth, about 45 seconds. Coat fish with chile marinade, rubbing into slits and cavity. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or up to 2 hours.

3

Meanwhile, preheat grill to medium-high (400°F to 450°F). Combine coconut milk, tamarind concentrate, tomato paste, turmeric, cilantro, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occa- sionally, until flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup tamarind sauce for plating.

4

Using paper towels, wipe excess chile marinade from fish. Sprinkle fish with remaining 2 teaspoons salt, rubbing into Slits and cavity. Place fish in a metal grill- ng basket coated with oil. Place grilling Wasket on grill grate, and grill, covered basting fish occasionally with remaining tamarind sauce (about 2/3 cup), until flesh flakes with a fork, 18 to 24 minutes, flipping halfway through grill time. Carefully remove fish from grilling basket, and transfer to a platter. Pour reserved 1/4 cup tamarind sauce over fish, and serve with coconut rice.