Deep-fried snapper with green mango salad

Combining classic Thai flavours of sweet, salty and sour, this mango salad makes for the perfect summer lunch. Food Safari Water

• serves

  2

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 whole snapper, about 700 g, cleaned and scaled
• vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Green mango salad

• 1 Thai green mango (nam dok mai)
• 1 ½ tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp dried prawns
• 5 bird’s eye chillies, chopped
• 3 small green Thai hot chillies (prik kee noo)
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• ⅓ cup coriander leaves
• ⅓ cup mint leaves
• 2 tbsp roasted crushed peanuts 

Instructions

Peel and finely shred the mango into a bowl of ice.

In a large bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice and sugar and stir to dissolve. Set aside while you make the salad.

Pound the dried prawns in a mortar and pestle until a floss forms. Remove and set aside, then add the chillies and pound to a paste.

Rinse the fish under cold water. Pat dry and score the fish on both sides to prevent it curling during cooking and for a crisp result. Season well with salt. Heat the oil in a wok to 180°C and deep-fry the fish for 5-10 minutes or until golden and just cooked. Drain on paper towel.

While the fish is cooking, drain the mango and to the dressing along with the pounded chillies, red onion, spring onions and herbs. Toss to combine well. Spoon the salad over the fried fish, then scatter with prawn floss and peanuts and serve immediately.

Photography by Sharyn Cairns. Styling by Lee Blaylock. Food preparation by Rachel Lane. Creative concept by Belinda So.

Maeve O'Meara is back in Food Safari Water starting 8pm, Wednesday 1 August on SBS and then you can catch-up on all episodes via SBS On Demand. Visit the program page for recipes, videos and more.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.