Thai Steamed Whole Fish with Lime Chili Sauce

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 2–3 servings
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 1 whole white fish (1.5–2 lb / 700–900 g), cleaned and scaled
• 1 tsp kosher salt + 1/4 tsp white or black pepper
• 4 thin slices fresh ginger, plus 1 (2-inch / 5-cm) piece minced
• 3 scallions, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces
• 2 Tbsp cilantro stems, finely chopped, plus 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3–6 Thai bird’s eye chiles (or 1–2 jalapeños), finely chopped
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)
• 3 Tbsp fish sauce
• 2–3 Tbsp sugar (palm or white), to taste
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) hot fish steaming liquid or hot water
• Lime wedges, for serving (optional)

Do This

• 1. Pat fish dry, score both sides, and season with salt and pepper. Stuff cavity with ginger slices, some scallions, and a few cilantro stems.
• 2. Set up a steamer or wok with a rack and 2–3 inches (5–7 cm) water. Bring water to a steady simmer (about 212°F / 100°C).
• 3. Place fish on a heatproof plate, then into the steamer. Cover and steam 10–15 minutes, until flesh flakes easily and is opaque to the bone.
• 4. While fish steams, whisk lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, minced ginger, garlic, chopped chiles, and chopped cilantro stems in a bowl.
• 5. When fish is done, pour about 1/4 cup (60 ml) hot steaming liquid into the sauce, whisk, and adjust lime, fish sauce, and sugar to taste.
• 6. Transfer fish to a serving platter. Spoon the hot lime-chili-garlic sauce generously over and around the fish.
• 7. Top with cilantro leaves and remaining scallions. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges and steamed jasmine rice.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic Thai restaurant favorite you can easily recreate at home with simple tools.
• Light, fresh, and aromatic: tender steamed fish with a bright, bold lime-chili-garlic sauce.
• Mostly hands-off cooking; the steamer does the work while you whisk together the sauce.
• Impressive centerpiece for guests, but straightforward enough for a weeknight.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 whole white fish (from seafood counter), fresh ginger, garlic, limes, scallions, fresh cilantro, Thai bird’s eye chiles or jalapeños, optional extra herbs (mint, Thai basil).
• Dairy: None.
• Pantry: Kosher salt, white or black pepper, fish sauce, sugar (palm sugar, brown sugar, or white sugar).

Full Ingredients

For the Steamed Fish

• 1 whole mild white fish, 1.5–2 lb (700–900 g), such as snapper, sea bass, branzino, barramundi, or tilapia, cleaned and scaled
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper (or black pepper)
• 4 thin slices fresh ginger
• 3 scallions, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces
• 2 Tbsp cilantro stems, roughly chopped (for stuffing the cavity)

For the Lime-Chili-Garlic Sauce (Nam Jim Manao)

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice (about 4 medium limes)
• 3 Tbsp fish sauce
• 2–3 Tbsp sugar (palm sugar if possible, otherwise white or light brown), to taste
• 1 (2-inch / 5-cm) piece fresh ginger, finely minced (about 2 Tbsp)
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 3–6 Thai bird’s eye chiles, finely chopped (seeds in for hot, seeds out for milder), or 1–2 red or green jalapeños
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro stems
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) hot fish steaming liquid or hot water

For Garnish & Serving

• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
• Remaining scallion pieces (from above), thinly sliced if you prefer
• Lime wedges, for serving (optional)
• Steamed jasmine rice, to serve alongside (optional but highly recommended)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the fish

If your fishmonger has not already done so, have the fish gutted, scaled, and fins trimmed. At home, rinse the fish under cold water and pat it very dry with paper towels, inside and out. Using a sharp knife, make 3 diagonal slashes on each side of the fish, cutting down to the bone but not through it. This helps it cook evenly and allows the flavors to penetrate.

Season the fish all over, including inside the cavity and into the slashes, with the kosher salt and white (or black) pepper. Stuff the cavity with the ginger slices, a handful of scallion pieces, and the roughly chopped cilantro stems. Set the fish on a heatproof plate that fits inside your steamer or wok.

Step 2: Set up your steamer

Fill a large wok, wide pot, or dedicated steamer base with 2–3 inches (5–7 cm) of water. Place a steaming rack inside and make sure the plate with the fish will sit above the water level. Cover and bring the water to a steady simmer over medium-high heat; simmering water will be about 212°F / 100°C. You want constant gentle steam, not a violent boil.

Once the water is simmering, carefully place the plate with the prepared fish onto the rack. If using a wok, you may find it easiest to set the fish plate on the rack before placing the wok on the heat, then add the lid and bring to a simmer to avoid spills. Cover tightly to trap the steam.

Step 3: Steam the fish until just cooked

Steam the fish over medium to medium-high heat for 10–15 minutes, depending on its thickness. As a guideline, a 1.5 lb (700 g) fish usually takes about 10–12 minutes; a 2 lb (900 g) fish may need up to 15 minutes. Avoid lifting the lid too often, as this releases steam and slows cooking.

To check doneness, insert a fork or chopstick into the thickest part near the backbone and twist gently: the flesh should be opaque and should flake easily off the bone. If it still looks translucent near the bone, cover and steam for another 2–3 minutes, then check again. When done, turn off the heat but leave the fish covered to stay warm while you finish the sauce.

Step 4: Mix the base of the lime-chili-garlic sauce

While the fish steams, make the sauce. In a medium bowl, combine the lime juice, fish sauce, and 2 Tbsp of sugar. Whisk until the sugar starts to dissolve. Add the minced ginger, minced garlic, chopped chiles, and finely chopped cilantro stems.

Taste this base mixture: it should be punchy, quite salty and sour, and a little sweet. Adjust now: add more sugar if it is too harsh, more lime if you want it brighter, or a touch more fish sauce for deeper savoriness. Remember that you will be adding hot cooking liquid next, which will slightly mellow the flavors.

Step 5: Enrich the sauce with hot cooking liquid

Once the fish is fully cooked, carefully remove the plate from the steamer, keeping any liquid that has collected around the fish. Ladle about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of this hot steaming liquid (or, if you prefer a cleaner taste, hot water from the steamer) into the lime-chili-garlic mixture. Whisk to combine thoroughly.

Taste again and fine-tune: you are aiming for a bold balance of hot, sour, salty, and slightly sweet. If it is too intense, add another tablespoon of hot liquid. If it tastes flat, brighten with a teaspoon or two more lime juice or a splash more fish sauce. This is your moment to make the sauce truly sing.

Step 6: Plate the fish and add the sauce

Transfer the steamed fish to a clean, shallow serving platter, ideally one that allows the sauce to pool attractively around it. You can pour off any very watery liquid from the steaming plate so it does not dilute the sauce.

Slowly spoon or pour the hot lime-chili-garlic sauce over the fish, making sure to get plenty into the slashes and around the cavity, as well as pooling a generous amount on the bottom of the platter. You want every bite of fish to be kissed by sauce.

Step 7: Garnish and serve immediately

Scatter the cilantro leaves and remaining scallion pieces (or thinly sliced scallion) generously over the top of the fish. Add lime wedges around the edges, if you like, for people to squeeze over their own portions.

Serve the fish right away while it is still piping hot and aromatic, with steamed jasmine rice on the side to soak up the flavorful sauce. To eat, gently lift chunks of fish off the bone with a spoon or chopsticks, making sure to scoop up plenty of sauce and herbs with each piece.

Pro Tips

• Choose the right fish: Look for clear eyes, bright red gills, and flesh that springs back when pressed. Mild, white, not-too-oily fish like snapper, sea bass, branzino, or barramundi work beautifully.
• Do not over-steam: Start checking at 10 minutes. Overcooked fish becomes dry and stringy; perfectly steamed fish will be just opaque and very moist.
• Balance the sauce to your palate: Traditional Thai flavor is quite intense. Adjust lime, fish sauce, sugar, and chile level until it feels vibrant but pleasant to you.
• Mind the heat of the chiles: Thai bird’s eye chiles are very hot. For a gentler kick, use fewer, remove the seeds, or swap in jalapeños or Fresno chiles.
• No steamer? Use a large Dutch oven or roasting pan with a rack and lid, or improvise a rack with overturned ramekins or a metal ring to keep the plate above the water.

Variations

• Fillet version: Use 4 skin-on white fish fillets (about 5–6 oz / 140–170 g each). Steam them on a plate in a single layer for 6–8 minutes, then proceed with the same lime-chili-garlic sauce and garnishes.
• Milder family-style: Reduce chiles to 1–2 mild peppers and serve extra chopped chiles on the side in a small dish with lime and fish sauce so spicy eaters can customize.
• Oven “steamed” in foil: Place the seasoned, stuffed fish on a foil-lined tray, add 2–3 Tbsp water, seal in a tent of foil, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 18–22 minutes, depending on size. Finish with the same lime-chili sauce and herbs.

Storage & Make-Ahead

This dish is at its absolute best when served immediately after steaming; the delicate texture of the fish and the bright lime flavor fade as it sits. If you do have leftovers, remove the fish from the bone and store it with some of the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Reheat very gently, covered, over low heat or in short bursts in the microwave, just until warmed through.

For make-ahead prep, you can mince the garlic, ginger, and chiles, and chop the cilantro stems up to 1 day in advance and refrigerate them. You can also mix the lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar several hours ahead. Wait to add the aromatics and hot steaming liquid until just before serving to keep the sauce fresh and vibrant.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 of 3 servings (without rice): about 260 calories; 40 g protein; 7 g fat; 6 g carbohydrates; 0 g fiber; 5 g sugar; approximately 1400–1600 mg sodium (depending on fish sauce brand and exact amount used). This dish is high in protein and relatively low in fat, but also relatively high in sodium due to the fish sauce, so adjust to your dietary needs.