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5.0 from 3 votes

Vietnamese Grilled Fish with Lemongrass and Galangal

This Vietnamese Galangal Lemongrass Grilled Fish (Ca nuong rieng sa) is fragrant and flavorful. Serve it with rice noodles, lettuce, and fresh herbs for a light yet filling meal.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Marinating Time
30 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Servings: 3 people
Calories: 285 kcal
Course: Main Course , Soup
Cuisine: Vietnamese

Ingredients

For the Fish
  • 1 lb fish fillets
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine or sake
  • 1 large thumb-sized piece of galangal, peeled (a large thumb-sized piece)
  • 5-6 large lemongrass stalks, white and light green parts only
  • 1 bird's-eye chili, seeds removed (optional)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sliced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons sliced shallots
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil (plus more for grilling)
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 3/8 teaspoon five-spice powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
To Serve (customized to your liking)
  • rice vermicelli noodles, prepared according to package instructions (2-3 servings)
  • soft lettuce
  • fresh herbs
  • roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
  • sliced cucumber
  • Vietnamese nuoc cham dipping sauce (See Notes for recipe)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Slice the fish fillets into 1-inch thick chunks and toss with the salt and rice wine. Set aside for 5-10 minutes. If you prefer to use whole fish, score the thickest part of the fish with a few diagonal lashes on both sides.
  2. Roughly chop the galangal and thinly slice the lemongrass. Use a mortar and pestle to pound the lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallot and chili into fine pieces. Alternatively, you can blitz everything into fine pieces in a food processor.
  3. In a large shallow plate or a mixing bowl, mix the pounded aromatics with fish sauce, oyster sauce, cooking oil, turmeric powder, five spice powder, black pepper and sugar. Add the fish chunks and toss well. Marinate for 30 minutes or longer if you have time.
  4. Preheat your grill over medium heat until it is very hot. Oil the grates well, then add the fish chunks in a single layer. Grill each side for about 2-3 minutes or until just cooked through.
  5. Transfer fish to a serving plates. Serve with rice vermicelli noodles, lettuce, fresh herbs, roasted peanuts and dipping sauce right away. Each person can prepare their own noodle bowls with the grilled fish at the table.

Notes

  • Recipe for the dipping sauce to serve with the noodle salad:
  • Combine fish sauce, sugar, vinegar (or lime juice) and water in a bowl, then add minced garlic.
  • I recommend using white, meaty fish for the best flavor and texture. Some excellent choices are: white pomfret, grouper, monkfish, halibut, and tilapia.
  • You can also use rice paper wrappers to make fresh spring rolls with the grilled fish.
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar or lime juice
  • 5 tablespoons warm water
  • 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Nutrition Information

Calories 285kcal (14%) Carbohydrates 11g (4%) Protein 31g (62%) Fat 12g (18%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Monounsaturated Fat 7g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 76mg (25%) Sodium 753mg (31%) Potassium 603mg (17%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 17IU (0%) Vitamin C 5mg (6%) Calcium 40mg (4%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 3people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 285

% Daily Value*

Calories 285kcal 14%
Carbohydrates 11g 4%
Protein 31g 62%
Fat 12g 18%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Monounsaturated Fat 7g 35%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 76mg 25%
Sodium 753mg 31%
Potassium 603mg 13%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 17IU 0%
Vitamin C 5mg 6%
Calcium 40mg 4%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.