Pompano Fish w/ Herbs
Pompano is a very tender and buttery white fish. It's great steamed, fried, and baked. My mom loves to load it up with LOTS of herbs, bake it and serve it with sticky rice.
Ingredients
For the fish
- 2 whole Pompano fish (Cleaned inside: Leave head and tail on. Trim off fins)
- Salt and chicken bouillon powder Enough to season the inside and outside of the fish
For the herb mixture
- 4 chili peppers (diced)
- 2 Tbsp kaffir lime leaves (chopped) (about 10 leaves)
- 2 lemongrass stalk (finely minced)
- 2 Tbsp garlic (rough minced)
- 1 1/2 cups green onion (chopped)
- 2 cups cilantro (chopped)
- 2 cups dill (chopped)
- 1/2 tsp mushroom seasoning
- 1 - 1 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce
- water **See directions
Instructions
For the fish
- Wash and trim off the fins of the fish. Leave head and tail on. Make a slit on the top of the fish to create a cavity to fill the herb mixture in. Season the fish with a little salt and chicken bouillon powder (enough to season inside the cavity and also all around fish) the amount of seasoning really varies on the size of the fish. Eye ball the best you can. Let it marinade overnight in the fridge so the fish can absorb all the seasoning. Once it has marinaded, time to make the herb mixture.
For the herb mixture
- Add all the chopped herbs and aromatics into a mortar and pestle. Pound lightly to just ever so slightly get the herbs wilted. Then add in the mushroom seasoning and fish sauce. Mix with a spoon and taste and adjust the seasoning. My mom doesn't like to make it too salty since the fish is already seasoned.
To finish
- Preheat oven to 350'F. Line the counter with a big sheet of foil and fresh banana leaves. Add 2 spoonfuls of the herbs mixture on. Then place the fish on top. Add a little of the herb mixture in the top slit, inside the cavity of the fish and also on top. Then wrap and seal well with the banana leaves and foil. Place the packet onto another foil and seal one end well, leaving one side open to fill the packet with about *3/4 cup of water. Seal the end and place it on a baking sheet tray. Add about *3/4 cup of water to the baking sheet to allow steam to cook the fish and prevent the fish from burning as it cooks. This herb mixture will make enough for 2 fish.
- Place it into the preheated oven and allow the fish to cook for 2 hrs. After 2 hrs, check the fish and taste the seasonings. Adjust if needed. Enjoy while it's hot with some fresh steamed rice or sticky rice. The juices of this fish is great with sticky rice. Dip the sticky rice right in the juices! The herbs is where it's at for me :) Enjoy & Happy Cooking!
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