Fresh river fish folded into banana leaf packets with a fragrant paste of lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and dill, then steamed until the fish is tender and infused with aromatic herbs. A refined and elegant traditional Laotian dish.
Ingredients
500g white fish fillets, cubed
3 stalks lemongrass, minced
3 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
2 inches galangal, minced
4 shallots, sliced
Large bunch fresh dill
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons rice flour
Banana leaves for wrapping
Thai chilies to taste
Instructions
1Pound lemongrass, galangal, shallots, and chilies into a rough paste in a mortar.
2Mix the paste with fish cubes, shredded kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, beaten egg, and rice flour until evenly combined.
3Fold in generous handfuls of fresh dill, which is the signature herb of this dish.
4Divide the mixture onto banana leaf squares, folding and pinning them into neat packets.
5Steam the packets over high heat for twenty-five minutes until the fish is cooked through and fragrant.
6Serve the packets still wrapped, allowing diners to open them at the table to release the aromatic steam.
Did You Know?
The banana leaf wrapping not only contains the dish but imparts a subtle grassy sweetness to the fish as it steams, a flavor impossible to replicate with modern cooking methods.