Pla neung manao

Method

1. 1 Clean the sea bass, make a few incisions along its body, then stuff its belly with crushed lemongrass.
2. 2 Arrange the fish on a deep plate lined with green vegetables, then pour chicken broth around the fish.
3. 3 Steam over high heat for 15 minutes, or until the fish meat is cooked through and separates from the bone.
4. 4 Mix lemon juice, fish sauce, sugar, minced garlic, and finely chopped chili peppers to make a sweet and sour sauce.
5. 5 Pour the sauce over the steamed fish, sprinkle with cilantro, and eat immediately while it's still hot.

With an appliance

• Microwave 35 min

  Replace step 3: loosely cover the fish dish and microwave at 700 W for 10 minutes, rest for 2 minutes, then check for thickness near the bone; steps 4–5 remain the same.