On Steamed snapper.....
The steamed Thai snapper is by far my favorite dish on our current ULU menu. Whenever I get ready to add anything on the menu I have to consider more than just the components. Dishes at ULU are built for speed and efficiency but at the same time they need to look intriguing and taste great. I feel that the snapper fits perfectly on the menu. The pick up time for the dish is 5 minutes, prep for it is very minimal, the flavor is complex, presentation is beautiful, and it has a low food cost at 21%.
The inspiration for this dish came from a chef that I staged for. One of the nights that I was in the kitchen I remember they ran a whole steamed fish special with thai red curry and lime. They would rub the fish with a house made red curry paste, fill the cavity with fresh herbs and limes, and then steam the whole thing. While the fish steams the natural juices come out and meld with the red curry, lime and fresh herbs making a sauce at the bottom of the pan. They would serve the fish with a lime wedge and bowl of jasmine rice.
The snapper dish that I have on the menu shares many similarities but at the same time is quite different from the special that the chef ran that day. I take the fillets of the body and remove the pin bones. I rub the fillets with a cilantro and chili paste which we make on a daily basis. The chili paste consists of: cilantro stems, the leaves, palm sugar, fish sauce, garlic, and chillies blended on high speed in the vita-mix until a firm paste is formed. The fish is then steamed for about 5 minutes, once it comes out of the steamer I put the fish along with the juices that are gathered at the bottom of the pan in a bowl and garnish the snapper with fresh herbs, jalapeños, cilantro, and crispy shallots. I serve the fish with a small side of jasmine rice.
This dish as simple as it is embodies everything I love about Southeast Asian cuisine. It's so fresh, clean, yet complex. It's salty, spicy, sweet, and sour all at the same time and yet the fish never gets loss in the middle of it all. Heres a pic of the dish
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The inspiration for this dish came from a chef that I staged for. One of the nights that I was in the kitchen I remember they ran a whole steamed fish special with thai red curry and lime. They would rub the fish with a house made red curry paste, fill the cavity with fresh herbs and limes, and then steam the whole thing. While the fish steams the natural juices come out and meld with the red curry, lime and fresh herbs making a sauce at the bottom of the pan. They would serve the fish with a lime wedge and bowl of jasmine rice.
The snapper dish that I have on the menu shares many similarities but at the same time is quite different from the special that the chef ran that day. I take the fillets of the body and remove the pin bones. I rub the fillets with a cilantro and chili paste which we make on a daily basis. The chili paste consists of: cilantro stems, the leaves, palm sugar, fish sauce, garlic, and chillies blended on high speed in the vita-mix until a firm paste is formed. The fish is then steamed for about 5 minutes, once it comes out of the steamer I put the fish along with the juices that are gathered at the bottom of the pan in a bowl and garnish the snapper with fresh herbs, jalapeños, cilantro, and crispy shallots. I serve the fish with a small side of jasmine rice.
This dish as simple as it is embodies everything I love about Southeast Asian cuisine. It's so fresh, clean, yet complex. It's salty, spicy, sweet, and sour all at the same time and yet the fish never gets loss in the middle of it all. Heres a pic of the dish
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