Este prato de dourada de inspiração cambojana é uma forma vibrante e exótica de preparar um peixe tão apreciado em Portugal. A combinação de sabores doces, salgados e picantes, típica da cozinha do sudeste asiático, transforma a dourada numa refeição surpreendente e cheia de personalidade, ideal para quem gosta de experimentar novos paladares sem complicar a preparação.
Ingredientes
- 1 dourada (mar) dourada, limpa e seque com papel toalha
- 2 colheres de sopa de amido de milho
- 3 colheres de sopa de óleo vegetal
- 1 dente de alho picado
- 1/2 cebola em cubos
- 1 talo de aipo fatiado
- 1 tomate em cubos
- 1 colher de sopa de molho de peixe
- 1 colher de chá de molho de soja
- ½ colher de sopa de açúcar
- 2 pimentas secas, fatiadas
- Traço de pimenta preta
- cebolinha e manjericão folhas para enfeitar
Preparação
- Polvilhe peixe com amido de milho.
- Aqueça 2 colheres de óleo e frite o peixe, quando ele estiver dourado, remova da wok.
- Limpe o wok, aqueça 1 colher de sopa de óleo e frite o alho e a cebola por cerca de 1 minuto, adicione o aipo, o pimentão seco e o tomate, mexa e frite por 4 minutos.
- Adicione o molho de peixe, molho de soja, açúcar e pimenta preta.
- Despeje o molho de tomate sobre o peixe e decore com cebolinha, manjericão.
Ready for an exotic trip from the comfort of your kitchen? Here’s the English version of this delicious fish recipe.
Cambodian-Style Sea Bream with Spicy Tomato
This recipe takes a beloved fish, the sea bream (dourada), and transports it to Southeast Asia with a classic Cambodian-style sweet, sour, and spicy tomato sauce. It’s a departure from the typical Portuguese method of simply grilling or baking, offering a completely different but equally delicious way to enjoy this wonderful fish. The dish beautifully balances the core flavours of Cambodian cuisine, creating a vibrant sauce that complements the delicate fish perfectly.
The secret to this dish is twofold. First, coating the fish in cornflour before frying creates a light, protective crust that keeps the inside wonderfully moist while the outside gets perfectly crispy. Second is the sauce itself, a delightful interplay between the saltiness of fish sauce and soy sauce, the sweetness of sugar, the heat from dried chillies, and the fresh acidity of the tomato. It all comes together in minutes to create a truly impressive meal.
This dish is traditionally served with steamed jasmine rice, which is perfect for soaking up every last drop of the delicious sauce. While sea bream is an excellent choice, this recipe would also work beautifully with other firm white fish like sea bass, tilapia, or snapper fillets. For an extra layer of flavour, you could add chunks of fresh pineapple to the sauce along with the tomato for a more pronounced sweet and sour note.
Ingredients
- 1 whole sea bream, cleaned and patted dry with paper towels
- 2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 celery stalk, sliced
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- ½ tbsp sugar
- 2 dried chillies, sliced
- A dash of black pepper
- Spring onions and basil leaves, to garnish
Method
- Lightly dust the entire fish with the cornflour.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan or wok and fry the fish until it is golden brown and cooked through. Carefully remove it from the wok and set aside on a serving plate.
- Wipe the wok clean, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, and fry the garlic and onion for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the celery, dried chillies, and tomato, and stir-fry for 4 minutes.
- Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and black pepper to the wok, stirring to combine everything into a sauce.
- Pour the hot tomato sauce over the fried fish and garnish with chopped spring onions and fresh basil leaves to serve.