This fantastic recipe for grilled fish starts with fresh or frozen whole sardines. Sardines are extremely healthy - an excellent source of omega-3, B12, selenium, and other important nutrients - they're also one of the cleanest and safest fish to eat. While most people associate sardines with the canned variety, "real" sardines are something else entirely. You'll love the tenderness of this easy fish recipe, which includes a dry barbecue rub slathered on the fish before grilling followed by "buttery" Thai sauce that makes this dish truly gourmet!
Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- SERVES 2
- 8 whole sardines, fresh or frozen (see recipe for instructions on how to clean sardines)
- BARBECUE RUB FOR SARDINES:
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp. turmeric
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp. dry chili flakes OR 3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper OR 1/2 tsp. white pepper
- SAUCE: (optional)
- 3 Tbsp. good-tasting oil, such as coconut, canola, or olive
- 1 tsp. thick coconut cream OR butter
- 2 fresh red chilies, de-seeded & minced, OR 2 Tbsp. minced red bell pepper (for a mild sauce), OR 1/2 tsp. cayenne peppe
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup fresh coriander, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
- 2 Tbsp. lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic minced, OR 1 tsp. bottled pureed garlic
- pinch of black pepper
- OTHER: a little oil for the grill, such as canola
Preparation:
- Grease your barbecue grill with a little cooking oil (such as canola) to prevent fish from sticking.
- To make the barbecue rub, simply stir all the rub ingredients together in a small bowl.
- If the sardines you are using are already cleaned and prepared, skip this step. If not, cleaning sardines is relatively easy. First, if the scales are still on, scrape them off with a sharp knife. Then make a cut along the bottom of the fish and remove the intestines and entrails (simply run your finger inside the cut). Rinse and place the fish on a tea towel to dry. Continue the same with the rest of the sardines.
- Place the sardines on a try or in a long casserole dish, so that they're lying flat. Drizzle with about a Tbsp. of oil and slather evenly over the fish.
- Now slather the "barbecue rub" you made earlier over the entire surface of the fish. Be sure to "rub" it in, so that the fish appear to be colored yellow-gold (from the turmeric). Sprinkle any remaining rub powder over the fish and set aside until your barbecue/grill is hot (at least 10 minutes, or you can allow the barbecue rub to marinate the fish up to 24 hours before, if you're planning a party).
- To make the sauce: Simply place all sauce ingredients in a small frying or sauce pan. Heat very gently - do not boil - just warm it up over medium heat to bring out the flavors, and it's ready! Taste-test for salt, adding more fish sauce if not salty enough, or another squeeze of lime juice if too salty for your taste. Note: You only need a a couple of teaspoons of this "sauce" per fish, as it's very "buttery" and rich.
- Grill the fish until cooked - about 5-8 minutes each side, depending on how hot your barbecue is. When done, the fish will brown -gold and appear plumper. If you're not sure, check the inner flesh - it should be opaque (no longer translucent as it is when raw).
- Enjoy the fish as is (with plain rice), or spoon over the sauce for an extra Thai treat. ENJOY!
