This Grilled Fish with Ginger Sauce brings together two things that work in parallel: a lime and dill marinade that firms and flavours the fish over three hours in the fridge, and a quick stovetop sauce built on lemongrass, small onions, red chilli and rice wine. The sauce simmers for only five minutes before the grilled fillets are plated and the sauce is poured over. Fresh ginger juliennes go on top at the end, giving a clean, sharp note that cuts through the sesame oil used to brush the fish before grilling.
About the Recipe
The marinade does two jobs: the lime juice seasons the fish and the dill adds a mild herbal note. Three hours is enough time for the flavour to penetrate without the acid softening the fillets too much.
The ginger sauce is assembled in stages. Aromatics go in first, then the liquids, then the stock to loosen everything into a pourable consistency. Removing the sliced ginger before serving keeps the sauce smooth.
The fish is brushed with a mix of sesame oil and vegetable oil just before grilling. This helps it colour without sticking.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
The sauce is the main reason to make this. Rice wine, fish sauce and vinegar together give it a balance of sour, salty and faintly sweet notes without any single flavour taking over. You can put the sauce together while the fish is on the grill, so there is no waiting around.
If you enjoy dishes like Sweet and Sour Fish or Fish with Mango Sauce, this recipe gives you a similar sauced fish with a noticeably different character.
Cooking Tips
Do not cut the marinade short. Three hours gives the lime and dill enough time to actually flavour the fish rather than just coat the surface.
On the grill, leave the fillets alone for the full four minutes on the first side. Moving them too soon causes tearing. Make sure the grill is fully preheated before the fish goes on.
When making the sauce, keep the flame moderate so the lemongrass softens without catching. Remember to remove the sliced ginger pieces before pouring the sauce over the fish.
Top Tips
- Pat the fish fillets dry after removing them from the marinade before brushing with oil. Excess moisture on the surface will steam the fish instead of letting it colour properly.
- Slice the lemongrass as finely as you can. Thick pieces will not soften in the short cooking time and will be unpleasant if any end up in the sauce.
- Use a fish spatula or a wide flat spatula when turning the fillets on the grill. A narrow spatula will break the fish.
- Taste the sauce before pouring it over the fish. If it tastes flat, a few extra drops of fish sauce will sharpen it without making it salty.
- The ginger juliennes added at the end are raw, so cut them as fine as possible. Thick pieces will be too sharp and fibrous against the cooked fish.
- If you do not have rice wine, dry sherry works in the same quantity without changing the character of the sauce significantly.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
Serve the grilled fish immediately after pouring the sauce over, while the fish is still hot from the grill. Steamed jasmine rice works well alongside because it absorbs the sauce. A simple cucumber salad on the side balances the warmth of the chilli.
Leftover fish can be refrigerated for one day. Reheat gently in a covered pan with a splash of water. The sauce can be stored separately in the fridge for up to two days and reheated on the stovetop before serving.
Similar Recipes
- Fish with Mango Sauce
- Sweet and Sour Fish
- Braised Whole Fish in Chilli and Garlic Sauce
- Fish in Spicy Sauce
- Saloni Fish Tikka
Nutrient Benefits
Fish fillets are a good source of protein and provide B vitamins including B12. Sesame oil adds some vitamin E and unsaturated fats. The sauce uses fish sauce and a modest amount of sugar, so the sodium and sugar content per serving is relatively low when the quantities are spread across four to six portions.
Grilled Fish with Ginger Sauce
Ingredients
- 350 gms, cut into 4 to 6 pieces Fish Fillets
- 1/8 cup Lime Juice
- 1 tbslp Dill Leaves
- 1 tblsp Vegetable Oil
- 1/2 inch piece, peeled, sliced + 1 tblsp, finely julienned Ginger
- 1/2 tblsp, minced Small Onions
- 1 , stemmed, finely sliced Red Chillies
- 1 stalk, finely sliced Lemongrass
- 1 tblsp Fish Sauce
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1/4 cup Rice Wine
- 1 tblsp Vinegar
- 1 , finely sliced Spring Onions
- 1/8 cup Chicken Stock
- 1/2 tblsp Sesame Oil
- Salt as per taste
- Pepper Powder as per taste
Instructions
- Combine the lime juice, salt and pepper.
- Add the fish fillets and coat well.
- Sprinkle the dill leaves on top and cover the fillets.
- Cover and keep them in a fridge for 3 hours.
- Remove the fish from the fridge and keep aside.
- Heat 1/2 tblsp oil in a pan over moderate flame.
- Add the sliced ginger, small onions, chillies and lemongrass.
- Saute for 30 to 40 seconds.
- Add the fish sauce, sugar, wine and vinegar.
- Cook for a minute and add the spring onions.
- Add the chicken stock and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Switch off the flame and remove the sliced ginger.
- Combine the sesame oil with the remaining vegetable oil.
- Brush the fish fillets with this and place it on a preheated grill.
- Grill for 4 minutes on one side and turn over.
- Cook till the fish is done.
- Remove and transfer to a serving plate.
- Pour the sauce on top.
- Garnish with ginger juliennes.
- Serve hot.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which type of fish works best for this recipe?
Firm white fish fillets such as basa, tilapia, snapper or pomfret hold together well on the grill and absorb the marinade without falling apart. Avoid very thin or delicate fillets because they break easily when turned. If the fillets are thicker than about two centimetres, add a minute or two to the grilling time on each side.
Can I make the ginger sauce ahead of time?
Yes. The sauce can be made up to two days in advance and kept in the fridge in a sealed container. Reheat it gently in a small pan before pouring over the fish. Do not add the ginger juliennes until just before serving or they will lose their fresh sharpness.
What can I use instead of fish sauce?
Soy sauce is the most straightforward substitute. Use the same quantity. The sauce will be slightly less complex in flavour but will still work well with the other ingredients. A mix of soy sauce and a small pinch of salt gets reasonably close to the original.
My fish stuck to the grill. What went wrong?
The two most likely reasons are that the grill was not hot enough before the fish went on, or the fillets were not brushed with enough oil. Make sure the grill grates are fully preheated and lightly oiled before placing the fish. Once the fish is on the grill, leave it undisturbed for the full four minutes. It will release naturally once a crust has formed. Trying to lift it too early causes tearing and sticking.
Can I use a stovetop grill pan instead of an outdoor grill?
A cast iron grill pan works well for this recipe. Preheat it over a high flame for at least two minutes before adding the fish. Brush the pan lightly with oil as well as brushing the fillets. The cooking time remains the same. The fish will get good grill marks and a similar texture, though the smoky flavour will be less pronounced.
