Sweet Sour Fish ปลาสามรส

Thai recipe Sweet and Sour Fish

Thai recipe – Sweet and Sour Fish

The many different sweet and sour sauces used in Thai cooking originate from China. And this is just one of the many popular Thai dishes coming from there. In the 15th century the Hokkien people migrated to Thailand, followed by the Teochew people from the late 18th century on, who settled mainly in the towns and cities. They were as well the ones, who introduced the Wok in Thai cooking and the technique of stir-frying and deep-frying dishes. The use of chop sticks and even the popular Thai breakfast Chok (โจ๊ก-rice porridge) comes from there as well.

Some experts say, that the original sweet and sour sauce comes from the province of Hunan and was just a weak mixture of vinegar and sugar. If this is the case, the following recipe has very little to do with the original sauce. This version of the sweet and sour sauce could easily be served as a vegetarian stand alone with rice.

What makes this recipe really Thai, is what the name already implies. Pla saam rot literally means 3 tastes fish and refers to the aim of Thai cuisine to appeal to at least 3 taste senses in one Thai meal. In my opinion, if well balanced, this meal even appeals to four: Sweet, sour, salty and spicy.

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Sweet Sour Fish ปลาสามรส
Fish preperation
  1. Chop the fish like you learned in your Thai cooking course with Joy
  2. Dust the fillet pieces with flour and deep fry in the hot oil. Arrange on plates - Some sliced tomatoes or cucumber on the side.
    Fried fish waiting for the sweet and sour sauce
Sweet'n Sour Sauce
  1. Chop the onion, red onions, garlic, chilly, pineapple, 2 color bell peppers, tomatoes (remove the seeds) and cucumber.
  2. Heat up the pan with some cooking oil. Add the chopped onions, red onions, garlic and chilly and keep stirring.
  3. Add pineapple, tomatoes and bell peppers and add some water. Add sugar, salt and vinegar to taste. Let it simmer for a while.
  4. Add cucumber and lime juice (squeeze out the limes)
    Thai Cooking - sweet sour sauce
  5. Pour the sauce over the fish, decorate with spring onions and coriander and serve with rice.