Thai Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Pla Rad Prik
Whole fish fried to a shatteringly crisp shell, then blanketed in a sticky, sweet-hot chili-tamarind sauce with garlic and basil — dramatic, punchy, and made for sharing.
Contains common allergens
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Good to know
- Crispy
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: crispy recipes30-minute meals
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Pat the fish completely dry and score deep diagonal cuts into both sides down to the bone, then dredge thoroughly in cornstarch, pressing it into the scores.
- 2
Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a wok to 350 degrees F and lower the fish in carefully, frying 6 to 8 minutes per side, ladling hot oil over the top, until the skin is shatteringly crisp and the flesh cooked through, then drain on a rack.
- 3
In a separate pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil and fry the garlic and chilies until fragrant and just golden, about 1 minute, taking care not to burn the garlic.
- 4
Stir in the tamarind water, palm sugar, and fish sauce, and simmer until the sauce thickens to a glossy, sticky consistency that coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes.
- 5
Toss the bell pepper into the sauce for the last minute so it softens slightly but keeps some bite.
- 6
Transfer the whole fried fish to a platter and pour the hot sweet-sour chili sauce directly over it, scattering Thai basil leaves on top so they wilt in the residual heat, and serve immediately.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
63/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving290
Calories
48 g
Protein
5 g
Carbs
9 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Pla rad prik is a whole fried fish topped with a sweet, sour, and fiery chili sauce, a celebratory centerpiece at Thai family meals and seafood restaurants. The fish is fried until the skin shatters and the flesh stays moist, then crowned with a glossy tamarind-chili sauce that pools over every crispy edge. Rad prik literally means topped with chili, and the dish is built so the crunchy skin and saucy heat play off each other in every bite.
Listahan note
This version balances the chili sauce so the sweetness and sourness frame the heat rather than bury it, keeping it approachable for a mixed table. It treats fried fillets as a friendlier stand-in when a whole fish feels like too much.
Technique cues
- Dry the fish thoroughly and slash the thickest part so it fries evenly and the skin crisps instead of steaming.
- Reduce the chili sauce until it turns glossy and clings to a spoon, so it drapes the fish rather than running off.
- Spoon the hot sauce over the fish only at the moment of serving so the skin keeps its crunch as long as possible.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Pound the chili-garlic paste and mix the tamarind while the fish dries and the frying oil heats.
- Make-ahead
- The chili sauce can be cooked a day ahead and reheated, leaving only the frying for serving time.
- Leftover move
- Flake leftover fish into fried rice or a noodle bowl, spooning the saved sauce over the top.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Let the frying oil cool fully before straining and discarding, and wipe the splatter zone while the pan is still warm.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
whole fish
centerpiece protein
Purpose: A whole fish fries up with crackling skin and juicy flesh that holds the sauce in every crevice.
Handling: Scale, gut, pat very dry, and score the thick flesh on both sides before frying.
Adaptation: Thick white fish fillets work well and are easier to portion for families.
tamarind paste
sour base
Purpose: Tamarind gives the sauce its deep, fruity sourness that defines pla rad prik.
Handling: Loosen with a little warm water into a pourable paste before adding to the pan.
Adaptation: Lime juice with a touch of brown sugar approximates the sweet-sour profile.
Thai chilies
heat
Purpose: Fresh chilies bring the bold heat that the sauce is named for.
Handling: Pound or finely chop with garlic into a rough paste for even spread.
Adaptation: Use milder red chilies or fewer bird's-eye chilies to soften the burn for kids.
palm sugar
sweetener
Purpose: Palm sugar rounds the sauce with a caramel sweetness that tames the acid and heat.
Handling: Chop or grate so it dissolves quickly into the simmering sauce.
Adaptation: Brown sugar dissolves just as well with a slightly sharper sweetness.
garlic
aromatic
Purpose: Garlic builds the savory foundation under the sweet-sour-hot sauce.
Handling: Mince or pound with the chilies and fry briefly until fragrant.
Adaptation: Garlic powder works at a pinch but loses the fresh aromatic punch.
fish sauce
savory salt
Purpose: Fish sauce anchors the sauce with salty umami that ties the sweet and sour together.
Handling: Stir in toward the end and taste before adding more, as it intensifies as it reduces.
Adaptation: Light soy sauce plus salt covers a fish-sauce-free preference.
Technique notes
- Fry the fish in oil hot enough to bubble vigorously on contact, or the skin will absorb oil and go soft instead of crisp.
- Taste the finished sauce and adjust all three of sweet, sour, and salty before it ever touches the fish.
- Tilt the pan and baste hot oil over the top of a whole fish so the upper side crisps without flipping and tearing it.
Ingredient swaps
- Fish-sauce-free direction
- Build the sauce on light soy and a pinch of salt for those avoiding fish sauce while keeping the fried fish.
- Weeknight shortcut
- Pan-fry fillets instead of deep-frying a whole fish to cut both time and oil cleanup.
- Lower-sugar direction
- Halve the palm sugar and lean on the tamarind and chili so the sauce stays bright but less sweet.
Serve alongside
- Steamed jasmine rice
- Som tum (green papaya salad)
- Stir-fried morning glory (pad pak boong)
- Tom yum soup
- Thai iced tea
- Chilled coconut water
- Lime soda
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Store the fish and sauce together in the fridge up to two days, knowing the skin will soften. Reheat gently in a covered skillet rather than the microwave to keep the flesh from drying. Freezing is not recommended, as fried fish loses its texture entirely on thaw.
Equipment
- Deep heavy skillet or wok
- Spider strainer or slotted spatula
- Mortar and pestle
- Instant-read thermometer
Make this household-aware
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