Perfumed Thai Baby Barramundi

2 Baby Barramundi (Gilled & Gutted)

4 Eschalots

2 Garlic Cloves

1 Knob Ginger

1 Chilli (Seeded)

2 tablespoons Fish Sauce

Juice of 1 Lime

2 tablespoons Sweet Chilli Sauce

10 Kaffir Lime Leaves

½ teaspoon Five Spice

1 bunch Fresh Coriander

1 tablespoon Sesame Oil

Remove roots from the eschalots and cut off the top green leafy half. Reserve the leaves.
Roughly chop the eschalots and add to a blender along with the garlic, ginger, chilli, fish sauce, lime juice, and sweet chilli sauce. Blend into a runny paste like consistency. Adjust sourness, saltiness and sweetness of the paste to taste with extra lime juice, fish sauce and sweet chilli sauce.
Cut three diagonal slashes on each side of each barramundi. Make the cuts almost to the bone.
Smear the paste all over the fish, making sure to work it into the cuts and the gut cavity. Place 5 kaffir lime leaves in the gut cavity of each fish. Wrap the fish in plastic film and place in the fridge for 1-3 hours.
Finely chop on a diagonal the green leaves of the eschalots. Roughly chop the leaves of the coriander and combine with the eschalots.
In a suitably sized steamer mix the five spice powder into the water and bring to the boil. Place fish inside the steamer ensuring that the water is well below the fish. Steam for about 12 minutes. Remove lid from the steamer and drizzle the fish with the sesame oil and cover with the eschalot/coriander. Replace the lid and remove the steamer from the heat.
Allow the fish to rest without removing the lid for a further 5 minutes before serving.

Serving suggestion: Serve simply with plenty of steamed white jasmine rice or on a plate of fresh steamed green beans.