Chilli Lime Fish Cilantro (Printable)

Flaky fish cooked with tangy chilli lime sauce topped with fresh cilantro and crispy shallots.

# What You Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 skinless white fish fillets such as cod, snapper, or tilapia, approximately 5.3 oz each
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 2 tablespoons rice flour or cornstarch, optional for light crust
05 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

→ Chilli Lime Sauce

06 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, approximately 1 lime
07 - 1 tablespoon fish sauce
08 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce, gluten-free if required
09 - 1 tablespoon honey or palm sugar
10 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
11 - 1 to 2 red bird's eye chillies, finely sliced, adjust to taste preference
12 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

→ Garnish

13 - 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
14 - 1/4 cup crispy fried shallots, store-bought or homemade
15 - Extra lime wedges for serving

# Directions:

01 - Pat fish fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Lightly dust with rice flour or cornstarch if desired for enhanced crispiness.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, carefully add fish fillets. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to serving platter and keep warm.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, sliced chillies, and grated ginger until well combined.
04 - Wipe out the skillet and pour in the prepared sauce. Let it bubble for approximately 1 minute to blend flavors, then spoon hot sauce evenly over cooked fish.
05 - Scatter fresh cilantro and crispy shallots generously over the fish. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in one small bowl while the fish cooks, so there's zero juggling of multiple steps.
  • You get restaurant-quality flavor with ingredients you probably already have, minus the markup and the wait.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, but tastes indulgent enough that no one feels like they're missing anything.
02 -
  • Don't fuss with the fish while it's cooking; moving it constantly prevents browning and makes it more likely to break apart, so set a timer and trust the process.
  • The sauce tastes intensely salty and funky straight from the bowl, which is exactly right—fish sauce is an ingredient that needs the heat and the other components to shine, so don't panic if you taste it raw.
03 -
  • If you're making your own crispy shallots, slice them thin on a mandoline, fry them in batches so they cook evenly, and drain them on paper towels immediately so they stay crispy.
  • For a milder version, remove the seeds from the chillies before slicing, which removes about seventy percent of the heat while keeping all the fruity chilli flavor.
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