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Whole Thai steamed fish with lime chilli garlic sauce and cilantro

Thai · Thailand

Thai Steamed Fish with Lime & Chilli (Pla Neung Manao)

A whole fish steamed until tender, then flooded with searing lime–chilli–garlic sauce — Bangkok’s cleanest seafood thrill.

Prep

20 min

Cook

15 min

Servings

2–3

Difficulty

Medium

Pla neung manao is Thai seafood at its brightest: almost no oil, maximum citrus and chilli, and a whole fish that stays moist from steaming. It is a restaurant favourite in Bangkok and surprisingly easy at home with a wok steamer or a large covered pan.

Choose a fresh sea bass, barramundi, or snapper. Serve with jasmine rice to catch every drop of sauce.

Method

  1. 1

    Prepare the fish

    Score both sides of the fish 3–4 times. Place on a heatproof plate that fits your steamer. Season lightly with a pinch of salt.

  2. 2

    Steam until just cooked

    Bring steamer water to a boil. Steam the fish 12–15 minutes depending on thickness, until the flesh near the bone is opaque and flakes easily.

  3. 3

    Build the lime–chilli sauce

    While the fish steams, stir lime juice, garlic, chillies, fish sauce, stock, and sugar until sugar dissolves. Taste: it should be hot, sour, salty, and lightly sweet.

  4. 4

    Sauce and serve

    Transfer fish to a serving platter. Pour the sauce over while both are hot. Shower with coriander and serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Chef tips

  • Do not over-steam — pull the fish as soon as it flakes; residual heat continues cooking.
  • For less heat, deseed the chillies or use fewer birds’ eye chillies.
  • Warm the sauce briefly if needed, but do not boil — lime flavour fades with hard cooking.

Barramundi species guide →

Dine out

Want the restaurant version in Bangkok? See seafood restaurants in Bangkok · Thailand

FAQ — Thai Steamed Fish with Lime & Chilli (Pla Neung Manao)

Can I use fish fillets instead of a whole fish?
Yes. Steam thick fillets 6–8 minutes and sauce the same way. Whole fish looks more celebratory and stays moister.
What rice should I serve?
Jasmine rice is classic. Sticky rice also works if you prefer a more casual meal.
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