Crustacean eating red mullet makes for smooth pink Whole Thai Fish Skewers, a recipe from Skewered: Recipes for Fire Food on Sticks from Around the World by Marcus Bawdon (© Dog ‘n’ Bone, April 27, 2021)

WHOLE THAI FISH SKEWERS

I’m a lover of red mullet and I think it’s much under-rated by a lot of folk. It’s a lovely pink, smooth-skinned fish, and the flesh is delicate with a shellfish flavor from all the prawns/shrimp and crustaceans it eats.
I figured it would work well with a red Thai curry coating and a nice crispy, slightly charred skin. This is a lovely way to cook fish as you get a crisp skin, without fear of the fish sticking because it’s not in contact with the grill grates.

Feeds 2

RECOMMENDED HEAT: Moderate coals

Ingredients:

2 red mullet, gutted and scaled
2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
coarse sea salt
lime wedges, to serve

CHOOSE YOUR SKEWER
long flat metal skewers

Directions:

Set up a narrow grill so that the skewers go across both sides so that the fish can be supported just above the coals.

Skewer the fish through the head, body and out through the tail end. Make a couple of slashes in the thick part of the body to help even cooking, and to allow the curry paste to penetrate the flesh. Season lightly with the salt, and then brush on the Thai red curry paste. Make sure the fish has a nice even coating of the paste.

Place the fish skewers over the coals and turn occasionally, making sure the char on the skin doesn’t get too dark. Total cooking time should be 10–12 minutes or until the thickest part of the fish has an internal temperature of 55°C/130°F on a digital probe thermometer.
Finish with a squeeze of lime juice and serve with some fragrant jasmine rice, if liked.

(* Excerpted from Skewered: Recipes from Around the World for Fire Food on Sticks by Marcus Bawdon - © Dog ‘n’ Bone, 2021- Photography by Marcus Bawdon)