Grilled Snapper Palau Style
Grilled snapper, Palau style, is a wonderful main dish, for any occasion. Obviously, fish is an abundant staple eaten on the islands’ nation of Palau. Red snapper is found in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, as is the silk snapper, that I used for this dish. You can use any fish that swims in Pacific waters for an authentic Palau dish.
A few exotic ingredients were used to flavor the fish before it went on the grill. One was, wrapping it in a banana leaf. The banana leaf imparts a wonderful flavor to the fish. I learned a little tip when I cooked Papua New Guinea. If you run the banana leaf quickly over a flame, it actually softens. So when you wrap the fish, the banana leaf will not crack.
Other ingredients used were fresh ginger, garlic and kaffir lime leaf. The kaffir lime tree grows a fruit that looks like a wrinkled-up lime. The fruit is not what the tree is good for, it is the leaf. It is an interesting leaf, that looks like two leaves together. They are edible and flavor the fish with deliciousness. The kaffir lime leaf is a commonly used ingredient in Southeast Asia, as well as in the exotic Pacific islands.
A simple way to infuse the flavor of the garlic, ginger and kaffir lime is to simply make slices in the flesh of the fish. Using a sharp knife, make ½ inch deep cuts along one side of the fish and place the ingredients right into the sliced areas.
The whole snapper is then glazed with a dark, mushroom-flavored soy sauce and sesame oil, before being wrapped up in the banana leaf and grilled.
I loved the glaze so much, I decided to use what was left over on the white rice. The rice was served alongside the perfectly grilled snapper. Lime slices completed the dish. Yam or Taro root would be other authentic side dishes that could go nicely with the grilled snapper, Palau style.
This is a really easy dish to make and cooks up on the grill in just 15 minutes. Grilled snapper. Palau style, is a healthy and delicious meal. I hope you enjoy it and please let me know how you liked it in the comment section below.
Did you know that the world’s first shark sanctuary was started in Palau? If you would like to learn more about this unique Island nation, be sure to check out “Our Journey to Palau” for fun facts and more authentic recipes from Palau.
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Grilled Snapper Palau Style
Grilled Snapper Palau Style is an authentic main dish recipe from the islands nation that is quick and easy to make. A healthy recipe your family is sure to love.
Ingredients
- 1 3 lb Red Snapper Cleaned and scaled
- 1 2" Piece Ginger peeled and sliced thinly
- 2 cloves Garlic Sliced thinly
- 4 Kaffir lime leaves
- 2 Tbsps Soy Sauce Dark mushroom flavored
- 2 Tbsps Sesame Oil
- 1 large Banana leaf
- 1 lime cut into wedges
Instructions
Place a piece of foil large enough to wrap up the whole fish
Quickly run the banana leaf over a flame on the stove to soften it. Place it on top of the foil. Place the whole fish on the banana leaf.
Mix together the soy sauce and the sesame oil in a small bowl. Using a basting brush, cover the underside of the fish on the banana leaf with a bit of the sauce.
Also brush the cavity of the fish as well.
Using a sharp knife, make a few slices into the flesh about 1/2 " thick to make a space to place the thin slices of garlic, ginger and kaffir lime leaf.
Place the extra lime leaf and garlic and ginger into the cavity of the fish. Brush the top of the fish with more sauce.
Wrap the whole fish in the banana leaf and then foil so you have a nice package.
Turn the grill on to medium high heat and cook for approx 15 minutes turning over once.
Check for a nice tender flaky fish making certain not to overcook it.
Serve with white rice and flavor the rice with any leftover sauce.
Garnish with some lime slices.
Recipe Video
