Ingredients:

For the Fish:

1 sea bass, about 450 grams, guts and gills already removed

2 stalks lemongrass, bottom half only, smashed and cut into chunks

For the sauce / soup:

10-15  hot green-red chilies, chopped

6 cloves peeled garlic, chopped

2-3 coriander roots, finely chopped

3 tablespoons. lime juice

2 tablespoons fish sauce

¼ cup pickle garlic juice

½ cup chicken stock (optional)

2 white spring onion stems cut into 1 ½ “long pieces

1-2 stalks Chinese celery, cut into 2 cm pieces

Thin slices of lime for garnish

Thin slices of garlic for garnish

Method:

1. Scale and clean the fish, slit down the middle and remove the insides. Trim off the tail end, and clean thoroughly. Score diagonally on both sides of the fish. Cut off the top halves of the lemongrass, bruise and stuff the lemongrass into the cavity of the fish. Then arrange the fish on a plate, steam over high boiling water for about 15-20 minutes – depending on the size of your fish.
2. Chop the chilies, garlic and coriander roots finely, mix with the stock and stir well. Follow with lime juice, pickle garlic juice and fish sauce. Stir gently and then taste test. Make sure it’s sour and balanced with a hint of sweetness, and a bit saltiness. Set aside. (Taste test is individual- depends on your taste!)
3. When the fish is fully steamed, transfer it to a serving platter, then garnish with a bed of Chinese celery, place the fish on the platter. Gently scoop on all the sauce over the fish, putting most of the garlic and chilies on the top of the fish. Then lay slices of garlic and lime on the top and sprinkle spring onion and coriander leaves.                            Done. Serve while steaming hot with white rice.