Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)

By: Hanuman
🔊 Listen to the Thai name pronunciation
Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)

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Grilled catfish laap presents the oily and inherently muddy-tasting freshwater fish within a clean and solid flavor profile. The catfish is first grilled, which adds the much-needed smoke element to complement the fish’s fattiness and helps mask the fish meat’s muddiness.

The fish meat is further deodorized by deploying an aromatic paste – but instead of being used to apply sharp freshness to the dish, the aromatics are roasted before being pounded. This helps to echo the smoke element of the grilled fish and strengthens the umami by introducing reducing sugars from the caramelized shallots.

Moreover, the smoke element is further introduced with the nuttiness of the ground roasted rice.

Please note: When frying the skins, trapped moisture can cause them to explode violently; if possible, sun-dry the skin prior to frying or use a low-heat oven or dehydrator to dry the skins as much as possible. If the above options are not available to you, use a pan with a cover for safety.

See also:

Lanna-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุก พื้นบ้านล้านนา ; laap bplaa dook lanna)
A Tai Lue style grilled catfish laap which is somewhat more complicated than the Issan version of grilled catfish laap.
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Lanna-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุก พื้นบ้านล้านนา ; laap bplaa dook lanna)

Essential Cooking Skills:

How to prepare ground roasted rice (ข้าวคั่ว ; khaao khuaa)
Add to Collection Check out the instructions
How to grill a catfish (วิธีย่างปลาดุก)
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Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
Popular recipe for Issan-style grilled catfish laap, the meat is deodorized by deploying a roasted aromatic paste.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course laap
Cuisine Northeastern Cuisine (Issan)
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g grilled catfish (ปลาดุกย่าง) medium size fish
  • 5 pieces shallots (หอมแดง) thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons dried Thai bird’s eye chili (phrik kee noo) (พริกขี้หนููแห้ง) fried whole

The herbs:

For the roasted aromatic paste:

  • 3 stalks lemongrass (ตะไคร้) bruised
  • 5 slices galangal (ข่า)
  • 5 pieces shallots (หอมแดง)
  • 5 cloves Chinese garlic (กระเทียมจีน)
  • 5 pieces kaffir lime leaves (ใบมะกรูด)

Seasoning:

Instructions
 

  • Prepare a fresh batch of ground roasted rice.
  • Clean, marinate and grill the catfish.
  • Separate and collect the meat and skin, discarding the head and bones. Set aside.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • On a cutting board and using a knife, mince the fish meat to a smooth consistency. Do not use a meat grinder or an electric food processor.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)

Prepare the crispy catfish skin:

  • Fry the skin on very low heat until crispy. Set aside.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)

Prepare the aromatic paste:

  • In a pan and over very low heat roast together with the bruised lemongrass stalks, galangal, shallots, garlic, and hand-torn kaffir lime leaves.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Roast until the shallots caramelize, the garlic is slightly charred, and the galangal is still moist. Remove from the heat, cut the lemongrass into thin slices.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Make a semi-fine paste by pounding the grilled aromatics in a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)

Prepare the rest of the ingredients:

  • Fry the dried bird’s eye chilies, starting with cold oil, until crisp and shiny. Set aside.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Thinly slice the shallots lengthwise along the growth axis. Set aside.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Slice the fresh kaffir lime leaves into hair-thin juliennes. Set aside.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Thinly slice the spring onion. Set aside.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Roughly chop the coriander leaves. Set aside.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Pick small young mint leaves and use them whole. Set aside.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Slice the sawtooth coriander into wide juliennes. Set aside.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)

Combine the laap:

  • In a mixing bowl, add the aromatic paste to the grilled catfish meat.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Using your hand, mix and squeeze the fish meat to allow the meat to blend with the paste – and also to ensure that there are no remaining fish bones.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Add the wet ingredients: Add fish sauce.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Add lime juice.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Ass fermented fish sauce (optional).
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Using your hand, combine the meat with the seasoning, this time using a crumbling mixing style rather than squeezing.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. It should be slightly sour over salty.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • When you are satisfied with the seasoning, add the sliced shallots and fried chilies. Keep some of the fried chilies for garnish.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Add the kaffir lime leaves.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Mix and crumble the fish meat.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Add the dried ingredients – the ground roasted rice and the ground chilies – and continue crumbling the fish meat.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Add the herbs.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Mix.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)
  • Serve alongside the crispy fish skin. Garnish with fried chilies.
    Issan-style grilled catfish laap (ลาบปลาดุกย่าง ; laap bplaa dook yaang)

Notes

When frying the skins, trapped moisture can cause them to explode violently; if possible, sun-dry the skin prior to frying or use a low-heat oven or dehydrator to dry the skins as much as possible. If the above options are not available to you, use a pan with a cover for safety.
Keyword laap (ลาบ)
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