Ca Nuong Muoi Ot (Grilled Fish with Salt and Chili), Made with Monk Fruit Sweetener

Method

1. Clean the fish, scrape away the black membrane and blood inside the belly, rub it with lime and coarse salt to remove any off smell, then rinse and pat dry. Score it lightly on the diagonal on both sides so it takes the seasoning and cooks evenly.
2. Finely chop the lemongrass, garlic, shallots and chilies.
3. Fry the shallot, lemongrass, garlic and chili until fragrant, then season with 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon chili sauce, 1/2 tablespoon kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 3 tablespoons water and 2 tablespoons annatto oil. Add a little crisp pork fat to keep the flesh soft and sweet.
4. Wearing gloves, rub the mixture all over the fish and into the belly, cover with cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.
5. Charcoal gives the best result. In an oven, preheat both elements to 200 to 220 degrees C for 10 minutes, wrap the fish in foil and bake for 15 minutes, then take the foil off the top and bake for another 10 minutes until the surface is golden.
6. Bring the fish to the table with rice vermicelli, rice paper, cucumber, pineapple, green banana, carrot and fresh herbs.

Tips

• Rub the fish with lime and coarse salt, rinse it clean and pat it dry to clear the smell.
• Marinate the fish for at least 30 minutes before grilling so the flavor gets into the flesh.
• A little crisped pork fat in the marinade keeps the fish tender and sweet rather than dry on the grill.
• Charcoal gives the best aroma, and in an oven wrap it in foil first, then open it to color the surface.
• Let the fried marinade cool before spreading it on the fish, since a hot one part cooks the surface.