Pla Tod Nam Pla | Crispy Thai Fish in Fish Sauce

Rinse the jasmine rice thoroughly in a fine sieve with cold water until the water runs clear. Bring to a boil in a pot with 300 ml of lightly salted water, reduce the heat, cover, and let gently simmer over low heat for about 12 to 15 minutes.

Peel the shallots and garlic cloves and cut them into thin slices and fine dice, respectively. Wash the red chilli pepper, pat dry, halve, and cut into thin rings. Rinse the lime with hot water and cut into wedges. Wash the coriander, shake dry, and roughly chop.

For the caramelised fish sauce, heat 1 tbsp of the neutral vegetable oil in a small pot. Sauté the shallots, garlic, and chilli rings over medium heat for about 1 to 2 minutes until translucent. Add the brown cane sugar, fish sauce, and 2 tbsp of water. Simmer over medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved and a slightly syrupy, glossy sauce forms. Remove from the heat and keep warm.