4 Delicious, Aromatic, and Simple Ways to Grill Sea Bass

Pomfret is a type of sea fish loved by many for its white flesh, few small bones, natural sweetness, and moderate fattiness. When grilled, the fish skin becomes crispy and golden with an appealing aroma, while the meat inside remains tender and juicy. If you are looking for delicious and easy-to-make grilled pomfret recipes at home, this article from Ola Squid will share 4 simple yet irresistibly flavorful methods that you should not miss.

1. How to make salt and chili grilled pomfret

1.1. Ingredients needed

To prepare the salt and chili grilled pomfret, you need the following ingredients:

• 1 fresh pomfret, cleaned
• 10g minced garlic, 10g minced shallots
• Rice paddy herb for serving, 15g chili paste
• 15g minced lemongrass, 30g cashew nut oil
• 2g salt, 6g seasoning powder, 3-4g MSG
• 20g chili sauce, 10g fish sauce
• 30ml filtered water
• A little cooking oil

1.2. Steps to follow

• Step 1 – Prep the fish: Once purchased, the pomfret needs to be cleaned by removing the internal organs, fins, and tail, then rinsing thoroughly with water. Use a knife to lightly score diagonal lines on the body of the fish in a cross-hatch pattern so it cooks faster and absorbs seasoning more easily.
• Step 2 – Prepare and cook the marinade sauce: Next, mix the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, and chili paste with cashew nut oil to create a beautiful color. Add salt, seasoning powder, sugar, MSG, fish sauce, chili sauce, and a little water for a perfect consistency. Sauté the shallot and garlic mixture in a hot pan, then add all the seasoning, simmer on low heat until slightly thickened and fragrant, then turn off the heat.
• Step 3 – Grill the fish: Prepare a charcoal grill and brush a thin layer of oil on the grate to prevent sticking. Place the fish on the grill, about 8-10 minutes per side depending on thickness. When the fish is almost cooked, brush the sauce evenly on both sides and continue grilling for a few more minutes until the skin is golden and spicy-aromatic.
• Step 4 – Completion: Finally, place the fish on a plate, garnish with rice paddy herb and carved chili for an eye-catching presentation. The perfect salt and chili grilled pomfret will have slightly crispy skin, tender sweet meat, and a balanced salty-spicy flavor.

2. Guide to making foil-grilled pomfret

2.1. Ingredients

The ingredients you need to prepare to make foil-grilled pomfret include:

• 1 fresh pomfret (about 1kg)
• 3 cloves of garlic, 3 shallots
• 5 stalks of green onion, 5 stalks of lemongrass
• A little rice paddy herb for serving
• 1 lime, 2 stalks of fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp chili sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp ketchup, 2 tbsp cashew nut oil
• 1 tsp chili powder, 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp cooking oil, 1 tsp chili powder
• Seasonings like salt, seasoning powder, sugar, and MSG

2.2. How to make

• Step 1 – Clean the fish: Once purchased, the pomfret is rubbed with salt and lime juice to remove the fishy smell, then rinsed thoroughly. Proceed to gut the fish, remove the organs, fins, and tail. Next, use a knife to lightly score diagonal or diamond patterns on the fish body to help the seasoning absorb and help the fish cook evenly when grilling.
• Step 2 – Prepare ingredients: Peel and mince the shallots and garlic. Peel and julienne the ginger. Divide the lemongrass into two parts: mince one part, and cut the other into segments. Wash the rice paddy herb and green onions, cut into bite-sized pieces to stuff into the fish’s belly.
• Step 3 – Cook sauce and marinate: Next, heat a pan with cooking oil, sauté the shallots, garlic, and minced lemongrass. Then add seasonings such as salt, seasoning powder, sugar, MSG, fish sauce, chili sauce, ketchup, oyster sauce, and chili powder. Stir well over medium heat until slightly thickened, then turn off the heat. Brush the sauce evenly over the fish body, add lemongrass segments, green onions, and rice paddy herb into the fish belly, then wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Let the fish rest in the fridge for 30-45 minutes to absorb flavors.
• Step 4 – Grill the fish: Preheat the oven to 180°C for about 15 minutes. Place the foil-wrapped fish in the oven, grill at 180°C for 30 minutes with the top and bottom heat setting. When the fish is almost done, open the top layer of foil and increase the temperature to 220°C, grilling for another 10 minutes so the surface is slightly golden.
• Step 5 – Completion: The finished foil-grilled pomfret has an eye-catching color, golden skin, and the meat inside is soft, sweet, and flavorful because it retains all its juices. The dish is extremely attractive with the aroma of lemongrass and ginger, perfect served hot with raw vegetables or fresh vermicelli.

3. How to make bird’s eye chili grilled pomfret

3.1. Ingredients

To prepare bird’s eye chili grilled pomfret for about 3 people, you need the following ingredients:

• 500g white pomfret
• 2 stalks of green onion, 5 green bird’s eye chilies
• 2 sawtooth coriander leaves, 3 shallots
• 1 kumquat
• 1 tbsp cashew nut oil, 1/2 tsp chili powder
• Seasonings include sea salt, MSG, soup powder, and ground pepper

3.2. Detailed instructions

• Step 1 – Clean the fish: Once purchased, you need to scrape the scales thoroughly, gut the fish, and remove the dark membrane inside to eliminate any fishy smell. Rinse with water, drain, then make a few light scores on the body to help the seasoning penetrate deeply when marinating.
• Step 2 – Mix the seasoning: Prepare a small bowl, add soup powder, MSG, ground pepper, chili powder, cashew nut oil, minced green bird’s eye chili, and minced shallots. Next, mix well until the ingredients blend together, creating a characteristic spicy aroma.
• Step 3 – Marinate the fish: Use your hands or a spoon to rub the seasoning evenly over the entire fish body, both outside and inside the belly. To make the dish more fragrant and reduce the fishy smell, you can add green onions and a few slices of kumquat into the fish belly before grilling. Marinate for 20-30 minutes for flavors to absorb.
• Step 4 – Grill the fish: Preheat the oven, then place the fish on a tray (you can line it with banana leaves to prevent sticking and increase fragrance). Grill at 230°C for about 25 minutes until the fish is golden, the skin is slightly charred, and it gives off an appealing aroma.
• Step 5 – Prepare dipping salt: Crush sea salt, soup powder, green bird’s eye chili, and sawtooth coriander together to create a salty-spicy dipping mixture, making the fish even more flavorful.
• Step 6 – Completion: The completed bird’s eye chili grilled pomfret has naturally sweet and soft meat, evenly soaked with a characteristic spicy flavor. The fish no longer has a fishy smell, replaced by an enticing aroma from the chili and herbs.

4. How to grill pomfret with green peppercorn

4.1. Ingredients

The ingredients needed to grill pomfret with green peppercorn are as follows:

• 1 pomfret weighing about 500g
• 20g crushed green peppercorns, a little green onion
• 5g minced chili, 1 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp fish sauce, 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 2 tbsp cooking oil, 2 tbsp scallion oil

4.2. How to make

• Step 1 – Mix marinade: First, mix well the fish sauce, sugar, ground pepper, cooking oil, oyster sauce, minced chili, and crushed green peppercorns until the ingredients blend.
• Step 2 – Prep the fish: Clean the pomfret, remove the gut, fins, and tail, wash, and drain. Lightly score both sides in a cross-hatch pattern so the fish absorbs the seasoning and cooks more evenly when grilling.
• Step 3 – Marinate and grill: Next, place the fish on aluminum foil, brush the sauce evenly over the fish, and wrap it tightly. Preheat the oven for 15 minutes, then grill at 200°C for about 20 minutes.
• Step 4 – Completion: Finally, take the fish out of the oven and sprinkle green onions on top. The green peppercorn grilled pomfret is fragrant with a mild spicy kick, ready to enjoy. Looking for something quick to eat?

See more similar delicious dishes:

• What to cook with white pomfret? 9 easy suggestions for every home
• What to cook with black pomfret? 4 attractive cooking suggestions
• What to cook with variegated carp? Top 10 simple but delicious recipes

5. Notes when making grilled pomfret

To keep the grilled pomfret naturally sweet, the meat tender, and the aroma appealing, you should note the following:

• Clean thoroughly but gently: Remove the gut, gills, and the dark membrane inside the belly to eliminate fishiness. When washing, you should use diluted salt water or crushed ginger to rub gently; avoid squeezing hard, which can bruise the fish meat.
• Score the fish moderately: You can make diagonal cuts on the fish body to help the seasoning absorb evenly and the fish cook faster. Do not cut too deep, as it will cause the fish to lose moisture when grilling.
• Marinate for the right amount of time: The ideal marinating time is 20-30 minutes. If marinated too long, especially with too much salt or fish sauce, the fish meat can become salty and lose freshness.
• Preheat the oven or grill: Preheating helps the fish cook evenly, the surface to firm up quickly, and retains the internal moisture.
• Control temperature and time reasonably: Pomfret has soft meat, so it does not need to be grilled for too long. Too high heat or too long a grilling time can easily make the fish dry, crumbly, and lose its sweetness.
• Maintain moisture when grilling: You can wrap the fish in aluminum foil or brush extra sauce/cooking oil during the grilling process so the fish does not dry out.
• Avoid flipping the fish too often: If grilling directly on the grate, you should only flip it 1-2 times to avoid tearing the skin and breaking the fish meat.

6. How to choose fresh, quality pomfret

To ensure the grilled pomfret reaches its full flavor potential, choosing fresh fish is the top priority. Here are some signs to recognize delicious pomfret:

• Observe the fish eyes: Fresh fish usually have clear, bright, and slightly bulging eyes. If the eyes are cloudy, deeply sunken, or dry, it is a sign that the fish has been sitting for a long time.
• Check the gills: Fresh pomfret has naturally bright red or pink gills, not black or covered in abnormal slime.
• Elasticity: Press gently on the fish body; if the meat is firm and quickly returns to its original state, the fish is fresh. If the indentation remains for a long time, the fish is less fresh.
• Observe the skin and scales: The fish skin is shiny, scales are firmly attached to the body and not peeling off much. The fish surface should not have strange spots or serious scratches.
• Smell: Fresh fish has a characteristic mild fishy smell of the sea, with no strong foul odor or strange, unpleasant scents.
• Check the belly: The belly should be intact, not bloated or torn. If the belly is mushy or leaking fluids, do not buy it.

With the 4 ways to make grilled pomfret above, we hope they will help you successfully prepare this dish to make your family meals more diverse. If you love cooking and want to discover more tips and other attractive cooking recipes, don’t forget to visit the Culinary Corner of Ola Squid to follow in more detail! Also, browse our home page for more high-quality seafood products.