Tamarind Glazed Fish with a Crunchy Cabbage Slaw

If you’re looking for an easy recipe, you’ve come to the right place. Make this Tamarind Glazed Fish and serve it with a fresh cabbage slaw.

If you’ve never cooked with tamarind before, now’s your chance! It’s a fruit that’s native to Africa but also grows in India and other parts of the Middle East. While you may be able to find the fresh fruit, it’s commonly sold as a paste. It has a sour-sweet taste and is very healthy for you. Are you interested in trying it? I’m so in love with this insanely flavorful Tamarind Glazed Fish, and you will be too.

This recipe is incredibly simple and easy to make for a crowd. First, you mix up the ingredients for the tamarind glaze. Then you brush it on the fish and roast it in the oven. While the fish is roasting, you’ll make the slaw. Lastly, you brush a second glaze on the fish and finish roasting until the fish is cooked through and flaky.

Ingredient Notes:

• Tamarind Paste – You can find it at most grocery stores, including Whole Foods.
• Dark Muscovado Sugar – It has more molasses and a stronger flavor than dark brown sugar, which is why I chose it for this recipe. It can be found at some grocery stores, definitely Whole Foods, but can also be ordered online, here. However you can also substitute dark brown or light brown sugar.
• Fish Sauce – This is hands-down one of my favorite ingredients to use, and for good reason. The flavor is so unique and umami. You can find it at most grocery stores these days. My favorite brand is Red Boat, made from just two ingredients: anchovies and sea salt. You can find it here.
• Red Snapper – I like using red snapper for this recipe, but you can use grouper, black bass, or mahi mahi.
• Green Cabbage – Slice/shred it as thin as possible.
• Crispy Onions – I found them gluten-free, right here! You can also find them at Whole Foods. If you can’t find these, substitute toasted panko, crispy garlic, crispy shallots, or crushed taro chips.
• Long Red Chili Pepper – You can also substitute thinly sliced jalapeno if you can’t find a long red pepper.
• Cilantro – If you hate cilantro, you can use thinly sliced scallion greens, basil or mint, or a combo of all three!

Tamarind Glazed Fish with a Crunchy Cabbage Slaw

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Southeast Asian

Servings 2

Equipment

• Parchment Paper
• 1 Sheet Pan
• Pastry Brush
• 2 Medium Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 teaspoons tamarind paste
• 2 tablespoons dark muscovado sugar
• 3 teaspoons fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• 2 cloves garlic peeled and grated
• 1 inch piece ginger peeled and grated
• 2 fillets red snapper or another white fish like grouper, black bass, or mahi mahi
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded green cabbage
• ½ cup roughly chopped roasted cashews
• Handful of crispy onions to taste
• ½ long red chili pepper thinly sliced into rounds
• ¼ cup cilantro leaves and thin stems packed
• ½ lime juiced
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons avocado oil

Instructions

 

• Adjust rack to upper third of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Prepare a parchment-lined sheet pan.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the tamarind chutney, sugar, two-thirds of the fish sauce, rice vinegar, sriracha, garlic, and ginger.
• Place snapper fillets onto parchment-lined sheet pan. Sprinkle flesh sides of red snapper fillets with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Brush a thin layer of the tamarind glaze onto the flesh side of the fillets, covering it all. Reserve leftover glaze for later use.
• Roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with another layer of glaze. Return to the oven and cook for an additional 2 minutes, until cooked through and flaky.
• Meanwhile, make the slaw. In a medium bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, cashews, crispy onions, chili pepper, cilantro, lime juice, sesame oil, avocado oil, the remaining fish sauce, and a big pinch of Kosher salt. Toss to combine. Taste and season with more salt, if needed.
• Serve fish alongside slaw and enjoy!

Notes

Fish and slaw best served immediately after cooking.

Tamarind glaze can be prepped ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Cabbage slaw ingredients can be prepped ahead of time and stored individually in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight. Crispy onions and cashews should be stored in an airtight container in the pantry. Toss when ready to serve. 

Keyword crispy, easy, healthy, quick

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!