Royal Allamanda Grouper
by Chef Songwut Monthirakanok, Allamanda Laguna Phuket – Bang Tao
At Allamanda Laguna Phuket, Chef Songwut Monthirakanok brings his deep Thai culinary heritage to life in the Royal Allamanda Grouper — a perfectly fried whole fish glazed in tamarind sauce and lifted by fragrant herbs. It’s a dish that balances sweet, sour, and spice with graceful precision.
Ingredients
1 kg grouper (whole fish)
150 cc tamarind sauce
10 g green pepper
50 g lemongrass
20 g galangal
10 g kaffir lime leaves
0.5 g coriander root
10 g sweet basil
20 g guinea pepper
10 g red goat pepper
50 g coconut sugar
100 cc fish sauce
100 g shallots
Method
Heat oil in a pan — about half a cup or enough to cover the side of the fish. Fry the grouper slowly over low heat until cooked through. Remove and set on a serving plate.
Royal Sauce:
Finely chop garlic, shallots, coriander roots, and red goat pepper, then mix with green pepper. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a wok and stir-fry the mixture until aromatic. Add tamarind sauce, fish sauce, coconut sugar, and a few tablespoons of water. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil.
Pour the sauce over the fried grouper and garnish with fried kaffir lime leaves, fried basil, or other Thai herbs of choice.
