This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Thai cooking frequently makes use of the roots of cilantro; their flavor is more pronounced than that of the leaves.
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a small bowl combine tamarind and water and let stand 10 minutes. With your fingers rub tamarind to dissolve in water. Pour mixture through a sieve into a small heavy saucepan, pressing hard on solids, and discard solids. Thinly slice shallots and mince garlic. Add shallots, garlic, cilantro roots, fish sauce, sugar, and salt to tamarind water and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Keep sauce warm, covered. Sauce may be made 1 hour ahead and reheated before serving.
Step 2
Preheat broiler.
Step 3
Lightly brush rack of a small broiler pan with oil and on it arrange snapper fillets, skin sides down. Season fish with salt and broil 4 to 5 inches from heat until just cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes. While fish is broiling, thinly slice scallions and, wearing protective gloves, thinly slice chiles diagonally. Stir whole basil leaves into warm sauce just before serving.
Step 4
Transfer fish to a platter and pour tamarind sauce over it. Scatter scallions and chiles over fish and garnish with basil sprigs.
