Asian Glazed Baked Barramundi
The reason pan-fried fish is so much tastier than just sticking it in the oven is because you get good browning. Colour = flavour with anything, whether it’s vegetables or meats. Fish fillets simply cook too quickly in the oven to get any colour on them. So how do you make baked fish tastier and more interesting? You could:
What you need for the Asian BBQ Sauce Glaze
Here’s what you need for the Asian BBQ Sauce Glaze:
ChimichurriPestoHollandaise or Béarnaise SauceSalsa VerdeLemon Butter SauceRomesco Sauce (Spanish red capsicum sauce)A tangy and creamy sauce like Creamy Dill SauceAny of these Seafood Sauces; OR
Chinese Five Spice – A store-bought mix of spices used extensively in Chinese cooking made with (wait for it…) FIVE different spices. I know, you fell off your chair in shock. 😂 Commonly found nowadays in grocery stores;Sichuan pepper – For a hint of the Sichuan pepper signature cool-and-numbing heat. It’s really not a big deal if you leave it out however. Just add a dash of pepper instead;Sambal oelek – A chunky chilli paste for a hint of chilli heat. Don’t have it? Just use sriracha or other similar Asian chilli paste;Chinese black vinegar OR rice vinegar – Black vinegar has a distinctive flavour, rich and dark, a bit like Asian-y balsamic. So it does add a touch more flavour into the glaze while also deepening the colour of the glaze. But it really is not a big deal if you use rice vinegar instead;Soy sauce – Either all-purpose or light soy sauce. Don’t use dark soy sauce, it will be far too intense. More on different types of soy sauces here;Honey – The main sweet element. Substitute with maple syrup or brown sugar;Mirin – A Japanese cooking wine used to add depth of flavour, and a little sweetness. Substitute with Chinese cooking wine, Japanese cooking sake, or if you can’t have alcohol, chicken stock (see recipe notes);Garlic and ginger – Fresh, please!Sesame oil – Toasted, ie. the bronze-coloured sesame oil, because it has more sesame flavour. Untoasted sesame oil is yellow, and is harder to find in Australia; andCornflour/cornstarch – Used to thicken the glaze.
Fish for Asian Glazed Baked Fish
I used barramundi in this recipe. The meaty and juicy flesh makes it ideal for the bold flavour of the glaze, and the fillets are thick enough to make them suitable for cooking in the oven. See below for a list of other suitable fish .Any thick-ish, firm, white fish fillets will work a treat here! Skin on or off? Either is fine, it really won’t affect the bake time. But the skin won’t be crispy. If this is a turn-off for you, just eat the flesh and leave the skin.
Other fish suitable to use
This recipe is suitable for most fish fillets around 2.5cm/1″ thick. We need it that thick so it doesn’t cook through too quickly before the glaze has a chance to caramelise (~18 minutes). Fillets this thick will generally come off a larger fish. Here are some suggestions:
Jewfish (mulloway)Snapper (if a large fish)HokiTilapia – the thick part (reduce oven cook time to 12 minutes)Cod (any)GrouperMonkfishHalibutPollock (aka coley)LingEmperorStriped bass (not all bass is suitable), hake, gummy sharkSalmon or ocean trout also work but there might be too much flavour going on as the glaze is quite intense!
Remember, the shape of fish means that you get thick cuts from the main body as well as thin cuts from towards the tail. Opt for the thicker cuts!
Fish to avoid
I recommend avoiding:
Fish that dry out easily when cooked – Like swordfish, tuna, bonito, kingfish, marlin, mackerel. Unless you’re extremely careful they can become dry inside so are very prone to overcooking in the oven. I feel these fish are (mostly) better in raw/rare form such as Ceviche, Poke Bowls, Tartare;Delicate fish, thin-filleted, long narrow or small fish – Like flounder, sole, plaice, whiting, bream, dory, basa, hoki, flathead, deep sea perch (Orange Roughy). These fillets are too thin or too long and narrow to cook in the oven using this glaze because they cook too quickly; andOily, “fishy” fish – Like mullet and sardines.
How to make Asian Glazed Baked Barramundi
I wish more recipes of mine only had FOUR process step photos! 😂 The target internal temperature of white fish cooked in the oven is 55°C/131°F. More on this below.
What to serve with Asian Glazed Baked Barramundi
The Asian Glazed Baked Barramundi is shown in this post with a side of Coconut Rice and cucumbers tossed with Asian Sesame Dressing. The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 63°C/145˚F, which is medium-well done. This is safe for all types of white fish because it is thoroughly cooked. However you will find that for leaner fish such as cod, it is not as juicy as it could be at this temperature. If you ask chefs, you’ll find that many will target an internal temperature of 50°C/122°F (pull temperature). This is just medium, which means the fish is at its absolute optimum juiciness. For home cooks however, this can be a tricky act to ensure the fish isn’t underdone. So in my view, it’s safest to target 55°C/131°F. Even if you overshoot it a bit, the fish will still be far from overcooked. This is also a good target internal temperature for roasted fish according to notable Australian seafood cookery experts such as Josh Niland, chef/owner of the critically-acclaimed Saint Peter fish restaurant and Fish Butchery in Sydney. He is author of award-winning book The Whole Fish Cookbook (page 209 for roasting temperatures). The glaze and juices from the fish are flavourful enough to serve it with plain steamed rice. Choose from white, jasmine, basmati or brown rice. Or for a low-carb option, cauliflower rice (really, it’s not just healthy but delicious!). For flavoured rice options, try one of these: As for vegetables and salads to serve on the side, here are some suggestions: It’s dawned on me writing this that I’m a little short on Asian side salads. Time to start building up my stash. 🤔 Keep an eye out for more in the coming weeks! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
More baked fish recipes
Life of Dozer
It’s a bird…. it’s a plane….no…it’s a drone! Endless entertainment and free exercise for Dozer whenever there’s a drone about. I’ll share the video if I get a copy!
