BBQ Whole Snapper with Maple, Lemongrass and Chilli Dressing

Fish and Seafood / Mains

maple-bbq-snapper
Preparation Time:
Cooking Time:
Featuring Pure Maple Syrup
4 portions
Metric Imperial

Ingredients

  • 1 large snapper
  • 1 pinch of sea salt
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 tsp tamarind paste
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 3 tbsp pure maple syrup (preferably golden colour for its delicate flavour)
  • 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
  • ½ cup fresh coriander, plus a large handful to garnish
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce  
  • 2 red chillies, minced
  • 2 lemongrass sticks, finely sliced, plus 3 extra to garnish
  • 1 brown onion, sliced
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • Salt and pepper, to season
  • 1 lime, sliced into wedges
  • 1 red chilli, sliced

Method

  1. Use kitchen roll to pat the fish dry and make three to four diagonal cuts on one side of the fish, several inches apart.
  2. Sprinkle the surface of the fish with sea salt and set aside while you prepare the sauce.
  3. Place the water, tamarind paste, garlic, maple syrup, ginger, the half-cup of coriander leaves, fish sauce, and minced red chilli in a food processor and blitz to combine.
  4. Pour the sauce into a saucepan, add the 2 lemongrass sticks and simmer over medium-low heat for 5–8 minutes.
  5. Cover and keep warm while you cook the fish.
  6. Heat your BBQ to medium-high heat and add the fish. Grill for around 8 minutes on each side, or until the skin has browned and the flesh flakes easily.
  7. Make sure you don’t flip the fish too early or the skin will stick to the BBQ — allow at least 2 minutes before turning. Bash the extra lemongrass sticks with a rolling pin or the back of a spoon and add to the BBQ for the last 5 minutes.
  8. Meanwhile, fry the onion in the vegetable oil on high heat until crispy. You could do this on the BBQ if you have a cast iron skillet. 
  9. To serve, place the fish on a platter, pour over the sauce and garnish with the fried onions, fresh coriander, sliced chilli and lime wedges.

Treat you and your loved ones to this show-stopping BBQ snapper, complete with a delicious lemongrass, maple and chilli dressing.

The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity; to start, score the whole snapper with several diagonal cuts and then lightly season with sea salt. While firing up the grill, prepare the dressing by blitzing the ingredients and then pour into a saucepan to simmer along with two lemongrass sticks. With this ready, it’s time to grill the snapper until the skin is golden and crispy. Bring everything together by serving your BBQ snapper with the sweet and spicy dressing, crispy fried onions, fresh coriander and lime wedges. Whether you’re grilling for a special occasion or a relaxed weekend, this grilled snapper will be the centrepiece of any table.

Looking for more dishes like this BBQ whole snapper? Check out some of our other mains and seafood recipes below!

The Quebec Maple Syrup Producers are not in any way responsible for the identification or presence of allergens in recipes or for the classification of any recipe as vegetarian or vegan.

Fish and Seafood Recipes

Mains Recipes

More about Maple

Maple syrup comes in four grades

The classification of maple syrup is based on its colour – which changes subtly throughout the spring harvest – and its flavour profile.

Maple syrup is an excellent source of energy

Maple products contain simple carbohydrates that turn into glucose and act as fuel during exercise, which is why they are a popular choice for athletes and fitness fanatics before, during, and after training sessions.

Discover more about using pure Canadian maple syrup to fuel exercise here.

Pure Canadian maple products are stocked all across Australia

From online suppliers to your local stores, find your local stockist of pure Canadian maple syrup here.

Hundreds of Delicious Recipes

Maple is a special addition to any recipe, from appetiser to dessert. Find one that’s perfect for you!