Pla Neung Manao — Thai steamed fish with lime and chilli
This thai steamed fish with lime recipe steams a whole sea bass until the flesh flakes cleanly, then pours over a fiery, sour sauce of fresh lime juice, garlic, bird's eye chillies and fish sauce. It is the Thai table at its brightest — sour, salty, spicy and fresh all at once, with steamed jasmine rice to catch the sauce. One serving is about 350 g.
Pla neung manao — fish steamed with lime — is a classic of central Thai cooking, where steaming a whole fish and dressing it with a sharp lime, garlic and chilli sauce is one of the oldest ways to serve the day's catch. The sauce, a close cousin of the nam jim served with grilled food all over Thailand, is mixed to taste at every table: sour first, then salty, then hot, with the cook adjusting the lime and chilli until it tastes right.
Pairs well with: Steamed jasmine rice and a cool cucumber salad
Provenance
Thailand
Central Thai Classic
East & South Asia
Time Dedication
40m
20m prep • 20m cook
Batch Yield
4 Servings
359 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 350 g
Technical Skill
Intermediate
Moderate (Whole Fish)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Hearty Midday Main
Dinner
Ideal Hearty Main
Snack & Tea
Inappropriate
Central Thai Classic
Photo: Mattes, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Moderate — about $5–6 per serving at home (USD)
Cooked the home way: fish steamed whole until it just flakes, sauce warmed but never boiled, poured over at the last minute.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: A Cleaned Fish and a Pounded Sauce
20 Mins • Knife Work
Scale, gut and clean the sea bass, then score three diagonal cuts on each side so the heat and the sauce reach the thick flesh. Squeeze the limes, chop the garlic and chillies, and stir the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and warm chicken stock together until the sugar dissolves — taste it: it should be sharply sour first, then salty, then hot.
Maestro Tip: Make the sauce before the fish goes on the heat — the fish steams in minutes and the sauce must be ready to pour.
12 Mins Steaming, 100°C (212°F)
Lay the lemongrass in a steamer basket or on a heatproof plate, set the fish on top, and steam over boiling water for about 12 minutes, until the flesh at the thickest part flakes cleanly and reaches 63°C (145°F) inside. Do not lift the lid in the first 8 minutes.
The fish is done when the eye turns white and the flesh near the backbone is opaque, not glassy.
Done when: Flesh flakes cleanly from the bone, eye white, no translucent flesh at the backbone.
5 Mins Low heat, about 60°C (140°F)
While the fish steams, gently warm the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and chicken stock in a small pan until the sugar has dissolved — do not boil it, or the lime turns bitter. Stir in the garlic and chillies off the heat.
Warming the sauce wakes up the garlic and chilli without cooking away the fresh lime.
Done when: Sugar dissolved, sauce smelling of lime and garlic.
2 Mins Serve hot, above 60°C (140°F)
Lift the steamed fish onto a serving platter, pour the hot sauce over the top so it runs into the scores, and scatter the coriander leaves over it. Let it sit for 1 minute so the sauce soaks in.
Pour the sauce slowly down the scored cuts — that is how the flavour gets into the thickest flesh.
Done when: Fish glistening with sauce, herbs bright.
1 Min Serve hot, above 60°C (140°F)
Bring the fish to the table with bowls of steamed jasmine rice. Each person takes flakes of fish with some of the lime-chilli sauce spooned over their rice.
Serve the fish whole — part of the pleasure is picking it apart at the table.
Done when: Fish hot, rice steaming, sauce pooled on the plate.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Spoon extra sauce over each portion at the table — the lime-chilli broth is the best part of the dish, and the rice is there to catch every drop.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
359
kcal / serving
Protein
29g
Complete AA
Carbs
52g
Complex
Fats
3g
Healthy
| Energy | 359 kcal |
| Protein | 29 g |
| Carbohydrates | 52 g |
| Fat | 3 g |
| Fibre | 1.5 g |
| Sugar | 4.8 g |
| Sodium | 1028 mg |
| Energy | 103 kcal |
| Protein | 8.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 14.8 g |
| Fat | 0.9 g |
| Fibre | 0.4 g |
| Sugar | 1.4 g |
| Sodium | 294 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin D and B12 (sea bass), vitamin C (lime juice, chillies), vitamin A and folate (coriander).
Lean, High-Protein Fish
With about 29 g of protein and only about 3 g of fat per serving, steamed sea bass is a light but genuinely filling dinner.
Vitamin D and B12 from Fish
Sea bass brings vitamin D and B12, which support normal bone health and red blood cell formation.
Fresh Lime and Chilli
Lime juice and chillies add vitamin C and bright flavour without adding fat — the sauce is the seasoning, not the calories.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
Sides
Steamed Jasmine Rice
Plain jasmine rice is essential — it soaks up the sour, spicy sauce and balances the heat.
Vegetables
Thai Cucumber Salad
Cool, vinegared cucumber with a little shallot calms the chilli heat between bites of fish.
Stir-Fried Morning Glory
Garlicky stir-fried morning glory adds a green, savoury vegetable to a meal that is otherwise fish and rice.
Drinks
Iced Lemongrass Tea
Cold lemongrass tea is refreshing and lightly citrusy, echoing the lime in the sauce without adding sweetness.
Complete menu
Serve the steamed fish with jasmine rice, Thai cucumber salad and iced lemongrass tea, with extra lime-chilli sauce in a small bowl on the table.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
Overcooking the Fish
A steamed fish goes from silky to dry in a couple of minutes — lift it out as soon as the flesh flakes, and let the hot sauce finish the job. This is general food guidance, not medical advice.
Too Much Fish Sauce for Some Guests
Fish sauce is very salty, and this dish uses a generous amount — serve the sauce on the side for anyone watching their salt, and use a light hand when spooning it over rice. This is general food guidance, not medical advice.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
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