Thai Fried Garlic Fish: Ingredients, Garlic Topping and Preparation

Thai fried garlic fish, known in Thai as pla tod kratiem, is a whole fish or thick fillet deep-fried until the skin is crisp, then covered with a mound of golden fried garlic and the fragrant oil the garlic was cooked in. It needs few ingredients: fish, plenty of garlic, white pepper, fish sauce and frying oil. The garlic topping is the defining garnish. It must be fried slowly and lifted out at the right moment so it stays crunchy and sweet rather than bitter.

What is Thai fried garlic fish?

Thai fried garlic fish is a home-style and restaurant dish. In it, fried garlic is the main flavor, not just a decoration. The fish is usually scored, seasoned and deep-fried whole. It is then served under a loose layer of crisp garlic. Pla tod kratiem means roughly fried fish with garlic. The same cooking idea appears in related dishes such as fried pork with garlic (moo tod kratiem) and fried shrimp with garlic (goong tod kratiem). In all of these, the garlic topping is made the same way.

It is typically eaten with steamed jasmine rice and a dipping sauce. These dishes are often shared on the table with soups, curries or salads.

What does Thai fried garlic fish look, smell and taste like?

A well-made plate of Thai fried garlic fish looks deep amber where the fish skin has crisped. The scored flesh opens into ridges along the sides of the fish. Over the top sits a scattering of small, irregular garlic pieces in pale gold to light brown. Some may still carry flakes of papery skin.

Aroma: nutty, toasty garlic. This is very different from the sharp, raw smell of fresh garlic. White pepper adds a mild, earthy heat.
Texture: brittle, shattering garlic crumbs and crunchy fish skin and fins. Beneath them, the flesh is moist and flaky.
Taste: savory and lightly salty from fish sauce. The fried garlic tastes almost sweet. The dipping sauce provides any sourness, sweetness or chili heat.

What ingredients do you need for Thai fried garlic fish?

The core ingredients for Thai fried garlic fish are a firm white fish, a generous amount of garlic, white pepper, fish sauce and a neutral frying oil. Coriander root, a little flour or starch, and a dipping sauce are common additions.

Ingredient	What it contributes	How to recognize a good one
Fish (whole or fillets)	The base. It provides crisp skin and juicy flesh.	Clear eyes, firm flesh and a fresh, sea-like smell. Avoid a strong fishy smell.
Garlic	The crunchy garlic topping and the flavored oil.	Firm, tight heads with no green sprouts or soft spots.
White pepper	Gentle, earthy heat that suits fish.	Fine, pale cream powder with a strong smell when sniffed.
Coriander (cilantro) root	A deep, herbal, slightly peppery note in the seasoning paste.	Pale, thin roots still attached to coriander stems.
Fish sauce	Salt and savory depth.	Clear, reddish-brown liquid.
Rice flour, cornstarch or tapioca starch (optional)	A thin dusting that helps the skin crisp and reduces sticking.	Fine, dry powder.
Neutral frying oil	Conducts heat and becomes garlic oil.	A plain-tasting oil, such as vegetable, rice bran or peanut oil.

Which fish works best?

The best fish for Thai fried garlic fish is a firm, mild white fish that holds together in hot oil. In Thailand, tilapia, sea bass (barramundi), snapper and pomfret are common choices. They are often cooked whole so that the head, fins and tail turn crunchy. A whole fish of a size that fits flat in your wok or pan is easiest to handle. Thick fillets with the skin on are a simpler option for beginners. They cook faster and need less oil, but you lose the crunchy fins and the dramatic presentation.

What kind of garlic is used?

Thai cooks traditionally use Thai garlic. Its heads are small, with many tiny cloves and thin, soft, often purple-tinged skins. Because the skins are so thin, the cloves are frequently crushed and chopped with the skins on. The skins fry into crisp flakes. The larger garlic sold in most Western supermarkets works well too. However, its thicker skins should usually be removed, because they can stay tough or burn. Large cloves also taste slightly sharper. Chop them evenly so they brown at the same rate.

What do coriander root and white pepper add?

Coriander root, white pepper and garlic pounded together form a classic Thai seasoning base. It is rubbed onto meat and fish before frying. Coriander root tastes stronger and earthier than the leaves. If you cannot find roots, the lower stems of a coriander bunch are the usual substitute. They are milder and greener in flavor. Black pepper can replace white pepper. It gives a sharper, more floral heat and leaves visible dark specks.

Which kitchen tools help?

A wok, a slotted skimmer and a mortar and pestle make Thai fried garlic fish easier, but ordinary kitchen equipment also works.

Wok: its curved shape lets a whole fish sit in a pool of oil while using less oil than a straight-sided pot. A deep, heavy frying pan is a workable alternative.
Spider or slotted skimmer: a wide wire-mesh scoop that lifts fried garlic out of the oil all at once. This matters, because garlic darkens quickly.
Fine sieve set over a heatproof bowl: lets you pour garlic and oil through together to stop the cooking instantly.
Mortar and pestle: a heavy stone or clay bowl for pounding garlic, coriander root and pepper into a coarse paste. Pounding bruises the garlic and releases more aroma than slicing. A knife and cutting board can do the job.
Two wide spatulas: make it easier to turn a whole fish without breaking it.
Thermometer (optional): helps keep oil at a steady temperature.

How do you make the fried garlic topping?

To make the fried garlic topping, cook evenly chopped garlic in oil over moderate heat, stirring constantly. Remove it while it is still light golden, because it continues to darken from its own heat after it leaves the pan.

Chop evenly. Peel the garlic, or leave thin Thai garlic skins on. Crush it lightly, then chop it into small pieces of similar size. Uneven pieces brown unevenly, so the tiny bits burn before the large ones crisp.
Use enough oil. The garlic should move freely in the oil rather than sit in a pile. Crowded garlic steams and turns soft.
Start gently. Add the garlic to oil that is warm, not smoking. Medium to medium-low heat gives the moisture time to cook out before the outside browns. This is what makes the garlic crisp.
Stir continuously. The garlic first bubbles vigorously as water escapes. As the bubbling slows, the pieces turn ivory, then straw-colored, then light gold. At this stage the smell shifts from sharp to nutty.
Remove it early. When most pieces are pale gold, take it off the heat. Immediately lift the garlic out with a skimmer or pour everything through a sieve. If you wait until it looks perfectly brown in the pan, it will be dark and bitter on the plate.
Drain and cool. Spread the garlic on paper towels. It crisps further as it cools.
Keep the oil. The strained garlic oil is fragrant and useful. Spoon a little over the finished fish, or use it in stir-fries and noodles.

Fried garlic that tastes harsh or bitter has been cooked too dark. Garlic that is chewy instead of crunchy was cooked too fast, too crowded, or removed before the bubbling slowed.

How do you prepare and fry the fish?

To fry the fish for Thai fried garlic fish, score it, season it, dry it well and deep-fry it in hot oil until the skin is crisp and golden. Turn it only once.

Clean and dry. Scale and gut the fish, or ask the fishmonger to do it. Rinse it, then pat it very dry inside and out. Surface water makes hot oil spatter and prevents crisping.
Score. Cut several diagonal slashes down to the bone on both sides. This helps the heat reach the thickest part and lets the seasoning in. It also creates crisp edges.
Season. Pound a little garlic, coriander root and white pepper into a coarse paste. Mix in a splash of fish sauce and rub it over the fish and into the cuts. Let it sit briefly while the oil heats.
Dust (optional). Pat off any loose paste, which can burn, and coat the fish lightly with rice flour or starch. Shake off the excess.
Heat the oil. Heat enough oil to reach at least halfway up the fish. Deep-frying is commonly done around 170–180 °C (340–355 °F). Without a thermometer, a wooden chopstick dipped in the oil should produce a steady stream of small bubbles.
Fry the first side. Slide the fish in away from you to avoid splashes. Leave it alone until the underside is deep golden and firm. Moving it too soon tears the skin.
Turn once and finish. Turn the fish with two spatulas and fry the second side. The fish is done when the flesh at the thickest score is opaque and separates from the bone. Cooking time depends on the thickness of the fish.
Drain. Lift the fish out and let excess oil drip off on a rack or paper towels.

Many cooks fry the garlic first and the fish second in the same oil. The oil then picks up a light garlic aroma. Be sure to remove every garlic fragment first, or the leftover bits will burn during the longer fish fry.

How is Thai fried garlic fish served?

Thai fried garlic fish is served hot on a platter. The fried garlic is piled over the top, and a spoonful of garlic oil is often drizzled across it. Add the garlic just before serving so it stays crunchy.

Rice: steamed jasmine rice soaks up the garlic oil.
Dipping sauce: sweet chili sauce is a familiar, gentle option. A sharper seafood dipping sauce (nam jim seafood) of chili, garlic, lime juice and fish sauce cuts through the richness of the fried fish.
Fresh garnishes: cucumber slices, coriander leaves and lime wedges add freshness and color next to the golden fish.

How does fried garlic differ from similar crispy garnishes?

Fried garlic differs from other crispy Thai garnishes in its pale gold color, small crumbly pieces and nutty, garlicky flavor. It is easy to mistake for fried shallots or packaged garlic, but each behaves differently.

Garnish	Appearance	Flavor and texture	Typical use
Homemade fried garlic	Small, irregular pale-gold crumbs, sometimes with skin flakes.	Nutty and slightly sweet. Very crunchy when fresh.	Thai fried garlic fish, soups, rice porridge, noodles.
Fried shallots	Thin rings or strands, reddish-brown.	Sweet and oniony. Crisp but lighter and lacier.	Salads, noodle soups, sticky rice dishes.
Sliced garlic chips	Flat, round, golden slices.	Toasty, with a cleaner look. They burn more easily at the thin edges.	Garnishing steaks, stir-fries and fried rice.
Store-bought fried garlic	Uniform, sometimes darker crumbs, sold in jars or bags.	Convenient, but can taste flat or stale once opened.	A quick topping when time is short.

What substitutes can you use, and what are their limits?

Thai fried garlic fish is forgiving, and most ingredients have practical substitutes. Each substitute changes the result somewhat.

Regular garlic instead of Thai garlic: works well when peeled and evenly chopped. The topping lacks the thin, crisp skin flakes and tastes slightly sharper.
Store-bought fried garlic: saves time and avoids watching the pan. It gives you no fresh garlic oil, and its crunch and aroma are usually weaker. Warming it briefly in a dry pan can refresh it.
Fillets instead of a whole fish: easier to fry and eat, with less oil needed. You lose the crunchy fins and tail, and thin fillets can dry out quickly.
Shallow-frying instead of deep-frying: uses less oil but needs more careful turning. The skin may crisp less evenly.
Air fryer or oven: can cook a seasoned fish with little oil. The skin is drier and less crisp than deep-fried skin, and the garlic topping still needs to be fried separately in oil.
Salt or light soy sauce instead of fish sauce: provides saltiness but less savory depth.

What are the most common mistakes?

The most common mistakes with Thai fried garlic fish are bitter garlic, soggy skin and fish that sticks or breaks. Each has a simple cause.

Bitter garlic: fried too dark or over too high heat. Remove it at pale gold and drain it immediately.
Soft garlic topping: crowded pan, uneven pieces, or added to the fish too early so it absorbed moisture. Fry in plenty of oil and add it just before serving.
Soggy fish skin: fish not dried well, or oil not hot enough. Pat it thoroughly dry and let the oil come back to temperature before frying.
Fish sticking or tearing: moved too soon. Wait until the underside has formed a firm golden crust before turning.
Spattering oil: caused by water on the fish or in the pan. Dry everything, lower the fish in gently, and keep children and pets away from the stove.