grilled
Pla Pao
ปลาเผา
Medium-Mild
Pla Pao is Thai salt-crusted grilled fish — a whole fish packed in rock salt and lemongrass, grilled slowly over charcoal until the flesh is steamed inside its salt shell and served with a spicy green herb dipping sauce (nam jim seafood).
Key Ingredients
- whole fish (tilapia or sea bass)
- rock salt
- lemongrass
- kaffir lime leaves
- nam jim seafood sauce
Where to Try It
Riverside restaurants, fresh markets with charcoal grills, and seafood stalls nationwide — particularly popular along rivers and coasts.
Tips
- The salt crust is removed tableside — the fish inside is perfectly seasoned without being salty.
- Nam jim seafood (the green dipping sauce) is essential — a good one has lime, coriander, garlic, and chilli in balance.