Fried Golden Pomfret with Three-Flavor Sauce (Tiga Rasa)

Trim the tail and fins of the golden pomfret using kitchen shears.

Scrape off any remaining small scales from the fish using a knife. Ensure the belly cavity is clean (the video shows the fish already gutted).

Pat the fish dry thoroughly with paper towels, both on the outside and inside the belly cavity, to remove all moisture.

Score the fish with several diagonal cuts on both sides. Make a straight cut first, then a diagonal cut to create a V-shape, ensuring the cuts are deep enough to help with even cooking.

Season the fish generously with salt, massaging it into the cuts and inside the belly cavity.

Mince 7-8 cloves of garlic using a chopper or knife. Wash the minced garlic with water and squeeze out the excess moisture using a cloth or mesh strainer.

Slice 4-5 shallots into thin strips. Wash the sliced shallots with water and squeeze out the excess moisture.

Finely slice 1/2 stalk of lemongrass.

Slice 2 small red chilies.

Squeeze juice from 5-6 calamansi limes to yield approximately 1 tablespoon of juice.

In a bowl, combine 200g sweet chili sauce, 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup, and 5 teaspoons white sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

Add the prepared calamansi lime juice, minced garlic, sliced shallots, sliced chilies, and finely sliced lemongrass to the sauce mixture. Tear 6 kaffir lime leaves and add them. Add 2 teaspoons of fish sauce. Stir everything well to combine.

Cover the prepared three-flavor sauce and refrigerate it while you prepare the fish for frying.

Lightly coat the entire fish with tapioca starch, ensuring it's evenly covered. This helps prevent the fish from sticking and breaking apart during frying.

Heat 4 cups of cooking oil in a wok or large pan over high heat until it reaches approximately 180°C. The oil should be hot enough to prevent the starch coating from dissolving.

Carefully place the coated fish into the hot oil. Avoid moving the fish immediately after placing it in the oil to allow the coating to set.

Deep fry the fish until it is golden brown and cooked through. Carefully flip the fish once to ensure even cooking on both sides.

Remove the fried fish from the oil and let it drain on a wire rack or paper towels to remove excess oil.

Place the fried fish on a serving plate. Pour the chilled three-flavor sauce generously over the fish.