Craving a restaurant-worthy meal without the restaurant prices? This Asian Glazed Baked Barramundi recipe delivers a symphony of sweet, savory, and subtly spicy flavors that will elevate your weeknight dinner.
Prepare to transform simple ingredients into an extraordinary culinary experience you won't soon forget!
Preparing the Barramundi Glaze
Let's whip up this awesome glaze! First, I mix water and cornstarch in a small bowl—it needs to be lump-free. This is my cornstarch slurry. Now, I grab a small saucepan. Aren't we pros?
I dump the soy sauce (not dark, we don't want overpowering flavor!), honey, sesame oil, Chinese black vinegar—or rice vinegar if that's what I've got—mirin, sambal oelek (watch the spice level!), Chinese Five Spice, minced garlic, grated ginger, and Sichuan pepper (or white pepper) into it. Consider swapping out ordinary chicken burgers for patties made with ground chicken mixed with avocado, cilantro, and lime like the Avocado Chicken Burgers.
I simmer it on medium-low heat for two minutes. Then, time to add my slurry! I'll stir it well, cooking for another two minutes until it's thick. I'll know it's ready when it holds its shape when I brush it—not just a syrup. I don't want it running off because that'd be annoying!
Baking Instructions
Now it's time to bake our fish, so I'll start by preheating my oven to 180°C/350°F (or 160°C if it is a fan oven)—I'll also line a tray with parchment paper because who wants fish sticking, right?! I make sure to place the shelf in the middle.
First, place your beautiful barramundi fillets on the prepared tray and generously brush, or dab, the glaze on their tops and sides. Don't be shy!
I bake them for precisely 15 minutes to cook them through. Since this recipe is similar to a glazed Asian salmon, you can also use this glaze for salmon! After that, I switch to the broiler—or grill – on high heat. I want it to caramelize the glaze for 3 minutes…yum!
I'm aiming for an internal temp of 55°C/131°F. Remember, the fish will keep cooking as it rests. We don't want it overcooked, or dry.
Serving Suggestions and Storage
Once you've taken that perfectly cooked barramundi out from the oven, it's time to think about serving – and, realistically, how to handle any potential leftovers, though I doubt there will be any! I like to serve mine immediately.
You should serve it with plain or flavored rice. You could add some wholesome veggies for a complete meal. I find that coconut rice complements the Asian flavors incredibly well – it's a match made in heaven!
Unfortunately, fish doesn't really keep well. I mean, you can store it, but it becomes kinda soggy if you reheat it later. Aim to eat it fresh for the best experience. Any remaining fish, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for a day. I'm not saying you *have* to eat it all now, but… you know!
Short Recipe Version
Asian Glazed Baked Barramundi
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
- 2 Barramundi fillets (6 oz each)
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 1 tsp Sesame oil
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp Ginger, grated
- 1/4 tsp Red pepper flakes (optional)
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes (if using).
- Place barramundi fillets in a baking dish.
- Pour glaze over the fillets.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until glazed and cooked through.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving approximate):
- Calories: 350
- Protein: 45g
- Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 10g