A river fish split open, stuffed with chopped herbs, garlic and chilli, bound up with lemongrass stalks and grilled over charcoal.
What makes it dai lemongrass grilled fish
A whole fish, stuffed with chopped fresh herbs and chilli.
Tied up with lemongrass stalks, not just seasoned with it.
Grilled slowly over charcoal until the skin crisps.
Where it comes from
The Dai of Xishuangbanna are a Tai people, and their cooking — sour, fresh with herbs, fond of the grill — has more in common with northern Thailand and Laos than with Kunming. This fish is perhaps their best-known dish in the rest of China.
Carp or tilapia is cleaned, filled with a mix of coriander, sawtooth coriander, spring onion, garlic, chilli and salt, then folded shut and wrapped round with knotted lemongrass, which scents the fish as it chars.
How it varies
Bāoshāo
Fish or meat wrapped in banana leaf and roasted in the embers instead.