Fish, rice paper, cilantro/coriander, Chinese Five Spice and oil. That’s all you need for this Crispy Chinese Rice Paper Wrapped Fish recipe. What a way to get your midweek fish fix – on a budget!
I saw this on a Chinese cooking program years ago. I can’t remember what the show was, but I do remember being dubious. Just 5 ingredients? How good can they be?
I frequently see cooking hacks with very few ingredients and often they are made using cake mixes or store bought sauces. Which I have no problem with per se, it is just not my way of cooking because I like to cook from scratch as much as (practicably) possible.
But this caught my eye because rarely do you see 3 or 5 ingredient recipes for Asian dishes. And even more rarely from cooking show presenters! (Who, who, who was it?? Does anyone know??!!).
I tried it out of curiosity and was astonished at how good it was! Fundamentally, the secret is the Chinese Five Spice Powder which is a mix of a number of spices. Plus also the crispy rice paper wrapped around the juicy fish. Those little factors really make this simple dish into something that is so tasty I would proudly serve it at a party!
Have you seen rice paper at the supermarket and wondered what to do with it? Here in Australia, it’s sold in all the major supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths) and of course Asian stores. They cost $2 or so for a pack of 20 – dirty cheap!
So here’s a unique way to use the rice paper – wrapping fish in it, then pan frying it so it becomes beautifully crispy while retaining the juices of the fish so it cooks in its own juices.
I know some people are afraid of working with rice paper because it can be hard to handle if you don’t know the tricks of the trade. There is only one key tip: do not over soak it! Dunk it in warm tap water for 3 seconds, then place it on your work surface. It should still be a bit firm when you place it on the work surface and in seconds, it continues to absorb the water so by the time you start wrapping the fish, it is soft and pliable. 🙂
See how easy this recipe is? Cut fish, sprinkle with Five Spice + salt, top with cilantro/coriander, wrap, pan fry until crisp.
A few reasons why this recipe works so well include:
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You do not need expensive fish for this! Between the flavour of the Five Spice and the fish cooking inside the rice paper cooking in its own juices plus the crowning glory (the crispy rice paper), you will not know whether you’ve used a $40/kg ($20/lb) freshwater barramundi or $10/kg ($5/lb) fish fillets. I make this most frequently with Basa Fillets which is the cheapest fish fillets you can get at supermarkets and fish mongers.
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You get extra flavour oomph by cooking the fish in its own juices and it keeps it extra juicy.
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The crispy rice paper is just divine. You will want to eat way more than you should!
So the next time you wheel your trolley past the Asian section in your supermarket, grab a package of rice paper and try these! – Nagi x
PS I made these bite size but you can make larger ones. Just overlap 2 or more rice papers on your work surface and enclose larger pieces of fish!
PPS Ordinarily I make this with 1.1lb/600g of fish which is enough to serve 4. But I dropped a fillet and DOZER (my abnormally large 80lb/40kg retriever) got to it before I could rescue it! So what you see in the photos is less than what the recipe makes.
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Crispy Chinese Rice Paper Wrapped Fish (5 Ingredients)
Ingredients
- 1.1 lb / 600 g firm white fish fillets (Note 1)
- 2 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder (Note 2)
- 3/4 - 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper
- 1/4 cup coriander/cilantro leaves
- 15 to 18 rice paper rounds , 22cm/9" diameter (Note 3)
- 2 to 3 tbsp cooking oil
Instructions
- Cut the fish into 2"/5cm long x 1"/3cm wide pieces, about 16 pieces. (Note 4)
- Combine Chinese Five Spice Powder, salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle with with spice mix.
- Fill a large bowl with hot tap water. Dunk the rice paper into the water for 3 seconds, then transfer it to a work surface. (Note 5)
- Place a piece of fish at the bottom of the rice paper, per the photo below. Top with 2 coriander leaves, then roll up to enclose the fish with the rice paper. Repeat with remaining fish.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the fish and cook for 2 minutes or until dark golden brown and crispy. Turn and cook the other side. Repeat with remaining fish (I cook them in 2 batches).
- Transfer to a paper lined plate.
- Serve immediately, while hot and crispy!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
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Definitely making these next weekend!!! I love fish and try to have it once a week. J Daddy loves fish but isn’t too keen on cooking it. Big One will eat fish but it has to have a crispy coating of some description, and Small One gobbles up everything with a bit of flavour in them. These little parcels are going to be perfect!
I’ll have to make a small change to your recipe due to my coriander intolerance (I get hives when I eat it – don’t know why?!). I might use Thai basil instead. I’ll let you know how it goes.
And I have to agree with Mila – Basa is awful. Before J Daddy + kids, I used to eat it 3 times a week because it was so cheap and made for an easy meal. Then I found out how they were farmed, and shuddered. Sorry, honey. x
I know I know! I researched it after Mila told me 🙁 I am changing the recipe. Never buying it again. Never ever ever. I feel so stupid, I just never thought about it!
Oh honey, I didn’t mean to make you feel bad! Sorry!
I once thought Basa was a great fillet of fish too – so cheap and so easy to cook, and you know, it’s fish, so it must be good for you. And I remember being so proud of my new diet that I told my family about it, and my sister shouted at me for eating rubbish and poisoning myself. She of course apologised straight away for her tone of voice, and went on to show me some information on the internet about how Basa is farmed, and I haven’t touched Basa since. We love our snapper in this house, and ling fillets are good too.
It’s funny, I just didn’t think about it. I think about most foods I buy – for example, sardines. I LOVE sardines – so cheap and sustainable too 🙂 I just never thought about basa. Live and learn! Never again!! (PS Eastwood is so good for seafood!)
Nagi! I could give you a big hug and kiss !!! We Italians do that whenever . . . we’re like that! Anyway, we are at the seashore and hubby is busy catching fish!! I absolutely love getting new fish recipes I can use for the blog — you will get credit for this. We’ve used rice paper in the past but I never dreamed of using for our fish. Thank you!! This is so exciting. Of, course , I’m like you, I always like to add a little of this and a little of that to it. Can’t wait to make this! I’ll let you know how it goes.
Sorry to be picky Nagi but sitting here trying to imagine a ’40g’ retriever – cute or maybe undernourished fully dependant on dropped food from Nagi for a feed?
Hi Nagi! All I can say is YES PLEASE! I like Kevin’s reference to Halibut, it’s one of my favorite fish. I can just see Dozer looking at you with that “Who me?” expression! On the rare occasion my dogs do something “wrong” all I have to do is look them and they turn away to avoid my glance – guilty as charged! 🙂
Honestly, it was like a shark attack. It fell to the floor and he pounced then darted off to the bottom of the yard. 🙂 I couldn’t blame him!!!
another great recipe that will go to my ” Nagi’s collection Must make recipe.” Now , I just got to have time to make all of it .
Thanks Shobelyn! You’re SO SWEET! N x
Oh Nagi how absolutely adorable!!! I love it!!! I always find that sometimes 5 spice can be overpowering but I LOVE the cilantro in here!!! I am a cilantro junky!!! Will have to try this!!! I may omit the 5 spice but this looks so darn versatile! Flipping awesome!!! And Nagi…I have to tell you something… I love you know that? But basa is AWFUL for you love. Just look it up it’s fully pumped with garbage 🙁 I’m sorry I had to tell you!
OMG. I did not KNOW that Mila….I’m looking it up right now. Thank you for letting me know!!! I love how knowledgable you are 🙂 N x
I agree Mila, some of the hormones they give it, and the source of them!!! Yick.
About 18 months ago my parents sent me an article on River Cobbler, which is what they call Basa in the UK. I was beyond shocked by it. I had been feeding to my kids at least once a week!!!
But I had never seen any bad press about it here in Australia, it is so readily available here and so cheap, I am sure plenty of people don’t know the truth behind it!
I feel so stupid I never thought about it before. I’m so conscious about using free range meats and eggs, I can’t believe I never thought about Basa! Never again. 🙁
I know exactly what you mean! I always try to buy free range/Australia grown meats and I loved having chickens so I knew the eggs were free range and from happy hens.
But I wouldn’t have known about basa if it wasn’t for a my parents seeing it in the UK. I have never seen any bad press about it here at all.
I guess Woolworths and Coles suppress it seeing as it’s the most popular there!
I went to buy rice paper today at my favorite asian market…it came in 3 sizes..can you give us the dimentions, please. Can’t wait to try this recipe…thanks
Oh gosh Lyn, I didn’t realise! The rice paper I use is 22cm/9″ in diameter. Anything close to this will work just fine! N x PS Thanks for the question, I’ve updated the recipe!
Hi Nagi!
These look so good!
I have a couple of questions, that probably tomorrow I’ll do a head slap for the answers being so simple.
But today I am exhausted, so here goes.
1. When the rice paper is brown and crisp, will the fish really be done?
2. Do you fry on med. heat or less?
Have a Joyful Day!
Hi Charlie! Never apologise for asking questions – that’s what I’m here for! Believe me, I have my days too. 🙂
1. Yes! Because the fish is wrapped, it gets steamed so it cooks extra fast. 🙂 Also the stove should only be on medium high heat so it takes a couple of minutes to cook on each side. 🙂
2. On medium high. 🙂 You had me worried for a sec, I thought maybe I didn’t specify that instruction, but I did! 🙂
Hope you had a good rest and are reinvigorated today!! N x
WAY better than fish sticks for kids and me!!! When I was reading this, tilapia came to mind also Nagi. I get tilapia at Trader Joe’s (it is a like ‘Whole Foods’, smaller, but does not break the bank!). The reason I would compare these to those nasty frozen fish sticks is after picking up my grandson from day care yesterday I asked what he had for lunch and he yelled FISH STICKS!, and I thought- yuck- HA, but I remember eating those as a kid, so these are the new good for you fish sticks I will be making for him! What to dip them in? and how about lemon pepper- would that work as well as 5 spice? I bet you could make these with different spices, and that is why I love RTE!!!
Beautiful fall days…gorgeous… in Portland, Lisa x
Tilapia is as bad as Basa, they are bottom feeders and usually farmed. Should not be eating tilapia.
Hi Lisa!! So glad to hear it’s beautiful fall weather in P-town 🙂 Enjoy it before the cold blasts in!! thanks for the question about the dipping sauce, I will add a suggestion! I like to use 2 tbsp soy sauce with 1 tbsp white vinegar + chilli sauce or paste (whatever you have). That’s quite a classic Chinese dipping sauce. You could also add sesame oil too. It’s a nice contrast to the five spice flavour in these fish.
I will be SUPER impressed if your grandson likes these!! I find that five spice isn’t really a flavour that appeals to kids 🙂 Though having said that, you could make these with any seasoning you want!!
Hope you are well Lisa! N x
These look so easy to make, I pinned this one for later to liven up dinner, thanks for sharing this one!
Thanks Sara!! I’m so glad you like the look of this, I wondered whether people would think this was a little too weird! 🙂
Too weird, no way! More like totally awesome and yummy!
LOVE this idea, Nagi! It sounds like a wonderful way to prepare fish AND rice paper wrappers, both of which I love, but I’ve never used rice paper for anything other than summer rolls. Going to try this soon. Thanks!
Thanks Jill! I’m the same, I never knew what else to do with the rice paper wrappers. 🙂 This is just about the only other thing I do!!!
I could see veggie fillings, too, and even summer roll-type fillings, to make sort of a cross between an egg roll and a summer roll. Now we’re beyond the beautiful simplicity of your luscious fish fillet, though, so I should probably leave more-than-well enough alone!
Oh YES!!! Why didn’t I ever think of that!!
🙂
These “fish parcels” are exquisite for having only 5 ingredients, Nagi! The coriander/cilantro leaves not only add flavor, but look so darn elegant wrapped up in that rice paper! I’ve never worked with rice paper – but was wondering can these parcels be baked too? Or does the rice paper not crisp up some in the oven?
Thanks Shashi! I can’t take credit, I saw it on a show! 🙂 Unfortunately they won’t crisp up in the oven. I tried it once, when I was trying to make loads in one go!!!
Holy Halibut Batman! These look beyond scrumptious and I am loving the ingredients. Simple, tasty and a must try. Pinned these!
Oh and BTW, go Dozer!
So Dorothy tells me I MUST try your Tamales pie….I must do as she says!!!
Good tip about working with rice paper! And although I often favor recipes with multiple ingredients, ones with just a few are a favorite of mine. This looks great — simple and tasty. And approved by bowzers everywhere. 😉
Thanks so much John!!
Can you air fry these
The story abut your dog….BAHAHAHAAHH
Like a shark attack. Honestly. Swooped in so fast!
WOW!!!!
I love rice paper wraps. I always have a packet in the cupboard for vegetable and noodle rolls and vietnamese spring rolls. But wrapping fish in them! Amazing!
I can’t wait to try this. We don’t eat Basa but our fisho has the most amazing ling fillets that would be perfect for this. I am super super excited to try them!!!
They would be great for serving with drinks. All crispy fried food is great with a glass of wine right?? 😉
Have you ever cooled them and then reheated them in the oven? Wondering if they would still taste good or whether the fish would dry out with the second lot of heat.
Either way. Pinning!!!!!!
Thanks Claire!!! I have cooled them down, they soft eventually – maybe around 20 minutes? The fish definitely did no dry out on reheating, all the moisture was still trapped inside! I find it reheats best on the stove to make them crispy again, otherwise on a rack in the oven for 5 minutes, super hot heat. 🙂
Thanks Nagi!
I just need a few early nights and late mornings.