Larang (Parrot Fish in Tausi)
⏲ ~25 min total · prep 16 · cook 9 · 4 servings
Lunch⏱ 40 min total🔥 11.3g net carbs
By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor
Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026
Ingredients
- 2 lb parrot fish fillets (or snapper), cut into 3-inch pieces
- 3 tbsp fermented black beans (tausi), rinsed and lightly mashed
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger, julienned
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 Thai chile, left whole (crack it for more heat)
- 2 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths
- Calamansi or lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Blot the fish pieces dry with paper towels and season with black pepper only — the tausi carries plenty of salt on its own.
- Heat the coconut oil in a wide deep skillet over medium-high until shimmering and sear the fish 90 seconds per side, until pale gold but not cooked through; lift to a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium and cook the garlic, onion, and ginger in the remaining oil for 2 minutes, until fragrant and limp.
- Add the tomato and press it with a spoon for 2 minutes until it slumps into a rough sauce, then stir in the mashed tausi, fish sauce, and water, scraping up the browned bits; simmer 3 minutes.
- Return the fish with any collected juices, spoon sauce over the pieces, tuck in the chile and scallions, cover, and simmer gently 8-10 minutes, until the fish flakes at the nudge of a fork.
- Rest off the heat for 5 minutes and serve with calamansi wedges, spooning the briny ginger sauce generously over each piece.
Why this recipe works
- Tausi brings the salt Fermented black beans, rinsed and lightly mashed, season the whole braise, which is why the fish gets pepper only. Rinse them and they still carry plenty.
- A partial sear Ninety seconds per side turns the fish pale gold and sets the surface before the gentle simmer. Fully cooked at that stage, it would fall apart in the sauce.
- Pressed tomato Two minutes of pressing with a spoon slumps the tomato into a rough sauce, no blending needed. It thickens the braise with what is already in the pan.
Tips for making this recipe well
Season with pepper only
The tausi and fish sauce carry more than enough salt. Salted fish plus salty beans turns the sauce brine.
Crack the chile or leave it
A whole Thai chile perfumes the braise gently. Crack it open before it goes in if you want the heat to spread.
Flake, not firm
The fish is done when it flakes at the nudge of a fork, 8 to 10 minutes of covered simmering. Past that it tightens and dries.
Scrape the fond
The water and tomato lift the browned bits from the sear, and those bits are where the depth lives. Stir the pan bottom as the sauce comes to a simmer.
Rest 5 minutes
Off the heat, the fish finishes tender in the warm sauce. The rest also lets the tausi settle into the broth.
Serving suggestions
Fermented black beans look unremarkable in the pouch and taste like the sea met a pantry. Spoon the briny ginger sauce over each piece generously; that sauce is the point of larang. Calamansi is traditional, and lime stands in without complaint. At 11.3 net carbs a serving with steamed greens on the side, it is a full lunch from one wide skillet.
Storage and meal prep
The braise keeps 3 to 4 days covered in the fridge and improves overnight as the tausi works into the broth. Reheat gently on the stove so the fish stays intact; a hard boil flakes it into shreds. Freezing for 2 to 3 months is possible, though cooked fish turns mealy after thawing, so the fridge is the better home for it. Keep the calamansi off until serving or the acidity dulls in storage.
Variations worth trying
- Snapper instead The recipe lists snapper as the swap, and it holds together the same way in the braise.
- Two chiles Crack both if you cook for heat-seekers; the ginger and tausi hold their own against it.
- Extra ginger Double the julienned ginger for a sharper, brighter broth; it suits the briny beans well.
- Scallion greens Use the dark green tops as well as the 2-inch lengths for more color in the finished pan.
Frequently asked questions
What is tausi?
Tausi are fermented black soybeans, sold in jars or pouches in most Asian grocery stores. Rinsed and lightly mashed, they bring a salty, savory backbone to the sauce.
Can I skip the fish sauce?
You can reduce it if your tausi runs salty, but the recipe includes both for balance. Taste the sauce after the simmer and decide; the beans vary by brand.
Why sear the fish if it will simmer anyway?
The short sear sets the surface so the pieces hold together, and the browned bits left in the pan season the sauce. Skip it and the braise tastes thinner.
How do I keep the fish from falling apart?
Blot it dry, sear briefly, and simmer gently with the lid on rather than boiling. The pieces should flake at a fork's nudge when done, and not before.
Is this very spicy?
As written, one whole Thai chile left uncracked keeps things aromatic more than hot. Crack it, or add a second, when you want the burn.
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