- 1 (1 1/2 pound) whole red snapper, cleaned and scaled
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 2 red chile peppers, sliced diagonally
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tomatoes, seeded and sliced
- 5 leaves basil
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil.
- Stuff the cavity of the snapper with 1/2 cup basil leaves and set aside. Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet over high heat until it begins to smoke. Place the snapper in the skillet, and quickly brown on both sides, about 1 minute total. Place the fish into the roasting pan, and sprinkle with fish sauce. Reserve the peanut oil in the skillet.
- Bake fish in preheated oven until the flesh flakes easily with a fork, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining peanut oil over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, ginger, chile peppers, and yellow pepper and cook until the peppers have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar, rice vinegar, water, and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat until thickened to desired consistency. Pour the sauce over the snapper, and garnish with the remaining basil leaves to serve.