Fish with tom yam sauce recipe

2 stalks Wild Ginger Flower Buds or Torch Ginger (Bunga Kantan)
5 stalks lemongrass
200 gr instant tom yam paste
30 gr galangal
4 salam leaves
4 kaffir lime leaves
10 gr bird’s eye chili
1/2 tomato
1 cup loosely packed vietnamese mint / coriander
1/2 tablespoon sugar
2 cups water
500 gr (3 pcs) round scad / other type of fish
1 cup cooking oil for deep frying fish + 2 tablespoons cooking oil for stir frying spices

Cut wild ginger flower buds into two halves, length wise. Remove the first couple of sheets of the lemongrass, cut off the top part – only use the first 5 inch of the stalks. Wash galangal (to be used whole)
Wash the fish and cut off the heads. Pat dry
Heat 1 cup cooking oil in pan. Deep fry fish till dry, about 3 – 4 minutes. Remove and pat dry of any excess oil
Heat 2 tablespoons cooking oil in a wok / pan. Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, salam leaves, galangal and chili. Stir fry for 2 minutes
Add tom yam paste and wild ginger flower buds. Cook for another 2 minutes
Stir in water, vietnamese mint and sugar. Mix well
Cover and simmer for 3 minutes
Add fish. Stir well till coated with the sauce
Serve with steamed rice