LING FILLETS MARINATED WITH DILL& TURMERIC (chả cá)

COMPLIMENTARY RECIPE

“In Vietnam, this dish is cooked at the table in a small frying pan over a charcoal grill. If you have a tabletop gas cooker, you can prepare this dish in a similar fashion. Cook the fish in smaller quantities and assemble the vermicelli salad at the table.” - Chef Mark Jensen

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

1 kg ling fillets
8 spring onions
4 garlic cloves
1 tbsp ground turmeric
2 tsp hot curry powder (such as Ayam brand)
2 tbs plain yoghurt
125 ml fish sauce
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 bunch dill
125 g rice vermicelli
250 ml fish stock
1 lemon
300 g bean sprouts

METHOD

Cut the ling fillet into 4 cm pieces, place in a bowl and set aside. Put the white heads of the spring onions (reserving the stalks) and garlic in a mortar and pound to a paste. Add the turmeric, curry powder, yoghurt, fish sauce, sugar, 2 tablespoons of the oil and a third of the dill, roughly chopped, to the fish and mix well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, cook the vermicelli in boiling water for 5 minutes, turn off the heat and let sit for a further 5 minutes. Strain into a colander, refresh under cold water and set aside to dry.

Thinly slice 4 of the green spring onion stalks. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat, add the remaining oil, then fry the fish fillets on one side for 30 seconds. Turn the fillets over, add the fish stock and simmer for 3-5 minutes, until the fish is cooked through. Remove the fish and squeeze over the juice from the lemon. Mix the bean sprouts, sliced spring onion, remaining dill and vermicelli together. Place into bowls and spoon over the fish fillets and sauce.