Pete's Food Blog

21. Nov, 2021

Crispy fried, marinated fish with Vietnamese dipping sauce

Ingredients:

400 g frozen pollock or cod - defrosted and cut into 2 cm cubes

2 tsp turmeric powder

4 stalks of lemongrass, finely chopped

2 tbl fish sauce

1 tsp soft brown sugar

3 tbl tamarind paste

80 g rice flour

4 tbl vegetable oil

large bunch of dill

10 cm (white) end of a leek, cut into fine shreds

Two "pads" of dried rice vermicelli noodles

50 g roasted, salted peanuts

5 - 6 lettuce leaves

25 g mixed herbs - thai basil, lemon mint, coriander, all finely chopped.

For the Vietnamese dipping sauce:

2 tbl lime juice

2 tbl fish sauce

2 tbl water

1 tbl sugar

1 tsp of finely grated ginger

1 red bird's eye chilli, finely sliced

1 garlic clove finely chopped

Method:

Create the marinade paste by blitzing the turmeric, lemongrass, fish sauce, sugar and 2-3 tbl water with a stick blender. Coat the fish thoroughly and leave to marinade for 2 hrs.

Boil some unsalted water, drop in the noodles, remove from the heat and let them stand with a lid on for two minutes. Strain and chill under a cold running tap, then leave to drain.

Prepare the remaining side dishes, peanuts in a dish, lettuce leaves on a plate, mixed herbs in a dish.

Make the dipping sauce by mixing all the ingredents together in a small bowl.

Toss the pieces of marinated fish in the rice flour, to thoroughly coat them. Heat the oil in a shallow frying pan. Fry the fish in 2 - 3 batches, turning several times once each surface is golden.

Quickly fry off the dill sprigs and leeks.

Assemble the components on a plate and sprinkle the noodles with some of the dipping sauce.