Thai Ginger Seabass with Lime

Try this quick and easy Thai fish dish 

Takes 20 minutes to make, plus soaking

INGREDIENTS

• 15g dried mushrooms, such as shiitake or cep
• 40g cornflour, plus extra 1 tablespoon
• 1 tbsp Thai fish sauce
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 3 tbsp Billington's Light Muscovado Sugar
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• Sunflower oil, for deep frying
• 4 x 175-200g sea bass fillets, scaled and pin-boned
• 2 fat garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 medium-hot red chili, deseeded and sliced
• 5cm piece of ginger, cut into fine matchsticks
• 6 spring onions, trimmed, halved and finely shredded
• Fresh coriander sprigs, to garnish

METHOD

How to make thai sea bass with mushrooms

1. Cover the mushrooms with 175ml hot water and soak for 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the water, and thinly slice the mushrooms. Mix the extra 1 tablespoon cornflour with 3 tablespoons of the reserved water. Put the rest of the water into a small pan with the fish sauce, soy, sugar and lime juice. Bring to a simmer, add the cornflour mixture and simmer for 1 minute until thickened and smooth. Keep on a low heat.

2. Pour 1cm of oil into a large, deep frying pan and heat to 190°C (if you don't have a thermometer, it will be ready when a cube of bread takes 30 seconds to turn golden). Sift the remaining cornflour onto a baking tray. Season the fish on both sides with a little salt, then coat in the cornflour and pat off the excess. When the oil is ready, add the sea bass fillets skin-side up and shallow-fry for 1 minute. Turn, fry for a further minute, then lift onto a baking tray lined with kitchen paper and keep warm in a low oven.

3. Heat 11/2 tablespoons of oil in a medium-sized frying pan or wok. Add the garlic and, as soon as it starts to turn golden, add the chilli and ginger and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and half the spring onions and stir-fry for 1 minute.

4. Lift the fish onto warmed plates and spoon over some of the sauce. Scatter with the fried mushrooms and spring onions and garnish with the remaining shredded spring onions and plenty of coriander sprigs. Serve with some plain steamed rice.