Sea bass with sweet and sour sauce recipe

Prepare: less than 30 mins
Cook: 30 mins to 1 hour
Serve: Serves 2

Crispy sea bass is coated in a sweet, salty and sour tamarind sauce and served with a fresh green apple, herb and cashew salad.

By John Chantarasak

From Saturday Kitchen

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Ingredients

For the sweet, salty and sour sauce

1 tbsp coriander root
2 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp Thai shallot, chopped
3 long red chillies, deseeded and chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp chilli broad bean paste
100g/3½oz palm sugar
60g/2¼oz tamarind purée
1 tbsp fish sauce

For the salad dressing

1 long red chilli, deseeded and chopped
2 red bird’s-eye chillies, chopped
1 tbsp coriander root
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp palm sugar
3 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp fish sauce

For the green apple and cashew salad

2 tbsp raw cashews
4 makrut lime leaves, fresh or frozen
1 lime, juice only
2 green apples, such as Bramley or Granny Smith
2 tbsp Thai shallot, thinly sliced
2 lemongrass stalks, root and tough outer leaves removed, thinly sliced
2 makrut lime leaves, fresh or frozen, finely shredded
3 tbsp coriander leaves
2 tbsp mint leaves

For the sea bass

2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp kombu dashi powder
2 x 300g/10½oz wild sea bass fillet, skin on
1 tbsp chopped Thai basil leaves
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
½ tsp salt

Method

To make the sweet, salty and sour sauce, pound the coriander root, garlic, shallot and chillies to a paste using a pestle and mortar. Alternatively, blend to a paste.
Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan and fry the paste until fragrant, stirring regularly so it doesn’t catch.
Add the chilli broad bean paste, palm sugar and 60ml/2fl oz water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until thickened.
Add the tamarind purée and fish sauce and continue to simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. The sauce should taste sweet, sour and salty with some chilli heat. Set aside.
To make the salad dressing, pound or blend the chillies, coriander root, garlic and salt to a paste. Add the palm sugar, lime juice and fish sauce and mix well.
To prepare the salad, heat the oil for deep-frying to 190C.
CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.
Deep-fry the cashews until golden, then remove and drain on kitchen paper. Deep-fry the 4 whole makrut lime leaves very briefly, until crisp and vivid green. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
Fill a bowl with cold water and squeeze in the lime juice. Cut the apples into long 3mm/⅛in-thick matchsticks and add them to the lime water to stop them browning.
For the sea bass, mix the fish sauce, caster sugar and kombu dashi powder in a shallow dish. Score the skin of the sea bass and add the fish to the marinade. Marinate for no longer than 10 minutes.
Remove the sea bass from the marinade and shake off any excess. Deep-fry at 190C for 5 minutes, or until golden, crisp and cooked through. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
Deep-fry the Thai basil leaves for just a few seconds, then remove and drain on kitchen paper.
Drain the apple well and put it in a mixing bowl with the fried cashews, shallot, lemongrass, shredded makrut lime leaves, coriander and mint. Add the dressing and toss until evenly coated.
To serve put the sea bass on a serving plate and spoon over enough sweet, salty and sour sauce to coat the fish. Scatter over the crisp Thai basil leaves.
Serve the green apple and cashew salad alongside, topped with the crisp makrut lime leaves.