Charred Fish with Nam Jim Dressing
Donal's Notes
Nam jim is a tongue-tingling dipping sauce used in Thai cuisine, which is often served with grilled seafood. It provides that perfect balance of Thai flavours – sweet, sour, salty and spicy – that elevate any dish it’s served with. Although most Thai recipes begin with a paste, the fish in this dish needs a dry spice rub to get that charred exterior. You can find good-quality Thai spice blends (a fiery mix of chilli powder, ginger, star anise, coriander, cayenne pepper, green peppercorns and cinnamon) in most supermarkets.
For the dressing:
Chopping board
Chopping knife
Non-stick pan or griddle pan
Peeler
Large bowl
Tongs
Instructions
1
Make the dressing by finely chopping the garlic and roughly chopping the coriander.
2
Deseed and finely chop the chillies.
3
Mix together with the lime juice, fish sauce and caster sugar and set aside.
4
Place a non-stick frying pan or griddle pan over a high heat. Coat the fish in the spices then drizzle with the oil.
5
Cook for 3–4 minutes on each side until charred and just cooked through.
6
Heat the rice according to the packet instructions then tip into a bowl and add a third of the dressing. Stir through and allow to cool slightly.
7
Work on the salad ingredients by peeling the cucumber into thin ribbons. Peel and thinly slice the mango.
8
In a bowl, mix the cucumber with the baby gem leaves, sliced mango and a little more dressing.
9
Serve the rice and the salad with the fish on top and the rest of the dressing spooned over.
