Our latest feast

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Hot and Sour Steamed Fish with Thai Salad

One of my biggest bug bears when it comes to the family eating different foods is that we don't seem to eat enough fish. Noel and I eat a lot of shell fish (prawns, scallops, etc) but there is not much fish fillets consumed at all.  A little my fault I guess as I don't push it enough and a lot the family's fault as they will quickly put up their hands for Fish and Chip Shop Battered fish but not House of Murray cooked fish at home.
 
My mission is to try and introduce more fish into our diets afterall it's good for you.  One issue we do have is that none of us like strong flavoured fish... you know too fishy flavour.  We all prefer a milder fish such as Gummy Shark, Flatheads and I am quite partial to Blue Eye.  In saying that none of these are really firm fishes so it limits recipes and cooking techniques but like I said I am now on a mission.
 
Tonight's meal was a left field type of recipe that I actually knew before I started cooking it that we would either love it or hate it.  In fact two loved it, one thought it was okay and the other, just by looking at the facial expressions, hated it!  Oh well .....
 
A Thai influenced dish the fish was marinated in very bold flavours of the chilli, kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass.  It was every bit "hot and sour" just like the soup that Noel and I adore ordering when we are out for dinner.  Served with a salad of fresh herbs and chilli, drizzled with a Lime and Sweet Chilli Dressing, it was not only filling but this was such a fragrant meal my taste buds were jumping for joy.  This was a perfect summer night's meal and would make a nice lunch as the ProPoints are quite low. 
 

Hot and Sour Steamed Fish with Thai Salad
(Recipe adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly Low Carb Low Fat Cookbook)
 
Serves: 4
ProPoints per serve: 6
 
2 teaspoons sweet chilli sauce
1/3 cup fish sauce
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons peanut oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cm piece fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon brown sugar
4 x 200 gram Gummy Shark Fillets (or fish of your choice)
3 fresh small red thai chillies, seeded, thinly sliced
3 fresh kaffir lime leves, shredded finely
10 cm stick fresh lemon grass, chopped finely
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
2 fresh long red chillies, seeded, thinly sliced lengthways
2 spring onions, sliced thinly
50 grams snow pea sprouts

Make the Lime and Sweet Chilli dressing by combining sweet chilli sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, peanut oil, garlic, ginger and brown sugar in a screw top jar and shake well.
 
Place fish is a single layer of a dish.  Combine thai chilli, lime leaf, lemongrass and half of the dressing in a jug.  Mix well and pour over fish fillets.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
 
Line a large bamboo steamer with baking paper.  Place fish mixture in a single layer in steamer.  Steam, covered, over wok or large frying pan of simmering water for 10 minutes or until fish is cooked as desired.
 
Meanwhile, place the coriander, mint, basil, red chilli, spring onions and snow pea sprouts in a large bowl, toss gently to combine.
 
Serve fish with salad and remaining Lime and Sweet Chilli Dressing.
 
 
 

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