Pan-fried Fish with Capsicum, Chilli and Ginger Sauce

What a joy to finally see the winter weather with its excessive rain, thunder, snow and ice finally drifting into the past and spring stepping lightly through the door.

As the weather cheers it seems to be a fitting time to brighten up our meals and give them the lift that they so need! Bright bouncy flavours of lemon, ginger, chilli and lime immediately spring to mind. We’ve had our winter fill of lamb shanks and casseroles but now it’s time to get mentally (and physically) prepared for the warmer weather ahead.

While we may reserve Asian flavours for the summer months they really do lift an otherwise dreary evening. This tasty chilli and capsicum sauce is very quick and easy to make and it turns a simple piece of fish into a taste sensation.

In fact it would all be appallingly healthy if I didn’t insist on a sliver of chocolate brownie afterwards!

Pan-fried Fish with Capsicum, Chilli and Ginger Sauce

4 white fish fillets

2 tablespoons oil

3 cm piece of fresh ginger, grated

2 cloves garlic

1 long red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped

1 red capsicum, seeds removed and chopped into matchstick sized sticks

coriander root, finely chopped

2 tablespoons sugar

2-3 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Fresh coriander leaves

Heat the oil in a saucepan and gently cook the ginger, garlic and chilli until fragrant. Add the capsicum and coriander and continue to cook, stirring until capsicum is just tender. Add the sugar, fish sauce and lemon juice to the pan. Stir to dissolve the sugar and simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust flavours to suit.

Serve with the pan fried white fish fillets and coriander leaves for garnish.

Serves 4

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