600 g (1 lb 5 oz) basmati rice, washed
and drained
4 Tbsp salt + more to taste
4–6 firm fish steaks or fillets, total
about 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz), use Spanish
mackerel, pomfret or similar
4 Tbsp cooking oil + enough for
shallow-frying
Juice from 2 limes
1 large potato, peeled and thinly
sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and
coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp butter, melted
Herbs
50 g (2 oz) dill
50 g (2 oz) Chinese celery
50 g (2 oz) coriander leaves (cilantro)
50 g (2 oz) Chinese chives
Put rice and salt in a large bowl. Add enough water to cover, stir through
and leave to soak for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, wash and drain herbs, then finely chop them together.
Season fish steaks or fillets with salt, then shallow-fry in hot oil until
golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels, then squeeze lime
juice over fried fish.
Parboil rice (see pg 82), then mix drained rice with chopped herbs and
set aside.
Pour 4 Tbsp oil into a medium-large non-stick pot and swirl to coat bottom
evenly, then line with potato slices.
Add rice: keep spooning over the centre so a mound forms inside the pot
and shake the spoon as you go so grains are loosely stacked. Sprinkle garlic
over and arrange fish on the slopes of the mound.
Wrap pot’s lid with clean cloth before covering, then set pot over medium-
low heat (with flame tamer) or low heat (without flame tamer) for about
1 hour or until rice is cooked and fluffy.
Transfer rice to a serving tray, then pour butter over evenly and top with
fried fish. Serve immediately with potato slices, or tadig, on the side.
After shallow-frying fish steaks or
fillets, drain them well on paper
towels so excess oil does not drip
into the rice later.
Use the side of a chopping knife
to crush garlic cloves so that their
skins come off easily. Coarsely
chop peeled garlic.
After repeatedly spooning rice
over the centre of the pot, a mound
forms inside. Sprinkle garlic over,
then gently place fried fish steaks
on the slopes of the mound.
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