CRISPY SEA BASS FILLETS WITH BOK CHOY

After a long day these pan-fried sea bass fillets with freshly boiled rice, juicy veg and a sweet soy sauce are the perfect recipe to unwind with when you really don’t want the fuss of cooking a complicated meal. Well balanced and delicious, it’s a dish to feed the mind, body and soul.

250g (9oz) freshly boiled rice

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 sea bass fillets

200g (7oz) bok choy, quartered lengthways

From the store cupboard

3 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp sugar

4 tbsp oil (vegetable, groundnut or coconut)

pinch of salt

pinch of white pepper

Follow the instructions to cook the rice.

While the rice is steaming make the sweet soy sauce. Combine both soy sauces in a heatproof bowl along with the sugar. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a small saucepan on a medium-high heat, until smoking. Carefully pour the oil over the soy sauce mixture, mixing at the same time – it will sizzle and spit! Set to one side.

Season both sides of the sea bass fillets with a sprinkle of salt and white pepper. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a non-stick wok or frying pan over a medium-high heat and place the fillets, skin-side down, into the pan. Cook for 3–4 minutes, trying your best not to move the fillets, as you want to build up some caramelisation on the skin so that it becomes crispy. Flip the fillets over and cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set to one side to rest.

In the same pan as you cooked the fish, add the quartered bok choy and fry for 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and continue to fry for a further 1–2 minutes until tender.

Spoon a bed of rice on to 2 warmed plates, then carefully lay a fish fillet on top followed by the bok choy. Finally spoon over the sweet soy sauce mixture and serve.