Meat mains
Sesame coconut fish (or chicken) with chilli spinach
This is a grown up, healthy and more exciting version of fish fingers. Sesame gives the crust a lovely crunch and desiccated coconut augments rather than hides the taste of the fish. A delicious, light meal in its own right, serve this with spinach gomae, and rice or new potatoes if you want some more bulk.
Ingredients
For the fish
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp desiccated coconut
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
- 4x175g pieces of white fish fillet, skinned (or 4 chicken breasts, skinned)
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
for the spinach
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1-2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2.5cm fresh ginger, finely grated
- 300g spinach, stalks removed
- salt and pepper
Method
For the fish
-
Step 1
Mix all the crust ingredients together and spread them over the fish fillets. Chill for a few hours to firm up.
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Step 2
Preheat oven to 200°C/Gas 6.
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Step 3
Heat 2 tablespoons of the sunflower oil in a large, ovenproof frying pan.
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Step 4
Place the fish in the hot oil, crust-side down, and cook over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
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Step 5
Carefully turn the fish over with a spatula, transfer the pan to an oven and bake for 4-5 minutes (10 minutes for chicken), until cooked through.
Make the spinach.
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Step 1
Heat the remaining sunflower oil in a frying pan, add the chilli and ginger and cook for 2 minutes.
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Step 2
Turn up the heat, add the spinach and cook, stirring vigorously, until wilted. Season to taste. Serve the fish on the spinach.
