Sea bass wraps
VIETNAM’S ANSWER TO TACOS, WITH DELICATE FISH AND FRESH HERBS
Serves 8
4 whole fresh (farmed) sea bass (500g each), cleaned and dried
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, halved and cut into half-moons
1 piece (approx 5cm) peeled fresh ginger, cut into matchsticks 60g unsalted butter
1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and chopped
65g roasted peanuts, chopped
to serve
570g Japanese sweet potatoes (or regular sweet potatoes), peeled and halved lengthwise
110g fine rice vermicelli noodle nests
16 round (20cm) rice-paper wrappers
2 small heads round lettuce, leaves separated and stalks removed
30g Vietnamese coriander leaves
30g mint leaves
1 Preheat oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4. Make 3 slashes on each side of the fish. Rub each fish inside and out with oil, and season. Stuff each cavity with a quarter of the onion and ginger.
2 Bake fish in a large baking dish until flesh is opaque, 20–25 mins. (Fish is cooked when a knife inserted between flesh and bone comes away easily.)
3 Meanwhile, place the sweet potatoes in a steamer basket; cover, and steam until just tender (about 25 mins). Let cool slightly, then cut into 8cm sticks, just under 1cm thick/ wide.
4 Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook noodles according to packet instructions. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Cut into 5cm lengths.
5 Melt butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add spring onions; cook until bright green, about 1 min. Spoon them over the baked fish and top with a sprinkling of peanuts.
6 To assemble each wrap, soak a wrapper in a bowl of warm water for 30 seconds. Lay flat on a plate. Top with lettuce, noodles, potato, some dressed fish, and a sprinkle of herbs. Fold the ends in and roll tightly.