Fish is the Dish Fish is the Dish

Pan Fried Hake with Chilli Lime Lentils

Prep time: 16-20 minutes Cooking time: 10-12 minutes Serves: 4 Skill level: Competent Cook Recipe by: Bob McCoubrey

Delicious pan fried hake on a bed of zesty spicy lentils

The method

  1. In a large saucepan, over a medium heat, fry the panang paste for 2 minutes, then add scallions, tomatoes, potatoes and lentils, season with sea salt and black pepper and cook for a further minute.
  2. Then add stock and bring to the boil. Add the coriander, spinach, lime juice and zest. Season with fish sauce and set aside.
  3. Pre-heat the oven to max.
  4. Place a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Season the hake on both sides with sea salt and black pepper, add a drizzle of oil to the pan and a small knob of butter, when the butter turns brown quickly add in the fish skin side down. Shake the pan to prevent the fish from sticking.
  5. Cook the fish until the skin is golden and carefully turn. Slide fish into the oven for 4-6 minutes.
  6. While the fish is in the oven, reheat the lentils adding a little rapeseed oil. Finally spoon into warm bowls, or onto a plate and top with the hake. Serve with crispy green beans.

For the crispy beans:

  1. Pre-heat deep fat fryer to 180°C.
  2. Place flour into a bowl and add the water a little at a time. The batter should resemble the consistency of double cream. Do not over mix.
  3. Quickly dip the beans in the batter and drop into the fryer. Cook until golden.
  4. Remove from the fryer, dry on kitchen paper and season.