Aromatic smoked hoki

Tamara West

Kathy Paterson spent a morning in the kitchen with chef Tom Kime to gather a few fresh ideas on how to cook New Zealand’s sustainable hoki.

Tom uses this smoking mix to smoke other fish and shellfish, like salmon and prawns. It is a simple way of transforming the flavour of a delicate fish.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp	Light soy sauce
1	Lime, juiced
2 tsp	Brown sugar
1 piece	Hoki, 600g, skin-on (allowing about 150g per person) (Main)

For the smoking mix

100 g	Jasmine rice
100 g	Coconut, dried pieces or shavings
2 stalks	Lemongrass, white part only, roughly chopped
1 piece	Ginger, 7cm, roughly chopped
2	Cinnamon sticks
3 Tbsp	Jasmine loose tea, or green tea
4	Star anise
1 Tbsp	Fennel seeds, lightly crushed
1 Tbsp	Coriander seeds, lightly crushed

Cucumber salad with mint and toasted peanuts

2	Lebanese cucumber (Main)
2	Chillies, green or red, deseeded and finely chopped
¼ cup	Fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp	Orange juice
2 Tbsp	Fish sauce
4	Spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
1 handful	Mint leaves
1 handful	Fresh coriander, picked
100 g	Peanuts, skinless, toasted

Directions

1. Combine the soy, lime juice and brown sugar in a flat dish and grind over some black pepper.
2. Place in the hoki and turn over in the marinade.
3. Line a large wok with 2 layers of foil.
4. Mix all the smoking ingredients together and place in the centre of the wok.
5. Set a rack on top, place the hoki, skin-side down on the rack, and place on the lid.
6. Start the heat on medium-high so the smoking mix begins to caramelise, then turn down the heat and smoke hoki for 12-15 minutes.
7. Turn once while smoking.
8. Remove hoki and leave to cool. Serve with cucumber salad, recipe below.

Cucumber salad with mint and toasted peanuts

1. Cut the cucumber into thin strips (matchsticks). Place in a bowl and set aside.
2. Using a mortar and pestle (or use a large sharp knife and board), pound the chilli with a little salt until you have a smooth paste.
3. Add the juices and fish sauce. Taste the dressing, it should be sour, hot and salty.
4. To serve, break the smoked hoki into chunky pieces and pour over the dressing.
5. Mix together the cucumber, sliced spring onion, herbs and toasted peanuts. Scatter over the hoki.