Garfish is a beautiful, sweet-tasting fish that's available in New Zealand, or could be substituted with gurnard. Green nam jim is my favourite dressing. It's best used fresh so you get the full impact of the vibrant colour.
Ingredients
| 4 | Garfish, large, butterflied (Main) |
| 1 pinch | Salt |
| 50 ml | Vegetable oil |
| 1 pinch | Ground black pepper |
| 1 | Lebanese cucumber, quartered lengthways then sliced |
| 6 | Cherry tomatoes, quartered |
| ½ | Avocados, diced |
| 3 | Shallots, peeled and diced |
| 2 | Red chillies, large, seeded and sliced |
| 10 | Thai basil leaves, shredded |
| ½ | Limes |
Green nam jim
| 1 handful | Fresh coriander |
| 2 | Coriander root, cleaned and chopped |
| 2 | Shallots, finely sliced |
| 2 | Garlic cloves, finely chopped |
| 2 | Green chillies, large, seeded and chopped |
| 1 | Green chilli, small, finely chopped |
| 50 g | Palm sugar, grated |
| 100 ml | Fish sauce |
| 200 ml | Lime juice |
Directions
- Lightly brush the garfish fillets with some oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the garfish, skin-side down, on a pre-heated grill or barbecue. Cook for about 1 minute, then carefully turn the fish over and cook for further 30 seconds. (These times might vary according to the size of the fish.)
- Transfer fish to a serving plate and top with cucumber, tomato, avocado, chillies, shallots and Thai basil.
- Spoon over nam jim and serve the fish garnished with lime.
Green nam jim
- In a mortar and pestle, pound the coriander, shallots, garlic and chillies into a rough paste.
- Add palm sugar, fish sauce and lime juice. Mix and allow to marinate for 10 minutes.