Burmese Ngar Kyaw Chet-Style Sea Bass, Sticky Rice & Pak Choi

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7 and boil a kettle

Bash your lemongrass with a rolling pin, remove the tough outer layers and set aside the soft inner core[s] for later

Add your white long grain rice to an oven-proof dish with the outer lemongrass layers, a generous pinch of salt and 300ml [390ml] [600ml] boiled water and cover tightly with tin foil

Put the dish in the oven for an initial 15 min

Wash, then slice your pak choi in half lengthways and pat dry with kitchen paper

Chop the softer inner lemongrass core[s] finely

Peel and finely slice your shallot[s]

Chop your tomato[es] finely

Chop your coriander roughly, including the stalks

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Heat a pot with a lid with a generous drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium heat

Once hot, add the sliced shallot and chopped lemongrass and cook for 2-3 min or until softening

Once softening, add the chopped tomato with 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar and cook for 3-4 min, stirring often, or until softened

Once the tomato has softened, add the chopped garlic to the pot with your ground turmeric, ground paprika and ginger paste

Cook for 30 secs or until fragrant, then add your soy sauce to the pot with 150ml [200ml] [250ml] cold water

Cook over a medium heat for 8-10 min or until the shallot is softened and the sauce has thickened, then cover to keep warm – this is your Burmese ngar kyaw chet-style sauce

Tip: Add another splash of water if its looking a little dry

Once the rice has had 15 min, remove the dish from the oven and add the pak choi half[ves] to the dish on top of the rice with a pinch of salt

Re-cover tightly with the foil and return to the oven for a final 15 min or until all the water has been absorbed and the pak choi is tender – this is your sticky rice & pak choi

When the rice has about 6 min left, heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over a high heat with a drizzle of vegetable oil

Once hot, add your sea bass, skin side down, to the pan with a pinch of salt and cook for 6 min or until the skin is golden and crisp, then turn and cook for 1 min further or until cooked through

Tip: Your fish is cooked once it turns opaque and flakes easily