Crispy Turmeric Basa & Vietnamese-Style Rice Broth

Rinse your brown rice, add it to a pot with a lid with plenty of cold water and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 20-25 min or until it's tender with a slight bite

Once cooked, drain and return to the pot

Boil half a kettle

Peel (scrape the skin off with a teaspoon) and grate your ginger

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Peel and finely slice your shallot[s]

Dissolve your pho broth paste in 300ml [450ml] [600ml] boiled water – this is your pho stock

Peel your carrot[s], then continue to peel lengths until you end up with a pile of carrot ribbons

Trim, then chop your green beans into bite-sized pieces

Wash your spinach

Chop your basa fillets into large, bite-sized pieces

Combine your cornflour, ground turmeric, 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2 tbsp] flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl – this is your turmeric cornflour

Add the chopped basa to the turmeric cornflour and give everything a good mix up until fully coated, then set aside for later – these are your coated basa pieces

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium heat

Once hot, add the grated ginger, sliced shallot and chopped garlic to the pan and cook for 3-4 min or until starting to soften

Once softened, add your ground coriander and cook for 30 secs or until fragrant – this is your ginger & shallot mix

Transfer the ginger & shallot mix to the pot with the brown rice (reserve the pan!), then add the pho stock, lime leaf[ves], chopped green beans and a generous pinch of salt

Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium-high and cook, covered for an initial 2-3 min or until the green beans are tender

Once tender, add the spinach and carrot ribbons and cook, covered, for a final 1-2 min or until the spinach has wilted – this is your Vietnamese-style rice broth

Meanwhile, wipe the reserved pan clean and return it to a medium-high heat with 3 tbsp [4 1/2 tbsp] [6 tbsp] vegetable oil

Once hot, add the coated basa pieces and cook for 2-3 min on each side or until golden and crisp – this is your crispy turmeric basa

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