Vietnamese-Style Caramelised & Braised Cod

Boil half a kettle

Rinse your brown rice, add it to a pot 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, return it to the pot and keep covered until serving

Chop your fish fillet[s] into large, bite-sized pieces

Add the chopped fish to a bowl with your fish sauce and a generous grind of black pepper

Set aside to marinate

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

Once hot, add 3 tsp [4 1/2 tsp] [6 tsp] sugar and cook for 4-5 min or until golden and caramelised

Meanwhile, peel (scrape the skin off with a teaspoon) and finely chop (or grate) your ginger

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Peel and slice your shallot[s] finely

Deseed your pepper[s] (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and cut into thin strips

Top, tail, peel and grate your carrot[s]

Chop your coriander finely, including the stalks

Chop your creamed coconut roughly (if required!)

Dissolve the chopped creamed coconut in 100ml [150ml] [200ml] boiled water with your soy sauce – this is your coconut stock

Once the sugar has caramelised, increase the heat to medium-high, add the marinated fish and cook for 5 min or until starting to brown, once browned, add the pepper strips, chopped garlic, chopped ginger, sliced shallot and your chilli flakes (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) and cook for 1-2 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add the coconut stock and cook for 3 min or until your fish is cooked through and the sauce has thickened – this is your Vietnamese-style caramelised & braised fish

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

Add the grated carrot, chopped coriander (save some for garnish!) and your white wine vinegar to a bowl with a pinch of salt

Give everything a good mix up – this is your carrot salad