Oriental Sea Bream

This is a lovely colourful dish that can be used for a family meal or indeed as a dinner party dish. Ask your fishmonger to clean and fillet the fish or if you really don't mind a head on ask him just to clean it and leave it whole. You will need a wok with a lid or if not a large casserole dish you can place on your hob to fry and steam in. If you don’t have a dish suitable for the hob - follow the recipe to where you would add the fish, decant ingredients into an oven proof dish, lay the fish on and bake covered for 30 minutes. You could use sea bass or flounder or any light flavoured fish.

This feeds 4 especially if I have made a light soup with rice noodles to start or if you can get it. use a larger fish to feed more people

Large Bream about 1 kilo (2lb) cut into 2 fillets
1 large carrot
1 small onion
20 French beans
50g (2oz) white cabbage
1 small zucchini (courgette)
½ tsp black pepper corns
½ tsp star anise
½ tsp fenugreek seeds (or cardamom seeds)
½ tsp rock salt
2 cloves garlic
2cm (1 inch fresh ginger)
2tsp gluten free soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil - for flavouring
2 tbsp vegetable oil for frying.

Finely slice all the vegetables.

In a wok - heat the oil and add the onion, whilst this if frying, shred the ginger and garlic After about 2 minutes add the carrot, ginger, spices, and garlic. Stir fry for another 2 minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables; stir fry for a further minute add the soy sauce and a little water if you feel things are sticking.

Carefully lay the fish on top of the vegetables, season with the salt and the sesame oil, cover the pan with a lid and cook for about 7 minutes - the fish should now be done; if not cook for a further minute. Serve with plain boiled rice

Oriental Style Sea Bream