Thai Fish, with Sesame Edamame and a Nutty Sauce.

I love the lottery of shopping in Kwazulu Natal.  There is absolutely no guarantee that the product range will ever stay the same from week to week - some days there are piles of free-range beef mince in the Woolworths fridge section, while other weeks you can find absolutely no free-range beef at all but instead there will be fresh mackerel and limes.

This week saw a pretty poor show on the veggie front bar a new arrival to the north-coast Woolies - fresh, shelled edamame beans! Hurrah! (They can also be found in the freezer section of mainstream supermarkets).  I love ordering the little green packages of goodness when we spy a sushi bar -they are just divine sprinkled with some good sea salt (this week I succumbed to the temptation of Maldon).  So in an edamame excitement I made this yummy fish dinner last night.  As I was cooking I had one eye on 'For Your Eye's Only' - there seems to be a Bond extravaganza on SA tv this month.  Does anyone else (apart from me and my friend Frankster) laugh at the countess when she seriously balls up her accent with 'ooo my nightie slipped'?!  Such a funny Bond moment.

Ingredients (serves 2)

For the fish -

1 large white fish fillet (I used a hake fillet from the fresh fish section at Woolies)
4 tbsp wasabi paste
2 tsp dried lemongrass (or 1 stick of lemongrass, sliced finely)
1 inch of fresh ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

For the edamame beans -

120 g fresh podded (or frozen) edamame beans
sesame or peanut oil for dressing
sea salt

For the nutty sauce -

3 tbsp peanut oil
2 tbsp chunky, no salt/sugar added peanut butter
1 inch of fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp runny honey

For the rice -

1/2 mug jasmine rice
1 mug boiling water

black sesame seeds to garnish

Method

1. Get the rice on - place the boiling water in a saucepan and add the rice, stir, bring to the boil then lower the heat, and simmer with the lid on for 15 minutes, or until cooked as per the packet.
2. Mix the wasabi paste, lemongrass, garlic and ginger for the fish over the fillet and place under a hot grill for 10 minutes, or until just cooked through.

3. Mix all the nutty sauce ingredients together in a jar.
4. Steam or boil the edamame beans for 5 minutes, or until just cooked but still crunchy.

5. Plate up by spooning some rice and edamame beans on a warmed plate, add a slice of the fish on the side.  Sprinkle over some sesame/peanut oil and some salt over the edamame, then drizzle the nutty sauce over the whole lot and finish with a sprinkle of black sesame seeds.

It is so yummy, healthy and easy to make.