Asian Salad Recipes - Vietnamese Fried Fish with Lemon Grass and Salad (Ca Chien Xa) Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 whole trout, about 450g (1lb), cleaned and filleted

• 1 egg

• 1 young lemon grass stalk, finely chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

• oil for deep-frying

• 5 heaped tablespoons breadcrumbs

• about 10 large mixed lettuce leaves, Cos, frisee, radicchio, etc. 

For the fresh pickle:

• 6 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 100g (4oz) carrot, cut into small cubes

• 100g (4oz) cucumber, cut into small cubes

• 1 large red chili, thinly sliced into rounds

Serves 4

---

Method

1. First make the fresh pickle: warm the vinegar in a small pan and dissolve the sugar in it. Pour into a small bowl and, when cool, add the carrot, cucumber and chili. Stir well and set aside.

2. Cut the fish fillets across into thin strips roughly 7.5x2cm (3x3 3/4in) at the widest point. Set aside.

3. Beat the egg in a mixing bowl, add the lemon grass, salt, pepper and light soy sauce and whisk together.

4. Heat the oil for deep-frying to moderate-to-hot. Dip the fish slices in the egg mixture, roll in the breadcrumbs and then deep-fry until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper.

5. Arrange the mixed leaves in a bowl, add the reserved fish slices and fresh pickle, toss and serve.