Pan-Fried Fish with Thai-Style Salad and Coconut Sauce

Steps

1. Combine rice, water and a pinch of salt in a medium pot and bring to the boil. As soon as it boils, stir, cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce to lowest heat to cook for 12 minutes. Turn off heat and leave to steam, still covered, for a further 8 minutes. Do not lift lid during cooking.
2. Combine all coconut sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix fish sauce, sweet chilli sauce and lemon juice together, until combined then set aside. Thinly slice or dice red onion (if using) and grate carrot then set both aside.
3. Pat fish dry with paper towels and remove any remaining scales or bones. Dice into 4-5cm pieces. Place seasoned cornflour in a medium bowl or plate then coat fish pieces in cornflour, shaking off excess as you go.
4. While rice is steaming, heat butter (if using) and a drizzle of oil in a large fry-pan on high heat. Cook fish, in batches, for 1-2 minutes each side (depending on thickness), until just cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside. Do not cover with foil. (So that the fish stays crunchy).
5. Return pan to a low heat and add coconut sauce. Cook for about 1 minute, until heated through. While sauce heats through, add red onion, carrot, baby spinach and mung bean sprouts to bowl with dressing. Toss to combine and season to taste.
6. spoon ¾ cup cooked jasmine rice per person onto each plate. Top with a few pieces of pan-fried fish, spoon over coconut sauce and garnish with chilli flakes (if using), coriander (if using), sesame seeds and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve Thai-style salad on the side.