Poached fish in Sichuan Pepper & Lemongrass Broth

- Serves 4

This dish is an expression of my love for both Thai and Sichuan cuisines and of course my obsession with good broth. Steamed rice topped with quality broth, no matter what kind, has always been my ultimate comfort meal. Here, I have combined tongue-numbing Sichuan peppercorns with lemongrass, tons of sliced garlic and thinly sliced ginger with homemade chicken broth. This recipe is similar to my Thai fish in lemongrass broth, but with a hint of Sichuan peppercorns and turmeric. The three spices come together beautifully creating this flavor-packed golden broth.

I have used sea-bass steaks on bone in this recipe as the bones not only impart flavor to the broth but also make it slightly thicker in consistency; you may use any white fish steaks of your choice. To bring out the flavor in the dish, I finished it with the juice of one Thai lime; do keep in mind that Thai limes are quite sour and sometimes vary in size, so remember to adjust the amount of lime juice and add less or more to suit your own palate. I added some blanched pak choy and white asparagus to the final dish before serving, but those can easily be replaced with any seasonal vegetables of your choice. Enjoy the recipe!

Ingredients for Poached fish in Sichuan Pepper & Lemongrass Broth

600g Sea-bass steaks (or any other local white fish of your choice - thread fin, snapper, Baramundi)
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 inch ginger, very thinly sliced
6 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 Thai red chili padi, chopped
1 stalk lemon grass, lower half bashed with a pestle or rolling pin
1-2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
1L quality store-bought or homemade chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
6-8 lime leaves, roughly torn
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
2-3 tablespoons fish sauce
Juice of 1-1.5 Thai limes
handful coriander leaves, for garnish
8 pieces baby bok choy, blanched
10 stalks asparagus, peeled, blanched and pan-fried in some butter - optional

Recipe

Heat coconut oil in a wok on medium flame. Add ginger, garlic, chili, and lemon grass; stir-fry until garlic turns slightly brown. Add Sichuan peppercorns and stir-fry for about 30 seconds.
Next, add chicken stock, lime leaves, and turmeric - bring to the boil. Taste sauce, add sugar and 2-3 tablespoons fish sauce depending on saltiness of chicken stock.
Slide the fish in, and continue to cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes until fish is fully cooked. The constant boiling will also help thicken the sauce slightly.
Take if off the heat and finally add lime juice followed by coriander leaves. Serve hot poured over steamed Jasmine rice and your choice of blanched vegetables.