now this was one of the more interesting/random food requests Iβve gotten since we started the What Do You Want To Eat series on nOm (@nomies.co). I was recently led on an engaging tour along the intertidal shore of Changi Beach by NParks Citizen Scientist & volunteer, Doreen Foo . As part of this, she was showing me the rich biodiversity of marine life scattered around Singaporeβs waters, as I squealed upon seeing little aquatic creatures such as the pink warty sea cucumber & species of starfish.
as a token of gratitude, I asked her what was one dish that she craved for. in response, she graciously requested for me to cook a simple yet memorable dish that she remembered having on her trip to the Maldives many years back. consequently, I developed this simple recipe with for a fish sandwich, according to her memory and specifications.
while most fish sandwiches constitute a breaded fillet, this version consists of fillets lightly dredged in flour, to highlight the natural flavours of the fish. as such, Iβd recommend using the freshest fish you can find in the market.
I also included a recipe for tartar sauce including step of making mayonnaise from scratch - this beats store-bought mayonnaise anyday, IMO. however, feel free to use supermarket mayo if you prefer.
Maldivian-style Reef Fish Burger
serves 2
burger/sandwich:
2 white fish fillets (i.e. red snapper, barramundi)
1/2 cup flour
salt, & ground white pepper, to taste
oil, for frying
2 sunny side up eggs
2 burger buns, cut down the middle
2tsp butter
1 tomato, sliced
1 head butterhead lettuce, rinsed
tartar sauce:
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
250ml oil (any neutral oil such as canola or sunflower oil)
50g dill pickles, minced
2tbsp capers, minced
3 shallots, minced
1tsp white sugar
50g dill, chopped
Dash of freshly cracked black pepper
potato chips:
4 potatoes, washed thoroughly
water, for soaking
Oil, for deep-frying
Salt, to taste
directions:
to prepare the fish, season flour with salt and pepper and whisk to combine. coat the fish fillets in the dry coating and set aside.
in a pan, heat 3 tbsp of oil, once oil is hot, pan-fry the fish with the skin side down, pressing onto the fish to let it cook evenly. flip over and cook the other side. once fish is fully cooked, set aside on paper towels to remove excess oil.
to prepare the tartar sauce, whisk together egg yolk lemon juice, mustard and salt in a bowl until combined. slowly stream in the oil into the egg yolk mixture with one hand. concurrently, use the other hand to constantly whisk the mixture. after the oil is used up, the mixture should resemble a thick mayonnaise. alternatively, you can use an immersion blender for this process.
add the rest of the tartar sauce ingredients and mix well. season to taste.
slice the potatoes with the skin on using a mandolin. the slices should be paper thin.
submerge the potato slices in a bowl/container and let it sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour. drain off the water and rinse the potato slices to get rid of excess starch. this process will make the potatoes super crispy.
drain the water well and dab potatoes with a paper towel.
heat oil in fryer/pot on to 175 degrees Celsius. fry the potato until golden and drain on paper towels. transfer to a bowl and toss together with sea salt.
assemblage
spread butter onto the burger buns and toast them on a pan. spread about a teaspoon of tartar sauce on the bottom bun and lay on the lettuce and tomatoes. place a fillet of fish on top and spread about a tablespoon of tartar sauce on the dish. finish with a sunny side up egg and the top bun.
serve alongside seasoned potato chips and enjoy!