Escabeche
This pickled fish dish is eaten wherever there are — or have been — Spanish settlers. Here it has been modified in order to reflect the Chinese influence on Filipino cuisine.
Ingredients
- 675-900g / 1½-2lb white fish fillets, such as sole or plaice
- 45-60ml / 3-4 tbsp seasoned flour
- vegetable oil, for shallow frying
For the sauce:
- 2.5cm / 1in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 onion, cut into thin rings
- 30ml / 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ large green pepper, seeded and cut in small neat squares
- ½ large red pepper, seeded and cut in small neat squares
- 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
- 25mI / 1½ tbsp cornflour
- 450mI / ¾ pint / scant 2 cups water
- 45-60ml / 3-4 tbsp herb or cider vinegar
- 15ml / 1 tbsp light soft brown sugar
- 5-10mI / 1-2 tsp fish sauce
- salt and ground black pepper
- 1 small chilli, seeded and sliced and spring onions, finely shredded, to garnish (optional)
- boiled rice, to serve
Preparation
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- Wipe the fish fillets and leave them whole, or cut into serving portions, if you like. Pat dry on kitchen paper then dust lightly with seasoned flour.
- Heat oil for shallow frying in a frying pan and fry the fish in batches until golden and almost cooked. Transfer to an ovenproof dish and keep warm.
- Make the sauce in a wok or large frying pan. Fry the ginger, garlic and onion in the oil for 5 minutes or until the onion is softened but not browned.
- Add the pepper squares and carrot strips and stir-fry for 1 minute.
- Put the cornflour in a small bowl and add a little of the water to make a paste. Stir in the remaining water, the vinegar and the sugar. Pour the cornflour mixture over the vegetables in the wok and stir until the sauce boils and thickens a little. Season with fish sauce and salt and pepper if needed.
- Add the fish to the sauce and reheat briefly without stirring. Transfer to a warmed serving platter and garnish with chilli and spring onions, if liked. Serve with boiled rice.
COOK'S TIP
Red snapper or small sea bass could be used for this recipe, in which case ask your fishmonger to cut them into fillets.
Serves 6.