This easy sea bass recipe sees the fish steamed in a banana leaf with a fresh and aromatic paste of coconut and spices. The fish is topped with a handful of crispy shoestring fries and coriander, resulting in a dish that not only tastes great but has plenty of contrasting texture too. If you can't find banana leaves, regular baking paper can be used instead.
Rub the sea bass fillets with lemon juice and sea salt and place in the fridge for an hour
In the meantime, prepare the shoestring fries. Cut the potatoes into matchsticks, using a mandoline with a julienne blade attached if you have one. Wash and drain the potatoes three times to remove excess starch, then pat the potato as dry as possible using a clean cloth or kitchen paper. Set aside
Place the marinade ingredients in a blender and to a coarse paste, adding a little water if necessary (but as little as possible)
Preheat an oven to 200ºC/gas mark 6
Place the banana leaf (if using) in the oven for a minute so it becomes soft and easy to fold
Smear a spoonful of the marinade onto each piece of banana leaf and place the fish on top. Spread another spoonful of the marinade on top to coat the whole fish evenly. Fold the leaves into parcels so the fish is completely sealed. Alternatively use a sheet of baking paper and tin foil to create a parcel
Bake the the fish parcels in the oven for 8–10 minutes
As the fish bakes, fry the potatoes. Place a deep pan of sunflower oil over a high heat and heat until 180°C. Once hot, carefully fry off the potato in batches until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt
To serve, place each fish parcel in a dish. Open up the parcels and scatter with a big handful of the shoestring fries. Garnish with chopped coriander and a lemon wedge
Steamed coconut and chilli sea bass with shoestring fries