Wild sea bass with nam jim

Serves 4

Wild sea bass with nam jim (LISA BARBER)

720g/1 lb sea bass (allow 180g/6oz fish per person)
Sea salt
tsp corn or sunflower oil

For the nam jim

1 inch of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled
1 bunch of coriander, washed, patted dry and roughly chopped
2 red chillies, chopped, seeds left in
The juice of 2 limes
3 tsp palm sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce

Pound the ginger, garlic, coriander and chillies with a pestle and mortar until you have a textured paste. Now stir in the lime juice, palm sugar and fish sauce. Nam jim is best eaten shortly after making when the flavours are at their most vibrant. Set aside while you cook the fish.

Place a large, preferably non-stick pan over a medium to high heat. Season the fish with salt, to your taste. Once the pan is warm, add the oil and lay the fish skin-side down in the pan. Cook for 3 minutes, by which time the skin should be crisp, then turn and cook for a further minute.

Remove from the pan and serve with the nam jim spooned over the top, and lightly steamed pak choi.