Crispy Fried Giant Grouper with Cucumber, Beansprouts, Peanuts and Chilli is a recipe I came up with for Tropical Finfish using their Giant Grouper which they farm in Cairns. The Grouper is grown to about 3kg and produces a beautifully sweet, firm white flesh.

Although not widely available on the domestic market yet, they are hoping to have enough stock by mid 2016 to start selling it locally, so keep an eye out.

In the meantime, if you can’t get Giant Grouper, any firm, white fleshed fish like Snapper, Red Emperor or Coral Trout would work for this dish.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

500 gm Giant Grouper fillets

500 ml vegetable oil

1 Lebanese cucumber, shredded

250gm bean sprouts

100gm peanuts, roasted

1 red chilli, finely sliced

1 golden shallot, finely sliced

200 gm cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2  cup Thai basil leaves

1/2 cup coriander leaves

60 ml lime juice

30 ml fish sauce

2 tsp castor sugar

Method:

Dry the grouper fillets and rub with a couple of tablespoons of the vegetable oil.

Roast on a wire rack set over a roasting tray for 20 minutes at 180*C. Chill.

Pulse the fish in a food processor until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan until it reaches 180*C.

Fry the fish in the oil, turning occasionally until it is crispy and golden.

Scoop off with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

Whisk together the fish sauce, lime juice and castor sugar until the sugar has dissolved.

Mix together the fried fish, cucumber, bean sprouts, peanuts, chilli, shallots, cherry tomatoes and herbs and dress with the lime dressing.

Serve immediately.