This is one of Rick Stein's recipes which we have kindly had permission to reproduce which should whet your appetite for more.

To find out more about Rick Stein and his passion for seafood have a look at his biography page.

For further information about his restaurants in Padstow, Cornwall, his new cookery school and to see his online delicatessan visit his website - click here.

If you would like to know more about his books and how to order them have a look at our Bookstore which will also link you to Amazon for further details.

Ingredients

750 g (1 1/2 lb) thick plaice fillets, skinned
Sunflower oil for deep-frying
Salt
A small bunch of coriander sprigs, to garnish
Lime wedges to serve

For the spring onion and chilli seasoning:
Sunflower oil for frying
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium-hot red Dutch chilli, thinly sliced
3 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, crushed

For the batter:
50 g (2 oz) plain flour
50 g (2 oz) cornflour
A pinch of salt
175 ml (6 fl oz) ice-cold soda water from a new bottle

Method

For the spring onion and chilli seasoning:

• Pour about 1 cm (1/2 inch) of oil into a frying pan and leave it to get hot. Add the chopped onion and fry for about 3 - 4 minutes until it is beginning to go brown. Then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

• Add the chilli and fry until the onion and garlic are crisp and golden brown.

• Lift the mixture out with a slotted spoon on to lots of kitchen paper and leave to go cold.

• Then transfer it to a bowl and mix in the spring onions, salt and Sichuan pepper.

For the batter:

• Sift the flour, cornflour and salt into a bowl and stir in the ice-cold soda water until only just mixed; it should still be a bit lumpy.

To cook the fish:

• Heat some oil for deep-frying to 190°C / 375ºF

• Meanwhile, season the plaice fillets with salt on both sides and cut them into strips about 2.5 cm (1 inch) wide.

• Dip the strips of plaice into the batter a few pieces at a time, then drop them into the hot oil and fry for 2 minutes, until lightly golden. Drain briefly on kitchen paper and keep hot while you cook the rest.

To serve:

• Pile the fried plaice on to a serving platter and sprinkle over the spring onion and chilli seasoning.

• Scatter over the fresh coriander sprigs and serve straight away, with the lime wedges.
  

Serves 4

To visit Rick Stein's website which features regular new recipes - click here