SERVES 4-6 TIME: 5 DAYS (IF DRY AGING) 24 HOURS (IF NOT DRY AGING)
House Dry Aged Hawaiian Kanpachi Dressed in Strawberry Nahm Jim, Topped With Chinese Celery, Ginger, Crispy Rice Noodles and Fresh Herbs
BY CHEF EARL NINSOM
HAWAIIAN KANPACHI PHLA PLA
Part: FILET
INGREDIENTS:
- 360 grams (12 ounces) thinly sliced skinless Hawaiian Kanpachi filet
- 800 grams (6 cups) strawberries, stemmed plus few more sliced into about 1/8-inch rounds
- 130 grams (1/2 cup) fish sauce
- 100 grams (1/3 cup) white vinegar
- 50 grams (1/4 cup) palm sugar
- 50 grams (1/4 cup) white sugar
- 20 grams (about 1-inch piece) galangal
- 20 grams (4-5 cloves) garlic
- 8 grams (1each) chopped Thai chilies plus 6 more chilis thinly sliced on a bias
- Nut milk bag or cheese cloth for straining
- 50 grams (1/4 cup) Chinese celery
- ½ cups white vinegar
- ¼ cups white sugar
- ¼ cups water
- 4 grams (1/2 tablespoon) salt
- 2 sheets vermicelli noodles
- Oil for frying
- 50 grams (1/4 cup) julienned ginger
- 5 grams toasted rice powder
- 1 bunch mint, picked and torn
- 1 bunch red shiso, picked and torn
PREPARATION
To make strawberry seafood sauce (Nahm jim)
Place 6 cups strawberries 1/2 cup fish sauce, 1/3 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup palm sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar, about 1-inch piece galangal root, garlic cloves and 1 chopped Thai chili in a blender and puree well. Strain sauce overnight through a nut milk bag or cheesecloth to clarify the sauce. This creates a lighter bodied delicate sauce that helps make sure the flavor and texture of the fish remain the focus of the dish.
To make pickled Chinese celery
Slice celery thin on a bias and set aside.
Add vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a pot and bring to a boil
Put pickling liquid in the refrigerator to cool completely, then pour over sliced celery in a glass or plastic container. Avoid metal as the vinegar will react with the metal and create a metallic flavor in your pickles
Allow the celery to pickle overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
It is important to cool down the pickling liquid before pouring over the celery to maintain a crisp texture.
To fry Vermicelli noodles
Fry vermicelli noodles for 10 seconds in neutral frying oil at 350F. Drain well, let cool, then break apart with fingers into 1” pieces
To plate the dish:
For each plate, pour 1 ounce of strawberry sauce. Place several slices of Kanpachi around the plate. Follow with slices of strawberry over each slice of Kanpachi then add pickled celery evenly about the plate.
Repeat this process with ginger, thai chilies, herbs, and fried noodles - finish by sprinkling a pinch of rice powder over the top of everything