Vietnamese Grilled Sardines with Rice Recipe

Ingredients

150g white basmati rice
300ml boiling water
Sea salt
35g peanuts
1 garlic clove
1 chilli
1 lime
1 tbsp vegan fischy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp demerara sugar
A handful of mint, leaves only
1 red onion
1 carrot
250g cherry vine tomatoes
220g butterflied sardine fillets
Freshly ground pepper

Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 15 mins

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Method

1. Fill and boil your kettle. Rinse the rice with cold water and tip it into a small pan. Add 300ml boiling water and a pinch of salt. Cover, bring to the boil, then turn the heat right down. Gently cook for 6-8 mins till all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Take the pan off the heat and let it sit, lid on, for 5 mins to finish cooking the rice. It will stay warm while you cook the rest of the dish.

2. While the rice cooks, put another small pan on a medium heat and tip in the peanuts. Toast for 2-3 mins, shaking the pan, till browned. Tip onto a plate and set aside to cool. Once cooled, roughly chop the peanuts.

3. Peel and grate the garlic into a mixing bowl. Finely chop the chilli (you can halve it and scrape out the seeds and pith for less heat). Add the chilli to the bowl. Grate in the lime zest and squeeze in the juice. Finely chop the mint leaves and add them to the bowl. Tip in 1 tbsp each vegan fischy sauce, olive oil and demerara sugar. Add the chopped peanuts, stir to mix and set the mixture aside.

4. Peel and thinly slice the red onion. Peel the carrot and cut it into thin matchsticks. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Add the onion, carrot and tomatoes to the bowl of dressing. Toss together and set aside.

5. Warm your grill to high. Line a baking tray with foil and add the sardine fillets, skin-side up. Drizzle over 1 tbsp olive oil and add a pinch of salt and pepper. When the grill is hot, slide the sardines under and cook for 3-4 mins till browned and cooked through.

6. Divide the rice and salad between 2 warm plates. Top with the grilled sardines and serve.