Fried dace with Indian lettuce

It wasn't until a yum cha experience in Hong Kong that I learned that you can cook dace fish with Indian lettuce, and it is one of the easiest things you can possibly stir-fry.

Fried dace with Indian lettuce Credit: Kitti Gould

• serves

  4

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Growing up, every now and then Mum or Dad would heat up a can of salted black bean fried dace on a plate in the rice cooker as the rice was cooking. Our place would smell of black beans and the rice would take on the fragrance of both the black beans and the fish. I can think of nothing more complete that comes out of a can: so chewy, so full of savoriness.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch Indian lettuce
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 can fried dace with salted black beans
• steamed long grain white rice, to serve

Instructions

1. Cut the head off the Indian lettuce, and then cut the lettuce into three sections crosswise. Wash thoroughly and drain.
2. Heat the wok or pan, then add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic.
3. When the garlic is fragrant, add the lettuce and stir-fry until it begins to wilt.
4. Add the fried dace and the salted black beans to the lettuce and stir fry. If you like, break apart the fish so that it is in easy-to-bite pieces. Cover the wok or pan for a minute or two, or until the fried dace is hot. Serve with rice.

Note

• Fried dace with salted black bean and Indian lettuce are available in Asian grocers. If you can't find it, cos lettuce will also work quite well.

Photography by Kitti Gould.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Growing up, every now and then Mum or Dad would heat up a can of salted black bean fried dace on a plate in the rice cooker as the rice was cooking. Our place would smell of black beans and the rice would take on the fragrance of both the black beans and the fish. I can think of nothing more complete that comes out of a can: so chewy, so full of savoriness.