This recipe for grilled, stone bass skewers with a simple asparagus and rocket salad by Peter Joseph is made in a tandoori oven at his restaurant, Kahani, but works well on a hot grill or barbecue at home. Stone bass is a firm-fleshed white fish, which is much bigger than sea bass. Its large size means stone bass fillets are very thick, and perfect for grilling.
Wash the fish, pat dry and set to one side
Heat up a large frying pan over a medium heat, add a dash of olive oil. Once hot, add the fennel seed and cook, stirring, until they begin to crackle
Add the ginger, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves to the fennel, and stir until fragrant and the garlic has started to soften, 2-3 minutes
Next, add the yellow pepper, tomatoes and turmeric. Cook, stirring frequently until the tomatoes begin to break down, around 15-20 minutes
Turn off the heat and add the coriander and lime juice. Season with salt to taste, then transfer to a large bowl and set aside to cool
Once the chutney has cooled, transfer to a blender and blend until smooth
Mix the fish with the blended chutney, and leave in the fridge to marinade for 30 minutes
While the fish marinades, bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add the asparagus and blanch for around 2 minutes, or until bright green and tender
Once cooked, remove the asparagus with tongs or a slotted spoon and place in the ice water to cool completely
Prepare your barbecue, if using, or preheat your grill to a high heat
Thread the stone bass fillets onto metal skewers
Drizzle the fish with a little bit of olive oil, and grill, skin side down, for about 3 minutes on the first side. The fish will be ready to flip once the skin is crisp and no longer sticking to the grates of the barbecue. Turn over the skewers and cook for another 2 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through. Set aside
Cut the cooled asparagus into 3cm pieces. Mix together the cherry tomatoes, asparagus and wild rocket with a dash of oil and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze over some fresh lime juice to taste and mix again
To serve, place some salad on the centre of each plate
Remove the fish from the skewers and place on top of the salad. Sprinkle each fillet with a pinch of chaat masala, and a little more lime juice
Cut up the remaining lime into wedges
Garnish with the coriander cress, and the lime wedges
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