Deep-Fried Fish with Lemongrass

Since I gave birth, I've been eating for my baby girl. I’m a sucker for old wives' tales, and anyone who tells me a certain food enhances lactation for breast-feeding mothers I rush into the kitchen and make it. I don’t know if they work, but at least some of them taste good!

One in particular comes from my Aunt Danielle. She suggested that boiled sweet potato leaves were great for mothers to produce milk. I was able to find the greens at an Asian market in San Jose. At the store, I saw that fresh pomfret fish (cá chim trang in Vietnamese) was available. I bought some and fried the whole fish in a small amount of oil in a shallow pan. The preparation is very simple; the fish is coated with a mixture of seasoned rice flour and lemongrass.  



The texture from the crispy skin of the fish contrasts well with the boiled sweet potato leaves, which taste similar to spinach, but with a thicker, more velvety texture (the texture is close to rau mồng tơi).

Turbot Fish in Tomato Sauce (Breaded Fish Recipe)

Turbot is a flat, white-fleshed, delicately flavored fish. To avoid overpowering the mild fish, I breaded and pan-fried it to create a crispy outer layer, and then placed the fish on a bed of simple tomato sauce.

I garnished the top with Castelvetrano green olives, which added a mild, lightly salted, briny taste. The fish was both flaky and meaty in texture and full of flavor.

Pan-Seared Salmon with Lemon

Fish, in general, is an excellent light meal idea. Salmon in particular, if prepared properly, can be very moist and flavorful. First, make sure to ask your fishmonger to clean the fish and its skin. The next important issue is the marinade. Finally, don't overcook the filet and a delicious dinner will be in your future.

For this recipe I used lemons as a tenderizer and flavoring. I pan-fried and created a crust around the salmon steak and finish baking it in the oven on a bed of lemon slices. I served it with pineapple salsa (mango salsa would work too).

Pan-Fried Turbot Fish Recipe

Turbot fish is a flat, bright white-fleshed fish that is well-known in both French and Asian cuisine. The flavor is quite delicate and is perfect if you're looking for a light meal.

I dredged the fish in a little flour and pan-fried it until the surface is slightly crispy. The only trick to preparing turbot is to carefully watch the cooking time. You don’t want the fish to be too dry and over-cooked.

I decided to serve it with fish sauce. You could also accompany the fish with spicy Indian-style salsa (called kachumbar) or a French sauce I often love to pair with fish, called sauce au raifort (horseradish).