Barramundi with charred fennel and turmeric

Source: original
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

4 barramundi fillets
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon almond oil
50g slivered almonds
2 large fennel bulbs
3 fresh corn cobs
2 tablespoons peanut oil
30ml tequila, to deglaze
2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, bruised and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon freshly grated turmeric
      (or 2 teaspoons ground turmeric)
1 tablespoon cilantro stalks, finely chopped
1 tablespoon shallots, white part only
     (reserve green part, coarsely chopped, for garnish)
800ml coconut milk
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
zest of one lime
juice of two limes
1 cup jasmine rice
2 teaspoons salt
handful of French Fries potato chips

Method

1. Season the barramundi fillets, rub with almond oil, and refrigerate.
2. In a dry frying pan, toast the almonds until lightly browned and reserve for garnish.
3. Remove and discard stalks from fennel bulbs, cut bulbs into quarters, and slice into 5mm slices. Cut corn kernels from cobs and discard cobs. 
4. Place 1 tablespoon peanut oil to a large frying pan and add the corn, stirring on high heat until corn begins to toast. Remove from pan, reserving one third of the corn for garnish. Add the tequila to the pan to deglaze, then add the liquid to the larger portion of corn. 
5. Add the remaining oil to the pan and fry the fennel on medium-high in batches, 4-5 minutes until lightly charred in places. Reserve and repeat the process until all fennel is charred.
6. In a small food processor, blitz the lemongrass, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cilantro stalks and shallots to a paste, adding a little water if the mixture runs up the sides of the bowl. 
7. Add the coconut milk to a large saucepan and bring to the boil, then reduce to simmer. Add the turmeric paste, fish sauce, and soy sauce and stir to combine, then add the corn and fennel, stirring gently to combine. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until the fennel is tender but still holds its shape. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Meanwhile, cook the rice in a large saucepan of salted water until just cooked. Drain, fluff with a fork, and keep warm.
9. Add the cilantro leaves, lime zest and lime juice to the fennel and corn mixture and stir to combine, then simmer gently for five minutes. Remove from heat.
10. In a clean frying pan, fry the barramundi fillets in a little peanut oil, in batches if necessary, until just cooked. Keep warm.
11. Return the fennel and corn to a gentle simmer until warm.
12. Serve the barramundi accompanied by the fennel and corn, and fluffed rice. Sprinkle the toasted almonds on the fish. Garnish the fennel with reserved corn, shallots, and French Fries chips.