
Ingredients
- 400g asparagus spears (we used a mix of white and green), trimmed
- 3 tsp olive oil, plus 1 tbsp
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- 1 (130g) jar tamarind paste
- 2 (250g) packs ready-cooked basmati rice
- 25g dill, fronds picked and finely chopped
- 15g mint, leaves picked and finely chopped
- 25g chives, finely chopped
- 50g crispy onions
- 2 knobs (approx.) unsalted butter (optional)
- 4 plaice fillets
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for squeezing
Method
Step 1
Place a griddle pan over a high heat. Toss the asparagus 1 tsp oil and griddle in batches for 2-3 mins, until lightly charred. Leave to cool a little, then cut half the spears at an angle into 3-4 cm lengths, leaving half of them whole. Toss in a bowl with the salt and some black pepper; set aside.Step 2
For the rice, heat 2 tsp oil in a pan over a medium-high heat. Add the tamarind paste and cook for 3-4 mins, stirring, until thickened. Stir in the rice and cook for 2-3 mins to warm through, stirring every so often. Remove from the heat.Step 3
In a serving dish, layer up the rice, asparagus, dill, mint and chives, and crispy onions, alternating between the ingredients until everything is used up, finishing with the asparagus, herbs and onions.Step 4
For the plaice, heat the remaining oil and butter (if using) between 2 large frying pans. Season the plaice; cook, skin-side down, over a medium heat for 2 mins, then turn and cook for 30 secs-1 min more until opaque. Serve the fish with the rice and lemon wedges for squeezing over.