Green Beans and Crispy Whitebait, Honey and Fish Sauce - Chef Recipe by George Calombaris

Ingredients

Sunflower oil for deep frying
150g plain flour
500g fresh whitebait
400g fine green or yellow beans, or other green vegetables
50g roasted almonds, chopped
Micro coriander, or chopped
Coriander leaves to serve

Honey and fish sauce:

150g honey
Juice of 2 limes
2 Tbs fish sauce

Method

Honey and fish sauce:

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 8 minutes, or until thickened and caramelised. Set aside to cool completely.

Half fill a saucepan with oil and place over medium heat. Warm the oil until it reaches 190 C on a cooking thermometer.

Season the flour and toss the whitebait in it, shaking off any excess.

Working in batches, fry the whitebait in the oil for 2-3 minutes until golden and crisp.

Drain on a wire rack, set above a tray.

Blanch the beans in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 1 minute, then drain and refresh in iced water, drain again.

Toss beans in a bowl with some of the honey sauce and almonds, then arrange on a serving plate. Top with whitebait and drizzle with some extra honey sauce, finish with coriander.

Credits: This is an edited extract from Just George – George Calombaris, published by Hardie Grant Books.

Photo Credits: This is an edited extract from Just George – George Calombaris, published by Hardie Grant Books.