Pan-fried pomfret with gai lan and rice
Silver pomfret pan-fried until crisp outside and tender inside, with gai lan stir-fried with ginger and garlic — one fish, one vegetable and a bowl of rice.
- 35 min
- Serves 2
- Pan-fry
- Easy
Why it suits you: Balanced types simply eat with the season. Pomfret is meaty and sweet in autumn and winter, with few fine bones; pan-fried, it is crisp outside and silky inside. With gai lan stir-fried with ginger and garlic, it makes a simple, balanced and warming one-fish, one-vegetable lunch.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min- 1Cook the rice. Rinse the pomfret, pat it dry, score each side twice and rub with a little salt; leave for 10 minutes.
- 2Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan, add the ginger slices and fry the fish over medium heat for 4–5 minutes a side until golden and cooked through. Drizzle with the soy sauce and plate.
- 3Wash the gai lan and slice the thick stems on the diagonal. Add the rest of the oil to the pan, fry the garlic and shredded ginger until fragrant, then add the gai lan and toss.
- 4Splash in 2 tbsp water, season with the salt and sugar, cover for 1 minute until bright green, and serve with the fish and rice.
Cautions
- Pomfret is traditionally seen as a 'trigger' food — eat less during flare-ups of eczema or other skin allergies.
Chef's tips
- Pat the fish completely dry and get the pan properly hot before adding the oil, so the skin doesn't stick.
The TCM view
Pomfret is sweet and neutral, supporting qi, nourishing blood and strengthening the sinews; gai lan is sweet, pungent and cool, draining water and resolving phlegm; ginger and garlic are pungent and warm, warming the stomach and offsetting the coolness of the gai lan. Balanced and nourishing without being heavy, it suits balanced types in early winter.
