Thai Tilapia Two

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 1/2 cup long grain rice, rinsed
• 1 pinch salt
• 4 -5 ounces tilapia fillets (any firm fleshed fish)
• 1 tablespoon tamarind juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon finely grated galangal
• 1 tablespoon finely minced lemongrass
• 1 piece banana leaf, steamed
• 1 firm ripe banana, peel on and sliced in half lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, to fry the bananas
• 1 avocado, cut to bite size pieces
• 4 pink grapefruit sections, with juice, use supremes if available to avoid membranes
• 1/2 cup papaya, cut to bite size pieces
• 1 pinch salt

Recipe

• 1 bring a cup of salted water to boil (substitute chicken stock for salt and water. add the rice and reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes, covered.
• 2 bring water to boil in a wok with a steamer basket inserted.
• 3 lay the filet along one side of the rib of the banana leaf. mix the next four ingredients together and pour over the filet.
• 4 break the rib of the leaf at both ends of the filet and fold over from end to end. carefully take the edge of the leaf that the filet is on and roll it up over the filet. continue rolling until it’s all rolled up in an “envelopeâ€?.
• 5 place the “envelope“ in the basket and steam for 15 minutes.
• 6 bring the oil to high heat in a second wok and carefully place the banana, skin-side up, in the oil, letting it fall away from you. sear until thoroughly caramelized, about 5 minutes.
• 7 cut the avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit by chopping into it with the heal of your knife and twisting. hold the avocado in a towel to protect your hand from an inaccurate chop. you don’t want blood in the salad. slice through the flesh (but not the skin) of the avacado with a paring knife and scoop out the cubes with a large spoon.
• 8 combine the avocado, papaya, and grapefruit segments and add a pinch of salt. you’ll be amazed at how much the salt enhances the flavor of the fruit.
• 9 to plate, lay out a bed of rice and place the "envelope" across and just above center of the rice. frame with the banana halves and add the fruit mixture acroos the bottom of the plate.