Beer Battered Fish Burger

Ingredients

4 burger buns
4 x 125g fillets of fish
125g plain flour
Shredded iceberg lettuce
250mL kimchi
16 pieces dill pickled cucumber
Mayonnaise
Salt and pepper

Beer batter:

125g plain flour, plus extra to dust
150g self-raising flour
1 Tbs oil
1 Tbs Big Red Rub
1 bottle of beer – whatever you'll be drinking is fine

Big red rub:

4 parts sweet paprika
1 part brown sugar
1 part salt
1 part onion power
1 part garlic powder
1 part ground cumin
1 part ground chilli
1 part dried oregano
1 part dried thyme

Kimchi:

1 wombok (Chinese cabbage)
50g salt
1 Tbs caster sugar
125mL fish sauce
10 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/2 thumb-sized knob ginger, chopped
1/2 brown onion, chopped
50g dried chilli flakes, soaked in enough hot water to cover

Pickled radish:

1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets
250g green beans, trimmed and cut in half
2-3 baby onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 long red chilli, sliced
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1L white vinegar
200g caster sugar
2 Tbs salt

Mayonnaise:

2 egg yolks
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
250mL vegetable oil
Splash of water if it needs thinning out
Salt and pepper

Method

Kimchi:

Quarter cabbages through their length and then cut into 5cm pieces, discarding the core.

Place cabbage in a large, clean bucket or tub and fill with enough water to cover. Add salt and give it a good mix.

Leave cabbage to soak for 4-5 hours, turning every hour. Rinse and drain cabbage.

Add all other ingredients to a food processor or blender, blitz into a coarse paste.

Spread the mix over cabbage and return to the clean tub. Seal and store on the bench for 2 days until it starts to ferment. It will start to bubble a little bit and the smell will intensify.

Pour into sterilised jars, or plastic containers and store it in the fridge to halt the fermentation. It is ready to be eaten straight away, but it is best after a few days in the fridge so all the flavours can truly get to know each other and really develop lasting friendships.

It will last in the fridge for a couple of months.

Pickled radish:

Combine all ingredients.

Big red rub:

Mix together all ingredients in a large bowl. Make heaps and give it to your friends, or store in an airtight container in the cupboard for up to a month.

Mayonnaise:

Put egg yolks, mustard, vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper into a bowl if you are hand whisking this, or into a round tub if using a stick mixer.

Whisk until the yolks start to fluff up and turn pale.

While whisking, slowly add the oil in a light trickle. Don’t stop whisking while you’re doing this.

You should notice that it is all binding together, but don’t be tempted to pour the oil in quickly. Take it nice and slow.

Once all the oil is in, add a drop or two of water to get it to your desired consistency and check seasoning.

Mayonnaise will last covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Fish:

Heat frying oil up to 180 C (350 F).

Dredge the fillets of fish through the flour and then beer batter.

Coat the fish in batter and scrape across the side of the bowl slightly to ensure batter is not super thick.

Lower carefully into oil to avoid splattering and burns.

Fry for 3-4 minutes, turning fish halfway through. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel.

Coat both sides of bun with mayonnaise and layer up the salad to taste.

Season the fish and place on top of salad. Top with other side of bun.

Credits: Red Hot & Smokin’! Graeme Stockdale, New Holland Publishers RRP $35, available from all good book retailers from August 2019, or online.