Fish rice

Ingredients
2 tilapia (500g each)
1½ tsp salt
½ tsp white pepper
1 thumb-sized ginger (sliced)
1 tsp finely chopped fresh turmeric
1 tsp chopped lemongrass
1 tsp garlic
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
1½ cups oil for deep-frying
1 cup sweet basil (or daun kesum)
1 cup spring onions (cut into 2cm lengths)
½ cup water
1 slice of lemon

Method
1. Clean the fish thoroughly, fillet it and cut into big chunks. Marinate the fish with 1 tsp salt and white pepper for 15 minutes.

2. Heat the oil in a wok. Slowly put in half the fish pieces, and fry them over high heat for two minutes. Turn them over and fry for another minute, till they are brown. Repeat with the rest of the fish.

3. Drain the oil in the wok, leaving one tablespoon in it. Put the wok over medium heat, add chopped turmeric, lemongrass and sliced ginger, fry for one minute and add the chopped garlic. Brown these, then add the sliced button mushrooms. Stir fry for 1 minute; add a pinch of salt and pepper.

4. Add the fried fish to the wok and stir fry for one minute. Sprinkle with half the water, add spring onion and all the basil. Stir fry for one more minute and add the rest of the water, stir for another minute and dish out.

5. Serve with garlic rice. Squeeze lemon on the fish before serving. You could eat the fish with the raw herbs too.