Alright, so I decided to try making this ‘Temple Fish’ thing the other day. Heard the name somewhere, sounded interesting, maybe a bit spiritual, who knows? Anyway, felt like cooking fish, so I thought, why not give this a shot.
Getting Started
First thing, needed the fish. Didn’t have anything specific in mind, just went to the usual spot and picked up a couple of decent-looking white fish fillets. Tilapia, I think it was. Looked fresh enough. Back home, I rummaged through the pantry and fridge. Pulled out the usual suspects:
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Some green onions
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- A bit of cornstarch
- Vegetable oil for cooking
Nothing too fancy, really. Seemed like the kind of stuff that would work for a simple, clean-tasting dish which is what ‘Temple Fish’ kinda suggested to me.
Prepping the Fish
Okay, preparation time. I rinsed the fish fillets under cold water first. Always do that. Then patted them super dry with paper towels. Super important step, especially if you want a bit of crispiness, otherwise, it just steams in the pan. Nobody likes soggy fish skin, right?
Then, I chopped up the garlic, minced it pretty fine. Grated a knob of ginger. Sliced the green onions, separating the white parts from the green tops. For the ‘sauce’, if you can call it that, I just mixed some soy sauce, a splash of sesame oil, and a tiny pinch of sugar in a small bowl. Gave it a quick stir.
Next, I lightly dusted the fish fillets with cornstarch. Just a thin coating on all sides. Helps it brown up nicely and gives the sauce something to cling to later.
Cooking Time
Got my trusty skillet out. Poured in some vegetable oil, maybe a couple of tablespoons, enough to cover the bottom. Turned the heat up to medium-high. Waited till the oil got that little shimmer. You know when it’s ready.
Carefully, I laid the fish fillets in the hot oil, skin-side down first if they had skin, but these didn’t really. Got a nice sizzle going. Let them cook for about 3-4 minutes on the first side. You gotta resist the urge to move them around too much. Let them get golden brown.
Flipped them over gently. Cooked the other side for another few minutes. Tossed in the minced garlic and grated ginger, plus the white parts of the green onions. Stirred them around in the oil for about 30 seconds until they smelled amazing. Gotta be quick, don’t want burnt garlic.
Then, I poured that soy sauce mixture over the fish in the pan. It bubbled up immediately. Let it cook for maybe another minute, just spooning some of that sauce over the fillets.
The Result
Slid the fish onto a plate. Sprinkled the green parts of the onions over the top. That was it. Served it up with some plain steamed rice I had going in the rice cooker.
Honestly? It turned out pretty darn good. The fish was cooked through, flaky. The sauce was simple but tasty – savory, a little zing from the ginger and garlic. Wasn’t complicated at all. Just a straightforward, satisfying fish dish. Clean flavors, which fits the ‘Temple Fish’ name I guess. Definitely making this again when I want something quick and easy.
