Salt-baked sea bass, spicy aubergine, fluffy rice and lip-smacking sauce

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6.

To prepare the fish, mix the ginger (3 cm), lemongrass (2 stalks) and garlic (2 cloves). Lay out 4 fillets of sea bass (4 packs) skin side down and top each with a quarter of the lemongrass mix and a sprig each of tarragon (4 sprigs) and basil (4 sprigs). Top each with the remaining fillets.

If using the foil option to wrap the fish, lay each fish bundle in the middle of a large sheet of foil and bring up the sides, folding together to form a parcel.

If using the salt crust option, cover two baking trays with two pieces of baking parchment on each. Wrap each fish bundle in a piece of the banana leaf (1). Put the egg whites (5) into a large bowl and whisk until holding peaks, then gradually whisk in the salt (1.5 kg) and five-spice powder (2 tbsp). Using roughly ⅓ of the salted meringue, spread it across 2 areas on each of the baking parchment trays, each roughly the size of the banana leaf parcels. Place the parcels on top, then spread the remaining meringue across the top of the parcels. Seal as well as possible, especially at the open ends.

Bake the parcels in the oven for 12 minutes, then remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Cook the jasmine rice (300 g) according to the pack instructions, along with the star anise (2) and a pinch of salt.

Next, make the aubergines. In a large frying pan, heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil over a medium heat. Add the shallots (4) and garlic (2 cloves) and cook until softened. Add the aubergine (2) and cook until beginning to brown, then add 100 ml water and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the aubergine is becoming tender. Add the chillies (2) and cook for a further minute or two before adding the chilli flakes (1 tsp), oyster sauce (2 tbsp), soy sauce (2 tsp) and caster sugar (2 tsp). Cook until sticky, then add a further 150 ml water to deglaze the pan and form a sauce.

To make the dipping sauce, mix the chilli flakes (1 tsp), garlic (2 cloves), brown sugar (1 tbsp), peanuts (2 tbsp), lime juice (2 tbsp), tamarind paste (2 tbsp), fish sauce (2 tbsp), coriander (2 tbsp) and mint (2 tbsp) in a small bowl.

To serve, either unwrap the foil parcels or break open the salted meringue, open the banana leaf and remove the fish. Serve each piece of fish with some of the rice and aubergines, and the dipping sauce drizzled over.