So, for some time I have had a yearning for fish and chips.  I’ve tried on three occasions traditional fish and chips from shops but sadly no hope.  So - I bought two fillets of Sea Bass, skinned them, and cut them into bite sized pieces, made up a tempura beer batter (much lighter and easier to swallow than a regular batter), a Salsa to help with lubricating everything, spiralized a potato and deep fried until crisp, and there you go!  Fish and Chips done in a way I could enjoy.

For me finding a way to have delicious food is about choice. As oesophageal cancer patients we’re sadly stuck in the position of not being able to eat exactly what we want to.  Whilst this might seem a lot of work compared to a trip to the fish & chip shop, it’s so very satisfying to successfully eat the meal you have been yearning for.

I was really, really pleased at finding a way through fish and chips, a second time (below left) I added a mushy pea purée and spiralised beetroot crisps and cooked the fish in the same way.  This was also delicious and gives variety.

        

The image to the right shows the preparation of bite sized portions of sea bass which is essential to make the dish suitable for someone in my position.

Tips:

• It’s important to choose a soft fish, sea bass or maybe sole and ensure to skin it and cut into small pieces prior to cooking as in the image above! 
• Any tempura batter recipe should work, I used beer but you don’t have to.
• Be sure to flour a piece of baking paper and turn the fish in it before battering and frying in a pan or wok of hot oil.

Next time...

A comprehensive list of hints and tips that I have found help when swallowing is difficult.