For years I searched for the ideal fish and chips. Journeying 45 minutes away to a restaurant a friend of a friend swore by, or hanging out in a shop decorated with sticky vinyl chairs and soggy fries, I was on a mission. My hunt for the ideal fish and chips -- crispy on the outside, steaming hot and tender inside -- became increasingly elusive. Sure, I would occasionally stumble upon a place with decent and sometimes quite good platters of fish, but these were far and few between and hardly ever in the Bay Area. The sad truth is that there is more awful fish and chips out there than not.

Now I suppose I should explain that when I want fried fish I'm looking for the beer-battered variety. The type you would find in a first-rate British pub (although I've eaten bad fish and chips in the UK as well, so the problem isn't just here). I want my teeth to bite into a perfectly crunchy coating that gives way to a delicate flaky center. I want to taste the beer in the batter and I don't want my mouth to feel like an oil slick. Bread crumbs are not an option and curses on whoever tries to pawn off breaded fish with potatoes as fish and chips. Here is an example of the horrors that lie in wait.

So a few years ago -- after being served the soggiest bread-crumby fish I had ever encountered (and paying close to $15 for it) -- I decided to make my own fish and chips. I was happily surprised to find that making truly decent battered fish is both incredibly easy and straightforward. And, as is the case with all home cooking, you can control the results: want it really crispy, fry a little longer; interested in smaller pieces, cut them up; in the mood for a hearty batter, use dark beer.

Another benefit to making your own fish and chips is that you can easily batter and fry up some lemon slices to go with it. These are a heavenly way to garnish the dish and after trying them at your own fish fry, you'll never want to eat fish and chips without them again.

If you are lucky enough to live near a restaurant with wonderful fish and chips, I am happy for you. But if you're like me and you don't, I am here to tell you that you can make homemade fish and chips that will taste better than almost anything you can buy in a restaurant or pub, and cost a fraction of the price.

The recipe I use is tried and true. I've made it more times than I can count, and it has never failed me. Before you start, however, there are a few basic tenets to consider concerning frying the fish and also making and eating it.

Basic frying rules to get under your belt:

1. If you don't have a fryer (which includes most of us), use a non-reactive deep pan that can hold enough oil to submerge at least half the fish. I use my trusty large cast iron pan and it works great.
2. Use an oil with a high burn rate. I like to use canola oil. Don't use olive oil as it will scorch and flavor the fish.
3. Do not overheat your oil or it will burn the batter. I usually start the pan on medium high and slowly work my way down to medium and then medium low as the pan continues to heat the longer you fry.
4. Do not underheat your oil. Frying your fish in underheated oil leads to the batter sliding off the fish. Not a pretty sight. I'm not sure what the actual temperature of the oil should be, as I don't have a thermometer, but you can test the oil by placing a small teaspoon of batter in the oil. If it doesn't sink to the bottom of the pan and sizzles nicely, you should be good to go.
5. Use a fry screen if you have one as it will help reduce splatter and keep your stove from becoming a complete mess.
6. Be sure to gently lay the fish into the oil so you don't spatter it onto your hand (which really hurts!).
If you follow these rules, you should be in good frying shape.

General rules for making and eating fish and chips:

1. Dark beer gives the dish a more complex flavor while lighter beers are more subtle. Choose whichever you prefer.
2. Look for meaty white fish. Please don’'t use Atlantic cod as it's endangered and, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch list, we're "fishing the last 10% of this population." Other great choices are Alaskan Pacific Cod and Pacific Halibut. I've also made it with catfish, which worked well.
3. Try to use fresh fish instead of thawed frozen, which tends to taste dry.
4. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel before seasoning and dipping in the batter.
5. Serve with malt vinegar, which perfectly accents the beer batter. If you don't have any, try fresh lemon juice.
6. Consider making your own tartar sauce by mixing good mayonnaise, chopped up sweet pickles, and a little horseradish.

As for the chips, I bake them. Yes... you heard me. I bake them. They come out crispy and seasoned perfectly. Best of all, my potatoes are not reduced to the sad fate of sogginess which often happens with home fried fries. Here's my recipe.

Homemade Beer Battered Fish

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients:

6 - 8 medium-sized pieces of white fish
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup beer
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Enough oil to fill half a large non-reactive pan (about 1 cup)

Preparation:

1. Pat fish dry and lay on a plate. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in pan.
3. While oil is heating, mix flour, beer, salt, pepper and thyme in a large bowl. Whisk until everything is fully incorporated. The mixture should reach the consistency of pancake batter. Add more beer if necessary.
4. When oil is hot (test using method #4 in the frying rules section above), coat two pieces of fish in batter and then gently lie them in the oil. Be sure to fully coat the fish and be careful not to splash oil on yourself.
5. Cook fish until it is crispy and a rich brown color. Pick up each piece of fish with a fork and gently turn them over. Cook on the other side until done.
6. Drain fish on a plate lined with paper towels and fry the remaining fish pieces.
7. Serve hot with malt vinegar and battered lemon slices (recipe below).

Beer Battered Lemon Slices

Makes: 6 slices

Ingredients:

1 lemon cut into 1/4-inch slices (not including the ends)
Leftover batter and oil from your beer battered fish

Preparation:

1. Remove seeds from lemon slices.
2. Coat slices with batter.
3. Lay lemon slices in the hot cooking oil and brown on each side.
4. Remove from pan and serve with fish.

When I hear the word barracuda, I think of the former Alaska governor Sarah "Barracuda" Palin, who somehow fell into her nickname in high school because of her skills on the basketball court. The Republican National Committee even played Heart's song Barracuda at their convention, which really pissed off Heart. I think it's odd, however, that Ms. Palin would invite the media to refer to her by her old high school moniker -- she with the designer glasses and stiletto heels -- as an actual barracuda is one ugly fish.

For someone as food obsessed as I am, the fact that I think of a politician instead of barracuda meuniere, or some other dish, must mean that that Mr. Ugly Fish just hasn't been on my culinary radar. So when I was in Berkeley Bowl West a couple of weeks ago, checking out that great fish selection, I was surprised and intrigued to find barracuda cut into thick steaks. I had never seen barracuda for sale before, so asked the butcher about it. He had just told me all about the halibut they had, going through the fish monger motions of detailing where it came from, if it had been frozen, etc. But when I asked about the barracuda, his eyes lit up and a slow smile spread across his face. "I had some last night," he said excitedly while leaning over the counter. "And it was fantastic." Obviously, the halibut was a distant memory and I quickly asked for four pieces of barracuda.

Not sure what to do with this unexpected haul, I went online once I got home to look up some recipes. I was surprised to find that other than some sport fishermen sites, there really weren't any food articles available. Most cooking blogs, Epicurious, All Recipes, and even The Food Network haven't seemed to discover barracuda yet. There were a few recipes (barracuda burgers seemed the most popular choice), but the majority were for a cocktail made with vodka and Southern Comfort (which sounds terrible). I stared at my computer and started to doubt my purchase. I mean, if I couldn't Google a recipe, then no one was writing about this fish. And if no one was writing about it then I was either lucky enough to have struck upon something unique and wonderful, or, more likely, I had just purchased a fish most people considered inedible.

I went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch site and looked up Barracuda. The result was interesting, but a little vague. It classified barracuda as Wahoo, saying it was often sold as Ocean Barracuda and listed the fish as a Good Alternative, which means it won't kill you and isn't endangered. So far so good. But when I called Berkeley Bowl and talked to someone in the fish department, she said that what they sold was definitely barracuda and not Wahoo. Wikipedia then warned me that the great barracuda has "been implicated in cases of ciguatera food poisoning." It's always bad when Wikipedia says your dinner can kill you.

Deciding that I would trust Berkeley Bowl -- I mean, selling poisonous fish would be bad for business, right? -- I decided to cook it up anyway. The fillets were thick and had the consistency of fresh wild salmon -- dense with an oily silver skin that looked rich in Omega 3 fatty acids. I decided to grill the steaks with just a bit of olive oil, lemon and parsley. I wanted to experience the real barracuda flavor and so didn't want to smother it in a sauce or even butter (no barracuda meuniere for me). After grilling it as one would salmon fillets, and preparing a nice grilled asparagus and fig salad to go with it, we were ready to dig in.

The barracuda was surprisingly flaky while also being incredibly substantial. It didn't fall apart as many fish do after cooking and the meat felt almost plump. The flavor was mild, with a very nice fresh fish taste. I was interested to see that barracuda also presents well because the bone structure holds all the meat together beautifully, so it's a good choice to serve to guests.

Overall my family and I really enjoyed our barracuda dinner. The flavor and texture were appealing, and it was fun to eat something a little different. Now maybe I can wipe my mind of old Sarah Barracuda.

Grilled Baracuda

Makes: four steak fillets

Ingredients:

4 barracuda steaks
2 lemons (preferably Meyer) zested
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Mix the lemon zest, olive oil and chopped parsley together. Season with salt and a little black pepper. Coat each side of the barracuda steaks, using about half the mixture. Refrigerate and marinate for at least a half hour or up to one day.
2. Heat your grill to high.
3. Lay the barracuda steaks on the grill and lower the heat to medium.
4. Cover the grill and cook for 7-8 minutes. Flip and grill the other side for 7-8 minutes or until the inner flesh is flaky.
4. Remove the fish from the grill and top with the remaining olive oil and lemon sauce.

Steamed Sea Bass, Cantonese Style

I use "steamed" in quotes because this dish forgoes the traditional method of steaming in a covered wok in favor of a more contemporary technique: the microwave.

Before you shun me, just try it.

The fish ends up steaming in its own juices, and soaks up all the great flavor of the seasonings, fresh ginger and scallion.

This is one of the first recipes my mom ever taught me, and I love teaching it to newbies because it's shockingly fast, easy, healthy and delicious. With the help of the ol' dinger you can have this dish done from start to finish in 15 minutes.

Black Bean Garlic Sauce (which is delicious on pork ribs too) and Seasoned Soy Sauce for Seafood are the secret ingredients worth hunting down for this dish. Lee Kum Kee is a common brand that makes both products, and they can be found in Chinatown or an Asian-mart like Ranch 99.

Serve the fish over some white jasmine rice or soba noodles and you'll have a light, summer dinner ready in no time.

Ingredients for Cantonese Sea Bass

"Steamed" Sea Bass, Cantonese Style

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
4 (6 oz.) Chilean sea bass fillets (or 1 1/2 lb. Chilean sea bass steak, you can commonly find these frozen in Asian-marts, just it thaw out first)
Pinch of salt and white pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon black bean garlic sauce (Lee Kum Kee)
2-3 slices peeled ginger
2-3 pieces scallion
1 teaspoon soy sauce for seafood (Lee Kum Kee)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Preparation:
1. Rinse and pat dry fish.
2. Sprinkle salt, white pepper, and cornstarch on both sides.
3. Coat all over with black bean garlic sauce.
4. Julienne the slices of ginger; place on top of fish.
5. Remove the wilted tops and root ends of the scallion. Make a slit, splitting the bottom white part lengthwise. Cut on the bias in 2 inch pieces. The pieces will look large, but don't worry, they will shrink when you cook it; place on top of fish.
6. Drizzle the soy sauce and vegetable oil on top.
7. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for about 8 minutes.

Palmira’s Pescada a la Vinagreta

During my junior year of college I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to study abroad. For a year I lived in the "fat city" of Bologna and discovered the joys of cooking (and stuffing myself silly). I also bought discount tickets to other European cities every chance I got.

One of those tickets happened to land me in the beautiful city of Barcelona, where art is life, dinner is grazing through tapas, and nightlife doesn’t get good 'til 3 am.

I stayed with Emily, a friend from school also studying abroad, who lived with a senora named Palmira. Palmira was a sweetheart and on my first night in, made a lovely supper of fried fish, topped with toasted pine nuts and a shower of fresh parsley. It was light, crispy, and had a subtle splash of acidity.

The dinner conversation was an interesting jumble of English, Spanish, Catalan, and Italian, but we did manage to get one thing straight: Palmira's recipe for Pescada a la Vinagreta.

Like much of the cooking I witnessed while abroad, this simple and satisfying dish is made with just a few fresh ingredients, and no strict measurements. The guidelines are there, the rest is the joy of cooking.

Palmira’s Pescada a la Vinagreta
(una receta de cocina fresco de Espana!)

Ingredients:
white fish fillet (hake, grouper, sole...really any white fish with a mild flavor)
parsley, chopped
garlic, minced
pine nuts
salt
flour
white wine vinegar

Preparation:
Wash, dry, and salt the fish. Coat it in flour, dusting off the excess.

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over moderate heat. Fry the fish until browned on both sides.

With the remaining oil in the pan, on low flame, add the minced garlic, chopped parsley, pine nuts, and stir. When the nuts are toasted, add a splash of vinegar (enough to coat the bottom of the pan). Pour the mixture over the fish and serve immediately.

I make it back to the Midwest two, maybe three times a year. Since I gave up my home address in Independence, Missouri, twenty years ago, I've seen the area's fields and grasslands transformed into bustling Walmarts and Home Depots. The surrounding green has turned into asphalt as steadily and relentlessly as the graying of my parents’ hair.

It seems like every backyard barbeque here includes a story about a Californian couple -- maybe from San Diego, maybe San Francisco -- who sold their dinky 1-bedroom condo and then moved into a brand-spanking-new, 5-bedroom mansion on a half-acre in Blue Springs or Overland Park or even Grain Valley, once the outskirts of the outskirts. My parents live in Oak Grove. Twelve years ago, I always missed the exit to their home, back when I-70 rolled across soybean field after sunflower field. Now, I just look for the shiny, mirrored-glass office building and the concatenated lots of car dealerships to find the road to their house.

Kansas City and its environs keeps appearing on recent lists of most livable towns and best cities for relocating families (pdf), so all this development hasn't slowed much even with the current real estate dip.

One of the latest buildings to pop up near here is the preternaturally landscaped BassPro Shops complex. The Pacific Northwest has its REI stores with their climbing walls and water bottle pumping stations and fake rock paths winding along next to the shoe department. Here, within a morning's drive from the Ozarks, we have BassPro Shops.

This is the place to visit if you've never held a rifle or a fishing rod, never tried on a pair of waders, never perched in a treestand with a crossbow or kicked back in a camouflage rocker recliner (choose from three favorite camo patterns: Realtree Hardwoods HD, Advantage MAX-4 HD or, my personal preference, Mossy Oak Breakup). Visit the BassPro website — where you can find the GPS coordinates of each store in the US — to create your gear wish list.

You can also learn how to tie fishing knots, get step-by-step instructions for cleaning wild turkey, begin training your hound, compare tips on making backwoods coffee, and collect some easy outdoor cooking recipes. You can also sign up for training courses on carrying concealed handguns or attend the all girls' weekend in the wild, complete with dutch oven cookery, canoe paddling, and a fashion show. Construction continues on a BassPro Shop in Manteca, California, just south of Stockton. The 120,000 square foot complex will open in October 2008 with great fanfare. Until then, though, I'll have to stock up on supplies here in Missouri.

After gazing over the lake behind the store, where serious shoppers can try out the snazzy 2008 model motor boats, I was lucky enough to catch a clearance sale on fishing lures. My mom, who prefers free worms from her garden or microwaved chunks of hot dogs, and my dad, who nets his own live minnows, were amused by my armful of colorful souvenirs. I packed them away in my suitcase -- art, décor, jewelry, crafty DIY supplies!

Meanwhile, my aunt braved another Midwestern thunderstorm to drop off a large pot of homey, still-warm fish soup, made with the 20-pound head of a very local, very fresh catfish. My family can rest assured that although I may not know the first thing about casting nets or noodling, I do know how to cook and eat the critters once they’re in my kitchen.

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CHAO CA (Vietnamese Rice and Fish Soup)
Served simply or garnished elaborately, chao is the both weekday breakfast and weekend brunch food of many an Asian family. The fish counter at Asian markets always have large fish heads on ice. As always when selecting fish, look for one with bright, clear eyes and very red gills. Ask them to split the head for you or, if preferred, cut it into large chunks.

Serves: 8

Ingredients
1 large fish head, 3-5 pounds, split and rinsed well
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 large cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 quart chicken broth
Garnish
1/4 cup fresh ginger slivers
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup fried shallots
Red chile oil or sliced red chiles
1 lime, cut into wedges

Preparation:
1. Rub the fish head well with the fish sauce and garlic. Let marinate 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large heavy pot. Add the onions and sauté until softened. Add the rice and sauté for 3 minutes, taking care not to let the onion brown (or the soup will become muddy in color). Add the chicken broth and 8 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours, or until creamy smooth. Stir occasionally and add water, if needed, to maintain a creamy consistency.

3. In a large skillet, heat the remaining oil. Add the fish head and cook about 5 minutes on each side. When the garlic is fragrant but not yet browned, transfer the fish head with the garlicky oil to the simmering rice soup.

4. Arrange the garnishes in small bowls at the table. Adjust the flavor of the soup, adding fish sauce to taste, and flake off bits of meat from the fish head into the broth. Serve hot in large bowls.

My first summer in San Francisco, I bought a little Weber and installed it on my fire escape. Within two minutes of lighting its inaugural pile of charcoal, I answered my doorbell to find an irate neighbor pointing at the flames and reminding me that all the houses in our neighborhood were constructed of wood. My poor Smokey Joe was instantly retired. Since then, I've explored various safer ways to char my food and finally, after quite a few years, settled on a system that actually works.After dismissing stovetop options, such as grill pans and an aluminum rack on legs that I dug up in the back aisle of Soko Hardware, I finally cobbled together a simple setup.

I had a gas stove from the 80s with a broiler drawer at the bottom. (It was pristine the first time I opened it; the previous inhabitants hadn't used it once!) Unfortunately, I could never get enough heat to sear and finish food with that unique texture and flavor that comes from the direct heat of a hot, dry flame. Everything steamed and soaked in its own juices, and my food always left a mess that was a pain to scrub away.

Two things changed that:

1) Replacing the wimpy grill pan that came with the stove. I bought the biggest, heaviest searing grill that I could find. The ones that stretch across two burners and have a grease well are perfect. I splurged on a Dacor searing grill, but there are plenty others that will work.

2) Following Linda Carucci's advice and keeping the door of the broiler open an inch or so. This helps the steam escape to maintain dry heat.

As you can see from the photo, even whole fish grills up crisp and clean. It's essential to preheat the searing grill until smoking hot. The first few times you use it, be sure to brush it lightly with peanut or grapeseed oil (you'll need the high-smoke point!). As the grill becomes seasoned though, the oil in the marinades and moist rubs is enough to lift food off easily. I can now confidently follow summer recipes throughout the year while keeping my fire escape free of flames.

For the other half of grilling fish in the city, here's a quick primer on buying the freshest fish possible...

FINDING A FISHMONGER

Visit a quality fishmonger. New May Wah on Clement and 8th Ave, Bryan's on California St., Shogun Fish at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, Berkeley Bowl, 99 Ranch and Whole Foods are a few of the places I'd recommend, but the best thing to do is look for a good store near you and then cultivate a relationship with the folks behind the counter.

Ask friendly questions, such as their advice about the freshest fish of the day, how it was caught and how they like to prepare it. After a few visits, you'll figure out if they know what they're talking about. Best of all, you'll become one of those favorite regulars who receive the best of the counter. Any quality vendor appreciates curious customers who are looking for good products. (Be prepared for brusque service at the Asian fish counters, though. I hate to admit it, but customer service isn't their forte. Super-fresh fish for the fearless, on the other hand, they have covered.)

When you walk into a new place, look for lots of ice for the whole fish and metal trays for the fillets and steaks. Needless to say, you should immediately leave any place that smells of rotten fish. A wall of tanks filled with lively fish swimming in clear, bubbling water is at the top of my own list, since I often point at the exact fish I want netted. Little signs that indicate origin and the method of catching are helpful for those who are trying to eat within a sustainable seafood system.

SELECTING FISH

On whole fish, don't be afraid to lift the gills to check for red blood. Avoid any fish with dry, browned gills. Then press your forefinger into the thickest part of the fish's flank to watch its flesh spring back out, quick and firm. Wet, moist tail and fins are good; dry, brittle ones are bad. Clear, shiny, rounded eyes are another good indicator of fresh fish, although sometimes the ice can damage them, so it shouldn't be the only thing on your list. Sniff for an odor of ocean. It's okay to get a noseful of "pier perfume," but there should be no hint of decay or any strong "fishiness" that reveals too many days out of the water.

If you're buying fillets, the touch and smell tests are the best. Even cut flesh will spring back. You shouldn't be able to see a depression where your finger was. The longer your fingerprint lingers, the older the fish. Sliminess is another sure sign that you should move on to the next fish or choose chicken for dinner. Whole fish will have a natural shine and slipperiness -- the scales dull and loosen as the fish ages out of water -- but cut flesh should not feel slick.

If the fish is protected behind glass cases, I make a point of asking the person helping me to poke the fish for me or to bring it out so I can perform my own touch and sniff tests. No, I don't mind people behind me sighing, rolling their eyes or muttering under their breaths.

Sometimes, though, the best fish is in the freezer. A fish that's expertly frozen within hours of leaving its watery home is much, much better in quality than a so-called fresh fish that's taken almost a week to get from boat to market.

After going through all that trouble tracking down and identifying a good fish, don't bother waiting a couple of days to cook it. Plan on buying, cooking and eating your fish the same day or, at the most, within a day of finding it.

PREPARING WHOLE FISH FOR THE GRILL OR BROILER

Here are some tips for handling whole fish:

If you're not comfortable gutting and scaling a whole fish (that's another whole entry in itself...) then make it easy on yourself and ask the fishmonger to clean the fish for you. What you want is simply a dressed fish: gutted and scaled but with its head, fins and tail intact.

Get back home quickly, or plan to bring a cooler or insulated bag with you. I often ask the fishmonger to put the fish, after weighing it, into another bag with some ice. No market has ever refused to do this, and they may have a ice pack or two that they're happy to pass along.

When you unwrap the fish in your own kitchen, take care with the tail and fins. They sometimes have sharp ends that can poke or cut your hand.

With any fish that's more than two inches thick, cut three slits at an angle into each side of the fish to allow the heat to penetrate to the center. I like to fill the belly cavity with aromatics -- say scallions and lemon slices or big handfuls of fennel fronds -- in order to maintain its rounded shape at the table. A few toothpicks soaked in water will keep the belly flaps together.

Here's an old trick for creating a "nonstick" grill rack: Cut a big, starchy potato in half. Stick the potato halves onto a big fork. Be sure the grill rack is clean and free of burnt food remains. Once the preheated grill rack is hot, rub it well with the cut side of the potato halves. The instantly seared layer of starch will create a surface which will release the fish more readily, especially if you have a brand-new, shiny grill.

For every inch of thickness, allow ten minutes to cook the fish. It will vary slightly either way, but this is a good baseline for figuring out cooking times. Once the fish flakes easily close to the bone, it's ready for eating. I prefer undercooking to any amount of overcooking, but you should cook the fish to the point that you enjoy. With the variation in size and species, the best way to test for flake is with the tip of a paring knife.

Use two wide spatulas to roll the fish gently when it's ready to turn. Be sure there are enough hot coals beneath the area where the second side will cook. Brush the fish lightly with oil before turning it.

Wrapping a fish in soaked banana leaves will make the fish easier to turn and remove. You'll lose that nice char but will gain a wonderful smoky flavor while retaining lots of moisture. Plan for a longer cooking time.

If you have a pizza peel or one of those thin cookie sheets, especially one with a tapered edge, then you can scoop up the whole fish with little effort. Otherwise, use those two wide spatulas and have the platter as close to the fish as possible.

SPICY GINGER-LEMONGRASS RUB

This is a recipe that I've adapted from my uncles in Vietnam. Whenever I visited, they'd chop down a young banana tree to create an impromptu grill. Two logs of the juicy trunk supported split bamboo skewers, and everything from the family chicken to sweet field mice ended up coated with this spicy, savory rub.

I have an Indian-style mixie which makes it a lot easier to blend the hard lemongrass with minimal liquid. If you have a regular blender, plan on chopping the ingredients more finely and then adding a bit more oil and/or wine to help the blades do their thing.

Chop roughly:
A big knob of ginger, peeled
The pale half of 4 stalks of lemon grass
3 large cloves of moist, plump garlic
2-4 red Thai chiles, seeded or not as you wish
A small knob of fresh turmeric (or a half teaspoon of powdered turmeric)

Have ready 3-4 tablespoons each:
Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
Vegetable oil

Combine the aromatic, dry ingredients in the jar of a blender. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of the rice wine and oil. Blend to a smooth paste, adding more liquid and scraping down as needed. Rub evenly onto fish, chicken, beef, pork or pressed tofu. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Grill or broil the meat or tofu with high, direct heat, brushing lightly with additional oil.