Chef Van: Wild Seasonal Fish & Rice in Banana Leaf

"People often forget that the most important ingredient is time" -Chef Van (Navan Navan, Dag, Rarb, and Escapade) ** Update April 2024: Chef Van is back! Starting with this one - the most popular meal from the original collab meals - keep an eye out for more in the series coming soon! And if you're in Chiang Mai, be sure to check out Chef Van's new restaurant Navan Navan, nestled in a beautiful setting in Mae Rim! Highly recommended.** About Chef Van & this project: Chef Van's core philosophy is to bring out the most of each natural ingredient through time and technique. That's why he uses very few ingredients in his recipes. We developed a series of 3 "comfort food" dishes inspired by different flavors of the world, all of which are wrapped and baked in aromatic banana leaves. We're sure either one (or more) of these will make you feel right at home. This dish is Japanese-inspired, made with sustainably wild-caught fish from southern Thailand. Aged overnight then slowed salt-cured for 8 hours, the fish is then mixed with caramelized leek, grilled garlic, and very special volcanic soil-grown jasmine rice. Finally, it is wrapped in banana leaf, and baked to obtain the aroma. We love the hint of sweetness from the vegetable, the chewiness of the rice, and the flaky yet creamy texture of the fish. Each ingredient shines on its own but is also excellent when combined altogether. Reheating instruction: -Defrost overnight in the fridge -Cut open the vacuum bag, then microwave for 3 minutes on high. (The bag is microwave-safe. Do not remove from bag or banana leaf) -Continue to microwave in 40-second intervals if the food is still cool. -Plate and enjoy! Note: **Do not microwave from frozen, please. The fastest way to defrost is in a water bath. (submerge the pack underneath water for 15 minutes or until fully defrosted) ** Ingredients: Wild local fish, Japanese leek, garlic, sesame oil, Burirum volcanic soil, jasmine rice, sea salt, wakame, katsuoboshi.