The story behind the Ultimate Fish Burger (Ning Ming Wah)

This is a silly story but I will tell it anyway. Years ago I lived in London and like you tend to do when you are an antipodean in London I met these two silly (and funny) kiwi boys (New Zealanders). They would always talk about how good a Ning Ming Wah was from back home. When I asked them what that was they told me it was a really delicious fish burger.

For years I have searched on Google for the mysterious Ning Ming Wah, I was desperate to find out what made this New Zealand’s Fish Burger so delicious and to try and cook it myself, however sadly my searches yielded no results.

Fast forward about 20 years later and one of those silly kiwi boys has moved to Sydney and a few weeks ago my family went to his families house for lunch. Finally maybe I could get some more information about the Ning Ming Wah. After a delicious lunch and quite a few wines I asked my friend about the allusive Fish Burger called the Ning Ming Wah and he laughed and told me they had made it up!!!!!

Revenge

So I have spent twenty years searching for a Ning Ming Wah that doesn’t exist! Well now its time for my revenge! I have created a Fish Burger (that is delicious BTW) and named it Ning Ming Wah, so from now until the end of time when anyone searches the term NING MING WAH on the internet they will in fact find a DELICIOUS FISH BURGER!

What makes The Ultimate Fish Burger?

When I started thinking of what would make a delicious fish burger I immediately thought of some Asian inspired flavours. I wanted crunchy pickled salad (similar to what you would find on a Banh Mi). I wanted a zesty, tangy and slightly spicey mayo and a crispy tempura battered fish.

The Fish Burger Sauce

This sauce is very simple, just three ingredients and it’s super quick to prepare. We have the creamy Japanese Kewpie Mayo, the spicey Thai Sriracha Sauce and fresh lime juice and that’s it. The perfect balance of spice, creaminess and tang.

Banh Mi Salad

I am obsessed with Banh Mi! I will eat it at least once a week for lunch, so for this Fish Burger recipe I really wanted the salad to mimic the vegetables that go on a Banh Mi. The salad consists of carrot, cabbage, daikon, coriander and green onions, which is quick pickled in sugar, lime juice, rice wine vinegar and a pinch of salt. Crunchy, sweet and slightly sour which perfectly accompanies crispy fish.

What fish should you use for The Ultimate Fish Burger?

The fish should be a firm white fish. For this recipe we have used Ling as the fillets are large enough that you only need one piece of battered fish to make up your burger patty, rather than a few smaller ones that would make it more difficult to eat. Good alternatives to Ling would be:

• Snapper
• Barramundi
• Cod

Tempura Batter Recipe

Don’t make your tempura batter ahead of time, you want it just mixed before you pop your fish into it. Tempura batter is lighter and more aerated than a regular fish batter (which can be quite stodgy). This is due to the use of soda water in the batter which makes the batter lighter, crisper and crunchier). Ingredients for a tempura batter include:

• Plain Flour
• Corn Flour
• Egg
• Soda Water

The Burger Buns

Sesame Seed Burger Buns all the way! Really you can use any buns you like but sesame seed buns work really well in terms of flavour and texture (from the seeds). You can toast them or leave them fresh, we had them fresh, however next time I make Ning Ming Wah, I will try them toasted as I think that will be delicious also.

The only buns I would steer clear of would be the sweeter brioche style buns or milk buns. What we are after here people is buns with a light and fluffy interior and a crunchy exterior for best results.

Final Thoughts

Finally my search for the perfect Fish Burger (Ning Ming Wah) has come to an end, even if I did have to create it myself! It’s pretty damn good and easy to put together so if you are in the mood for a delicious Asian inspired Fish Burger this is the recipe for you. Pair it with an ice cold beer on a hot summers day!

Happy Cooking!