Serves 4

Don't be put off by the list of ingredients in this recipe, because it's dead easy and quick to make. To turn it into a cold summer salad for lunch, cook the fish and noodles and leave to cool. Stir-fry the veg, then mix together with the noodles. Flake the trout into pieces, toss through with the dressing and chill.

8 large basil leaves
2 bay leaves
6 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
10 cardamom pods
½ tsp coriander seeds
10 pink peppercorns or Sichuan peppercorns
1 lime, sliced
½ head of garlic
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 x 150g thick sea trout fillets

For the noodles

200g medium rice noodles
Drizzle of groundnut and sesame oil
140g each sugarsnap peas and mangetout
1 large courgette, cut into 1 cm-thick strips
½ red, yellow and orange pepper, deseeded and sliced
Small bunch of spring onions, whites thinly sliced
Handful of coriander leaves

For the dressing

2 tbsp finely grated ginger
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 tbsp groundnut oil
2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
1 tbsp soft brown sugar or palm sugar
2-3 tbsp Thai fish sauce

1 Put all the herbs, spices, garlic, lime slices and vinegar in a large deep pan and cover with 1 litre of cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer with a lid for 20 minutes to bring out the aromatic flavours.

2 Whisk the ingredients for the dressing together and store in an airtight jar in the fridge until ready to use.

3 Rehydrate the noodles in boiling water according to pack instructions, then drain and refresh in cold water. Drain well.

4 Bring the poaching liquid back to the boil then simmer. Lower the sea trout into the liquid and poach gently, uncovered for 5-6 minutes until just cooked.

5 Meanwhile, stir-fry all the vegetables in a wok or heavy-based pan in a little groundnut and sesame oil with a pinch of salt over a high heat for 2 minutes. Add the noodles and half of the coriander and continue to fry for a further minute. Tip into a bowl and add dressing to taste. Toss together and leave to infuse for 1 minute.

6 Lift the trout from the pan and pat dry. Pile the noodles on to warm plates using a pair of tongs and rest the trout on top. Spoon over some more dressing and scatter with the remaining coriander.

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