A thick fillet of cod is best for this dish - such a piece will have larger flakes and a better texture than a thin piece from the tail.

You can, of course, use other varieties of fish instead, salmon or mackerel being particularly tasty substitutes. The accompanying coleslaw is straightforward to prepare. All I'll say is shred the cabbage as finely as possible since it makes a noticeable difference to the end dish; if you've got the right attachment I would suggest using a food processor to minimise effort and maximise your time.

Soy-marinated fillet of cod with Asian coleslaw salad

Serves 4

The fish

4 x 120g portions of cod

70ml good-quality soy sauce

30ml mirin

20g fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

Marinate the cod fillets in the soy sauce, mirin and ginger for 40 minutes then remove the fillets from the liquid, cover them and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Asian coleslaw salad

500g round white cabbage

Half a medium onion, finely sliced

3tbsp vegetable oil

100ml rice wine vinegar

3tsp caster sugar

100ml light soy sauce

5tbsp lightly toasted sesame seeds

Remove and discard damaged leaves from the cabbage then cut it into quarters and shred it as finely as possible.

Place the cabbage and onion in a bowl of ice-cold water for a few minutes, drain well then store in an airtight container in the fridge for 30 minutes (this will give the cabbage a crisp texture).

Just before serving the cabbage add the oil, rice vinegar, sugar and soy sauce and quickly mix them into the cabbage. Check the seasoning then sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top.

Cooking and serving the cod

2tbsp vegetable oil

2 finely sliced spring onions

Set the oven to 210C/gas mark 6.5.

Place a large non-stick pan on a high heat with the vegetable oil and sear the cod evenly for 1 minute on each side. Place the pan in the oven for 3-4 minutes, then remove and rest for a further 3-4 minutes to finish cooking through. (Cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of the fish.)

Place the fillets on a serving dish, sprinkle the spring onions over the top and serve with a bowl of the Asian coleslaw.