The Leaves and The Fishes

The media has a lot to answer for. And no, I’m not just talking about the Kardashians (though I will sometime, when my fury over what they represent subsides enough for me to state my case eloquently or without having to resort to calling them rude words).  What the heck is it with the bad rap for Bankstown? For those unfamiliar with this suburb, it’s in western Sydney, and it has been the target of a whole lot of hysteria in the press over the years, hysteria being a thinly veiled disguise for racism and xenophobia. Yes. That’s right. I’m going there.

If you listened to the hearsay of media reports and seriously concerned shock jocks you’d think that Bankstown went a little bit like this…

“People of Middle Eastern Appearance jumping cues, stealing our jobs and harassing our women. Not to mention the Asians, gosh they’re not like us.” (Please note: not my words.)

Imagine my surprise when I got to Bankstown, very easily via train may I add, and found an atmosphere of complete safety, respect and culinary joy. Yes, it is multicultural, yes Anglo people are in the minority, but guess what? It’s completely brilliant. There is something wonderful about witnessing the influence of traditional culture on the way people interact with each other. Vietnamese shopkeepers smiled warmly at me as they handed over their bowls of Pho. Young Arabic baristas made great coffee and wished me a good day. Even the school kids on the train seemed to have an awareness of others that the kids in the ‘good suburbs’ lacked. To think of it, I don’t think I even heard anyone swear all the time I was there – apart from my colleagues and me as we rehearsed our work.

Some of the lovely people of Bankstown

And the fooooooood! Oh lord it was endlessly delightful, plentiful, cheap and diverse. I must have tried at least 7 different kinds of Pho in 3 weeks; every one was delicious but completely unique. Then there’s the Lebanese food; pistachio shortbread cookies that melt as soon as they hit your palate, four dollar felafel rolls that rival any I’ve eaten before, the scent of the best charcoal chicken in the world wafting for miles out the door of Habib’s… sheer heaven.

Just when you think you’ve explored every corner of the block you discover the Bankstown Sports Club. Featuring a working volcano, a restaurant situated in a train station with diners eating in antique tram carriages, a waterfall replete with coy fish, chandeliers that would be at home on the Titanic (before it sank), a grand piano on a revolving stage, karaoke bar and a replica of an Italian piazza (yes, that’s right) serving the best pizza outside of Naples. And that’s just the stuff I saw, there’s more! Just flash your license and you’re in for a world of fun, even if it is a bit surreal.

Every afternoon on my way to the train home, I’d pick up my ingredients for my dinner that night. The produce was always top quality and cheap. Yep, this place was like a Wonderland.

Roast Duck? Yes please.

To the people of Bankstown I say thank you. Thank you for your grace, your humanity, your hard work, your respect for your own and others’ cultures. Thanks for proving the fear of those who do not know you wrong.

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

Bankstown Barramundi – serves 2

2 plate sized whole Barramundi, scaled and gutted

1 lemon, sliced

2 spring onions, sliced
2 stalks of lemongrass, white part only, sliced

A handful of coriander, chopped

2 tablespoons of ginger finely sliced

Chillies, sliced to taste

Soy sauce

Pepper

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.

In a baking pan, lay down a sheet of alfoil big enough to engulf both the fish. Top this with a sheet of baking paper that is slightly smaller.

Put 2 lines of lemon slices long ways, upon which the fish will sit. Then sit said fish.

Divide up the aromatics in half and then half again. Put one quarter in the cavity of each fish and season well with pepper. Put some lemon slices in there as well.

Then put the remaining herbs on top of the fish. Splash with soy sauce and season some more. Add about ¼ cup of water, being careful not to wash away any of this deliciousness.

Here's some I prepared earlier.

Wrap the fish up, completely sealing the foil and place the pan in the oven for 20 minutes.

Unwrap and serve with steamed rice and Asian greens, being sure to pour over the juices that have formed in the bottom of the pan.

It was delicious. xxx