FISH AND CHIPS
Per portion Before After
Kilojoules 4037 1983
Fat 54g 15g
Saturated fat 9g 2g

To burn the same kilojoules through exercise: 50 minutes cross-country hiking.

Hake (from the cod family) is a source of vitamin B12, which is essential for producing red blood cells and keeps your nervous system healthy. It's also a good source of protein.

Grapeseed oil may sound like the preserve of hard-core health freaks with excessive body piercing and cross-cultural hairstyles, but it can withstand the high heat of deep frying and has the lowest saturated fat levels of any oil. Plus it gives a genuine crisp fried finish, says Susie Theodorou, author of Coffee and Bites (Murdoch Books, $24.95).

Fat chips make for a thinner waistline, according to Dr Becky Lang of the Association for the Study of Obesity. Cutting your chips thicker, combined with frying at the right temperature, reduces oil absorption and can cut fat content by up to 30 per cent.

Using oil only once gives you huge health benefits over chippies which re-use theirs. "High heat can cause the formation of trans fatty acids over time," warns Robert M Reeves, president of the Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils in New York. Trans fats increase your risk of coronary heart disease, so single frying could save your life.

FISH AND CHIPS (serves 4)
You will need...

A heavy bottomed skillet and a cooking thermometer
175g all-purpose flour
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
200ml sparkling water
1 egg white
550g hake fillets
4 Desiree potatoes
400ml grapeseed oil

1 HOUR REMAINING
Peel the spuds and slice lengthwise into 13 millimetre thick slices, then into 13mm thick sticks. Rinse well, place in a large pot, cover with water, season and place over medium heat. Gently poach for seven minutes. Drain, then place the chips in a single layer on a clean tea towel. Cover with another towel and gently press down to dry them. Any remaining water left will interfere with the frying process.

48 MINUTES REMAINING
While the chips are drying, prepare the fish batter. Mix the flour, cornstarch and salt in a bowl large enough to accommodate the fish fillets later. Measure three tbsp of the flour mixture and stick them on a plate. Add the baking powder, cold fizzy water and egg white to the bowl mix. Stir, but don't go mad on the mixing. Lumpy batter is fine. In fact, use a chopstick to stir so you don't over do it.

38 MINUTES REMAINING
Pour the grapeseed oil into a heavy-bottomed pot. Make sure it's no more than a third full. Now heat the oil to 190 degrees (use the digital thermometer). Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees. Rinse a fillet then pat dry with a paper towel. Season then coat with the flour you kept aside. Now dip the fish in the batter mix. You may need to add a bit more water to the batter if it's too thick to coat the fish.

25 MINUTES REMAINING
When the oil is at 190 degrees, lower the fish in. It will spit, so wear an oven glove and use tongs. Fry the fillet for 4 minutes, 2 minutes each side. When it's done, place on a greased baking sheet and tuck it in the oven to keep warm. Allow the oil to reheat for a minute before adding the next fillet.

Reduce the heat of the oil to 175 degrees then add the chips a handful at a time, frying for 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl lined with a paper towel. Take the fish out of the oven and serve your culinary tour de force with a wedge of lemon.

AND TO DRINK
Wine expert Ken Gargett, author of Don't Buy Wine Without Me (Text, $27.95), suggests a match for your meal and your wallet.

Nine times out of ten, a cold beer is the perfect drink with fish and chips - except when the fish and chips are this good. Why not put your prejudices aside for a moment and think of teaming this dish with some fizz? Take the Jacobs Creek plunge. Seriously. Their 2004 Reserve Chardonnay Pinot Noir ($18) puts quite a few wines twice the price in the shade. And it'll work perfectly here. For something a little more upmarket, Tassie is fast gaining a reputation as the best place on the planet for great fizz, outside Champagne itself. Find out why with the guys who did so much to kick off quality sparkling wine in this country with a bottle of the Domaine Chandon Tasmanian Cuvee 2003 ($37). A classic Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blend, like the de Bortoli Windy Peak 2007 ($12), fresh as fish straight from the ocean and terrific value with it, is an ideal alternative. Or try a straight savvy from the West like the intense, no-frills Howard Park ($25) from 2007.