In a small pot, combine rice, 1¼ cups water (2¼ cups for 4 servings), and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes.

Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

While rice cooks, trim and remove strings from snap peas. Halve, peel, and thinly slice shallot. Zest and quarter lime. Roughly chop cilantro. Roughly chop peanuts.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add snap peas and cook, undisturbed, until charred on one side, 1-2 minutes.

Add garlic-ginger scallion paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and charred all over, 1-2 minutes more. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Turn off heat; transfer snap peas to a plate. Wipe out pan.

While snap peas cook, in a small microwave-safe bowl, combine shallot, vinegar, ½ tsp sugar (1 tsp for 4 servings), juice from half the lime, salt, and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 1 minute.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pat sea bass* dry with paper towels; coat with a drizzle of oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for snap peas. Add sea bass and cook until browned and cooked through, 4-7 minutes per side. TIP: If fish is browning too quickly, lower heat.

In the last minute of cooking, stir in chili sauce and gently turn fish to coat.

Once rice is done, fluff with a fork. Stir in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings), half the cilantro, and as much lime zest as you like. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Divide rice and snap peas between plates in separate sections. Top rice with sea bass. Drizzle ponzu over fish and top with pickled shallot (draining first), crispy fried onions, peanuts, and remaining cilantro. Serve with remaining lime wedges on the side.