Coconut Chilli Fried Fish

Coconut Chilli Fried Fish

Recipe source :  Srilankans.com.au


The original recipe used fish slices. I chose to use a whole red tilapia. I always prefer a whole fish than fish slices. It's a matter of preference. It turned out fine. It was very crispy and very fragrant with so much spices used. 

Ingredients

1 whole tilapia                              ( original recipe used 6 slices of white fish )
1/4 cup grated coconut
1 tsp fennel seed
2 small onions
1 tsp turmeric powder
3 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 sprig curry leaves
Oil for frying

Preparation 

1.  Clean the fish well and keep aside.
2.  Crush 1 tsp of fennel seeds and keep aside.
3.  Chop the onions and grated coconut. Mix into a paste.
4.  Add in the spices, salt and curry leaves.
5.  Marinate the fish with this spice paste and leave the fish in the refrigerator for half an hour.
6.  Heat 3 to 4 tbsp oil in a wok and fry the fish until fragrant and crispy.

Rub the spice paste onto the fish and allow to marinate for half an hour

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest  : Indian Subcontinent

Hosted by Alvin of Chef and Sommelier

Steamed Stingray In Aluminium Foil

Steamed Stingray In Aluminium Foil

 Recipe source : Doris Choo @ Sumptuous Flavours

This steamed stingray dish is very appetising. The cherry tomatoes lent a sourish flavour to the hot chilli padi and the savoury bean paste. This goes very well with rice. It is simple to prepare for everyday meal and steaming food is by far the easiest method of cooking, almost effortless.

You can place the fish onto a shallow plate and just steam it as it is without the aluminium foil. 

Personally, I prefer packaging it in aluminium foil as all the flavours and goodness are all encased in the aluminium foil during the steaming process. 

I love the burst of aroma and flavour when the aluminium foil is opened. 

Ingredients :

500g stingray

2 tbsp chopped garlic

1 tbsp ginger strips

2 tbsp fermented soy bean

4 bird's eye chili

2 stalks spring onion
100g cherry tomatoes, cut into halves

1 piece of aluminium foil, 45 cm x 45 cm

 

Method

1.  Wash the stingray and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Set it aside

2.  Roughly chop up the fermented soy bean and mix them with the chopped garlic, chillies and ginger strips.

3.  Trim and wash the spring onion. Cut the white parts of the spring onion into 4 cm sections and slice the green parts into small pieces.

4.  Spread the fermented soy bean mixture evenly over the piece of stingray.

5.  Place the stingray onto the piece of prepared aluminium foil.

6.  Place the white parts of the spring onions on top of the stingray.

7.  Arrange the cherry tomato halves on top and around the stingray.

8.  Wrap up the aluminium foil and secure the edges.

9.  Steam over boiling water for about 30 minutes or until the fish is done.

10. Unwrap the aluminium foil and sprinkle with the sliced spring onion to garnish.

Deep-Fried Fish With Tangy Sauce

Deep-Fried Fish With Tangy Sauce

Recipe source :  Adapted from Amy Beh

Ingredients

600g Tilapia
Oil for deep frying
1 tbsp chopped garlic
3 chilli padi
1 stalk spring onion, cut into sections
1 sprig coriander leaves,  cut into sections

Fresh  tilapia

Seasoning Ingredients

1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tbsp cornflour

Sauce Ingredients

3 tbsp fish sauce
3 1/2 tbsp lemon juice (fresh)
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil

Method

1.  Make diagonal cuts on each side of the fish.
2.  Rub both sides with combined seasoning ingredients.
3.  Heat oil in a wok and deep-fry until fish is cooked and golden. Remove and place on a serving dish.
4.  Remove oil for deep-frying the fish, leaving 1 tbsp of the oil in the wok.
5.  Saute the chopped garlic and chilli. Add in the sauce ingredients.
6.  When the sauce comes to a boil, add in the cut spring onions and coriander leaves.
7.  Pour sauce over the deep-fried fish.

I am linking this post to Little Thumbs Up

The theme for February  2014 is Lemon, 

hosted by Grace of  Life Can Be Simple

This event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids 
and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY

.

Fish and Pork Ball Soup 鸳鸯鱼丸汤

Fish and Pork Ball Soup 鸳鸯鱼丸汤

Recipe source :  Doris Choo

When I first started working I was posted to a small town. In fact it was not even a town, it was a small fishing village near the coast. Life was peaceful and quiet in the fishing village. I was lucky to have rented a room where the landlady cooked for the tenants as well. Luckier still, she was a wonderful seamstress and a great cook!

After work each day, my hobby then was to watch her prepare and cook dinner as we chatted on the day's events. That was a long time ago. 

This was one of the dishes she used to make and I just love it. 

Ingredients

300g fish paste
100g minced pork
20g tung-choi (chopped into smaller pieces)
200g choy-sam
500ml chicken stock 
500ml water 
1 egg, beaten
1/2 piece seaweed, tear into small pieces
1 tsp salt, or to taste

Choy-sum

Tung-choi

Laver or seaweed

Method

1.  Mixed fish paste with minced pork.
2.  Add in the tung-choi and beaten egg
3.  Wet your palms and form the mixture into balls and drop into a bowl of cold water.
4.  Heat chicken stock and water in a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil.
5.  Add choy sum and the mixed meat balls (minus the water in the bowl) into the soup.
6.  The meat balls will sink to the bottom of the pot and when they float to the surface they are cooked.
7.  Add in seaweed and salt to taste.

Fish Paste Porridge 鱼滑粥

Fish Paste Porridge 鱼滑粥

Recipe source :  Doris Choo


Last weekend, we woke up to a sunny and beautiful Sunday morning. The day before, SK made Yong Tofu and there is some fish paste left-over in the fridge. So I thought of making porridge using the fish paste. The real reason I made porridge again was because I was still thinking and craving for the peanut porridge with century eggs that we had last week. However, there wasn't any peanut or century eggs in my pantry, so we have to settle for whatever we have in hand.

Ingredients

270g rice
1.5 litres chicken stock
1.5 litres water
200g fish paste
2 tsp preserved tung choy
2 tsp salt, or to taste
dash of pepper
2 tbsp shallot oil or ginger oil
1 stalk spring onion, chopped
2 pieces yau char kwai ( optional )

Instructions

1.  Wash rice. Fill with just enough water to cover the rice grains. Freeze in the refrigerator overnight.
2.  Place the frozen rice grains, chicken stock and water into a pot.
3.  Boil until the rice grains are broken.
4.  Use a wet spoon to scoop the fish paste one spoonful at a time and add into the boiling porridge.
5.  Add in preserved tung choy, salt and the shallot oil or ginger oil.
6.  Switch off flame.
7.  Serve with chopped spring onion as garnishing. 
8.  It is great to have yau char kwai dipped into this porridge. 

 

Dim Sum : Stuffed Fish Maw 点心-鱼漂卷

Dim Sum : Stuffed Fish Maw 点心-鱼漂卷

Recipe source :  My own. Replicating from what I had eaten at a dim sum restaurant

My family and I had a very satisfying dim sum treat last weekend. Service was very fast and efficient because the owner employed many extra youngsters to help cater to the weekend crowd. The food was good and reasonably priced. We tucked into the usual dim sum fare of chee cheong fun, siew mai, har gow and many other deep-fried varieties which I don't even know the names. 

Then, I spotted this fish maw dim sum stuffed with fish paste. I like the taste. As I turned it around to have a better look, I realised that the ingredients used were very simple. I made a mental note and told myself that this is something I can replicate with ease!

We made Yong Tofu on Saturday and there was extra fish paste for me to experiment with. I only made a very small sample in case it did not turn out well.  However, lady luck was with me, it was better than expected!  We are happy with this little experiment. 

Ingredients

1 piece dried fish maw ( 35g )
120g fish paste
1/2 a piece of dried mushroom, soak until soft and cut into very fine dices
1/2 stalk of parsley, finely chopped

Note :  it is not necessary to add seasoning because the fish paste already contains salt.

 

  A piece of dried fish maw

 

Instructions

1.  Soak fish maw until soft. Rinse under running tap and squeeze gently to prevent breaking.
2.  Boil a small pot of water and boil the soaked piece of fish maw for 5 to 10 minutes.
3.  Rinse again under running water to remove the odour. Make sure the odour is removed.
4.  Squeeze dry.
5.  Mix the fish paste with the chopped parsley and diced mushroom.
6.  Stuff the fish mixture into the hollow of the fish maw.
7.  Slice into thin pieces about 3/4 cm thick and place into small saucers.
8.  Steam  the stuffed fish maw pieces over boiling water for 15 minutes.
9.  Serve hot with chilli sauce. 

Leatherjacket fish Cooked In Fermented Soya Bean Paste 鸡肉鱼煮豆酱

Leatherjacket Fish Cooked In Fermented Soya Bean Paste 鸡肉鱼煮豆酱

Recipe source : My own

I still remember the time my late mother-in-law brought home an ugly looking fish. I have never seen that species before and I was sceptical that it was a fish at all, despite her assurance. The skin was greyish-black and it looked leathery. I watched in fascination as she removed the thick leathery skin to reveal a smooth and pinkish-white fish which looked very fresh. She just scored the fish and simply fried it in hot oil. I loved it at first bite! It had the fishy taste of fish yet it also tasted something like chicken. 

Over the years, SK and I varied the style of cooking this leatherjacket fish. By the way, the Teochews call it "thee-buoy-teck" whereas the Cantonese refer to it as "kai-yook-yee".

Today, SK is sharing our simple home-style cooking of the leatherjacket fish.

Ingredients

500g leatherjacket fish
20g parsley, cut into 4 cm sections
30g spring onions, cut into 4 cm sections
10g ginger, grated
10g garlic, chopped
40g fermented soya bean paste                            ) mix fermented soya bean paste
1 1/2 Chinese rice bowl of water                            ) and water together
2 tbsp cooking oil                                          
enough cooking oil to deep-fry the fish 

 Skinned leatherjackets

 A bottle of fermented soya bean paste

 Parsley

Spring onion

How To Deep-Fry Fish

1.  Use 1/2 tsp salt, rub over both palms. Then rub salt over the fish. This is to prevent the fish from sticking to the wok/frying pan.
2.  Heat a wok until red-hot. Add cooking oil for deep-frying and heat until the oil is very hot. Then reduce the fire to medium.
3.  Slide the fishes into hot oil and fry until golden-brown. Dish up and drain away excess oil.

Instructions

1.  In a wok heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil.
2.  Saute garlic and ginger until fragrant. 
3.  Add in the mixture of fermented soay bean paste and water. Bring to the boil.
4.  Add in the deep-fried fishes and let boil for 1 minute.
5.  Add in spring onions and parsley and let it cook for 1/ 2 a minute.
6.  Dish up and serve.

I am linking this post to Alvin,  Chef and Sommelier

The ingredient for July is ginger

This event is linked to Little Thumbs Up

 

The event is organised by Zoe, Bake For Happy Kids and Doreen, My Little Favourite DIY

Stir-Fried Fish Slices With Ginger & Spring Onion 西式姜葱鱼片

Stir-Fried Fish Slices With Ginger & Spring Onion 西式姜葱鱼片

Recipe source :  Adapted from a booklet by Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce

Ingredients

250g garoupa fish fillet, cut into slices
1 cup oil for deep frying
8 slices ginger
2 pips garlic, minced
1 sprig spring onion (cut into 6cm sections)

 

Marinade

1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp cornstarch

Seasoning Ingredients

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp HP sauce
1 tsp light soya sauce
100ml water
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cornstarch

Mix all ingredients together.

Instructions

1.  Marinate fish slices with marinade ingredients for 30 minutes.
2.  Heat oil and deep fry fish slices for 1 minute. Dish up, drain and set aside.
3.  Heat up 1 tbsp oil. Saute minced garlic, ginger and spring onion until aromatic.
4.  Add seasoning ingredients and deep-fried fish slices.
5.  Stir-fry to mix well.
6.  Dish up.

I am linking this post to Alvin of Chef and Sommelier

The ingredient for July is ginger

This event is linked to Little Thumbs Up

 

The event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY

I am also linking this post to Cook-Your-Books #2

Organised by Joyce from Kitchen Flavours

Seafood Porridge 海鲜粥

Seafood Porridge 海鲜粥

 

Recipe source :  My own recipe

Ingredients

4 large dried scallops ( about 20g ), soak for 30 minutes
4 large prawns ( about 120g )
200g salmon, cut into thin slices
150g rice
4 slices ginger
1 tbsp ginger oil
1 stalk spring onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
1.8 litres water

 4 pieces of big dried scallops

 4 large prawns

 4 slices of fresh ginger

salmon

Instructions

1.  Wash rice and put it into a medium-sized pot. 

2.  Add in 1.8 litres of water.

3.  Add in the dried scallops and ginger slices.

4.  Over high heat boil until the rice grains are broken up, about 20 minutes.

5.  Add in the prawns and let cook until they turn pinkish.

6.  Add in the salmon slices.

7.  Stir the porridge and continue to boil for about 4 to 5 minutes.
8.  Add in the salt and stir to mix well.

9.  Switch off the flame.

10.  Add in the ginger oil and stir to mix evenly.

11.  Garnish with chopped spring onions ( optional )

 I am linking this post to Alvin of Chef and Sommelier

The ingredient for July 2013 is ginger

This event is linked to Little Thumbs Up organised by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen from My Little Favourite DIY

GL's Cooking : Yong Tofu 酿豆腐

GL's Cooking : Yong Tofu 酿豆腐

GL's Yong Tofu : chillies and bean curd skin with lots of gravy

My daughter, GL made yong tofu recently. She used store-bought fish paste which is very convenient, nicely packed and ready for use. She chose only chillies and bean curd sheets which are her favourites. She likes gravy so GL added lots of water during the cooking process so that her dish of yong tofu has more gravy.

You are lucky if you stay in an area where you can buy ready-made fish paste. Or you can make your own fish paste from scratch. My post Scrumptious Yong Tofu dated 22nd July 2012 has a step-by-step guide on how to  make this wonderful dish from scratch.


 

My version of  Scrumptious Yong Tofu

Steamed Silver Pomfret ( 2 ) 清蒸白鲳鱼 （2)

Steamed Silver Pomfret ( 2 ) 清蒸白鲳鱼 （2)

Recipe source :  Own recipe

Ingredients

1 silver pomfret, about 300g, gut and wash
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp shredded ginger, 10g
40g salted mustard green, cut into thin slices and then wash under a running tap
20g pork fat, cut into small pieces
1 tbsp fermented black beans, or "tau see" in Cantonese
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1 tbsp of shallot oil

Instructions

1.  Place some shredded ginger into the gills and stomach region of the gutted and washed pomfret.
2.  Place some shredded young ginger under the fish in the plate and sprinkle some on top of the pomfret.
3.  Sprinkle the fermented black beans over the pomfret.
4.  Add pork fat on top.
5.  Place the salted mustard green around the pomfret and arrange the sliced tomatoes around it.
6.  Place the pomfret into a steamer and steam over boiling water at high heat for 8 minutes.
7.  Remove from steamer.
8.  Add in 1 tbsp shallot oil of over the steamed pomfret.
9.  Serve hot.

Top left : Sliced tomato. Top right : Fermented black beans.

Middle :  Pork fat

Bottom left : Salted mustard green. Bottom right : Shredded young ginger

Silver pomfret

All arranged in a plate and ready to be placed into the steamer

The end result.

Steamed Silver Pomfret (1) 清蒸白鲳鱼 (1)

Steamed Silver Pomfret (1) 清蒸白鲳鱼 (1)

 Recipe source :  Own recipe

How To Choose Fresh Pomfrets

 

No, you don't open the gill and see if it is a rich red. Anyway, a pomfret's gills are too small and difficult to open. This is what you must do. Use a finger to press the operculum (gill cover) and if a whitish or yellowish gluey substance oozes out then it is very fresh. If blood or nothing comes out, you can forget about buying it.

 

Ingredients

1 silver pomfret about 300g, gut and wash
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp shredded young ginger ( about 10g )
1 tbsp shallot oil

Instructions

1.  Place half the amount of shredded young ginger on a plate.
2.  Place the fish on top of the shredded young ginger.
3.  Add the remaining shredded young ginger on top of the fish.
4.  Pour soy sauce over the fish.
5.  Place the plate of fish in a steamer and steam over boiling water at high heat for 8 minutes.
6.  Remove from steamer.
7.  Dribble 1 tbsp of shallot oil over the steamed silver pomfret. 

Simple and delicious