Nonya Style Steamed Fish

This recipe has been with me since 2001. Only till today I have the chance to cook it. Quite similar in taste to Thai steamed fish in that it is spicy and sour, however the colours vary. The primary flavour of this dish comes from the distinctive fragrance of  wild ginger bud . Plus tangy lime juice and finely chopped chilli - soon you will find you'll need another bowl of rice.

Side tip - finding it tedious to finely chop chilli, garlic or ginger? Recently I found an excellent lifesaver. I bought this mini cutter for just $5.90 at Isetan. When I usually needed 5 mins or so to chop up all the ingredients with a knife, the mini cutter does the same job in 15 seconds. It's really useful and easy to take apart and wash under running water!

Recipe: adapted from "Home Dining " June  2001 with minor changes

Ingredients:
(A)
1 fish about 600 g or a fish head

Spring onions and coriander leaves for garnishing.

(B)
 Chopped finely
~ 1 stalk wild ginger bud (bunga kantan)
~ 2 stalks lemon grass
~ 10 chilli padi
~ 4 red chlli
~ 50 g ginger
~ 3 pips garlic

(C): Sauce:
~ 1 teaspoon salt
~  2 tablespoon fine sugar
~ 5 tablespoon fresh lime juice
~ 1 tablespoon ikan bilis powder
~  3 tablespoon assam juice  (about  1/2 tablespoon assam paste add water)
~ 2 tablespoon cooking oil
~ 1 teaspoon sesame oil
~ 2 tablespoon corn flour

Method:
1)  Combine ingredients (B) and (C) mix well. Place fish on a steaming plate, pour the mixture on top.
2)  Steam over high heat for about 15 minutes and till done. Sprinkle spring onions and coriander leaves on top. Serve.

TIPS:
This sauce is very versatile. It can be used to cook any other seafood or meat dishes.

Thai Steamed Fish With Garlic And Lime Juice

"I feel like I'm in Thailand!" chirped my elder son, as he sipped another spoonful of the sauce.

He was referring to my new recipe - Thai style steamed fish. I have always steamed fish using
Chinese methods, e.g. Cantonese (soy sauce, tomatoes, ginger, preserved salted vegetable, mushrooms and others), or simply with bean paste.

Using kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, lime juice as the main ingredients, they add a tangy taste to the dish which immediately tantalizes your appetite.  For the more daring friends out there, add more sliced chilli padi to bring up the  flavour one notch.

The preparation is not tedious and ingredients are easy to get.  I must admit this is another one of my family's dinner favourite.


Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 whole fish  about 600 g to 700 g   (sea bass or red snapper or any fish you like)
1 stalk lemon grass, torn

Sauce:
4 cloves garlic, chopped
6 chilli padi (you can put more if you want more spicy)
4 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2.1/2 to 3 tablespoon fish sauce (adjust to your taste)
2 teaspoon fine sugar
4 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
1/2 cup chicken stock

Method:
1) Clean the fish, score the fish with 3 to 4 diagonal incisions on each side of the fish.

2) Place the fish onto a deep dish and steam over rapidly boiling water for 10 minutes (or 80% cooked)

3) Make the sauce while the fish is seaming.:
      Boil chicken stock and sugar till just boil.  Remove away from heat. Add in the sauce ingredients except coriander leaves.

4) Open the lid pour the sauce over the fish and continue to steam for 5 to 8 minutes or the fish is fully cooked. Sprinkle coriander leaves and more chilli padi ,serve.    


ENJOY

Crispy Sardine Croquetts- 香脆沙丁鱼可乐饼

Its tastes so good. The outside is crispy and inside is moist and soft. This croquetts  is suitable for tea-time and even dinner time served on the table with chilli sauce or mayonnaise.

Recipe:

Ingredients:
3 medium sized potatoes
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
350 g sardine (in tomato sauce, drained)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of lime juice

1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups breadcrumbs
Oil for deep-frying

Method:
1)  Boil potatoes. Peel skin off and mash. Heat 1 tablespoon oil, stir-fry onion until fragrant, then add sardines.  Mix in mashed potatoes.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly.

2)  Add lime juice to the sardine mixture. Shape the sardine mixture into oval or round shapes.

3)  Coat with egg, then breadcrumbs.  Place on a tray and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

4)  Heat oil in a pan or wok until hot. Deep-fry croquetts until golden brown and crispy.  Drain, and serve with your desired sauce.

Stuff Green Capsicums With Cheese and Tuna

After our taiji rouli qiu (太极柔力球) workout, a friend wanted to get some stuff from the market.  As I need to run an errand, so we walked together to the near by wet market.  Besides meat, i bought fish and  5 green capsicums, the latter cost me S$2, very good buy.

As my children are not coming back for dinner, and I do not want to make myself very busy in the kitchen, so I make this simple stuffing green pepper as one of the side dishes. It is very easy to prepare and tastes good.

Ingredients:

2 medium size green capsicums (sweet bell pepper)

½ can tuna (any flavor)

1 strip bacon – diced

1 tomato – diced

¼ big onions – diced and lightly stir-fry for few minutes

1 tsp spring onion – diced

2 tablespoon cheese powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Topping:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tablespoon bread crumbs

Method:

1)      Wash and cut green pepper into half, discard seeds.

2)      Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Divide into 4 portions and stuff into (1).

3)      Spread bread crumbs on top of each green pepper and sprinkle with olive oil.

Bake in preheated oven (200 C) until green pepper are cooked and golden brown on top.  Serve with mayonnaise if  you like.