Braised Mushrooms on Salmon

At a lower cost, it makes sense to buy a whole salmon instead of salmon pieces.  Having the fish cleaned and packed neatly into several smaller boxes was an added benefit.

With some salmon to spare, the Swallow searched her store of salmon recipes.  Finding a recipe which required ingredients easily found in her kitchen, she decided to cook the dish for dinner.  She had second thoughts, however, when she read that the salmon had to be deep-fried until golden brown.  She could literally feel the oil just oozing out from her skin.  This was one recipe that demanded a modification, or else it would go straight into the dustbin!

Since recycling is her usual mode of operation and although she was busy with preparation for her church's Bible Camp in June, the Swallow decided to modify this recipe on an urgent basis.  The modified dish is easy to produce, and many non-essential steps were also discarded along the way.

BRAISED MUSHROOMS ON SALMON (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 600g salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces
• 100g black mushrooms
• 100g spring onions, cut into 3 cm pieces
• 1 piece thumb-sized ginger, sliced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 50ml light soya sauce
• water

Method

1. Soak mushrooms in enough water until slightly softened. Rinse the mushrooms. Drain and discard water. Soak the mushrooms again with water. When the mushrooms are completely softened, remove the mushrooms from the water. Set aside 250ml of water for later. Slice the mushrooms.
2. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat for a little while. Add salmon pieces, skin side down first. Depending on the thickness of the salmon, pan-fry the salmon pieces for about 4 minutes on each side, until they are cooked.
3. Meanwhile, mix salt, sugar, cornflour and light soya sauce together in a bowl. Set aside.
4. When the salmon pieces are ready, remove them from the oil and place them on a serving dish. Using the oil from the salmon pieces, add the sliced mushrooms, spring onions and ginger into the frying pan. Stir-fry over medium heat for about 1 minute.
5. Add the mushroom water and the seasoning mixture into the mushroom mixture. Lower heat and simmer for about 3 minutes. Season to taste. Pour the mushroom mixture over the salmon pieces. Serve hot with rice.

Assam Prawns

Assam Prawns is a common variant of the favourite assam dish.  When prawns are a good buy at the supermarket, coupled with the cold weather, the Swallow will serve this dish to tantalize the taste buds.

ASSAM PRAWNS (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 600g medium prawns
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 5 - 7 fresh chillies
• 1 tsp belachan granules
• 3 shallots
• 4 candlenuts
• 1 cup tamarind water
• 2 - 3 tamarind pieces
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp oil
• 1 can pineapple rings, drained and cut into pieces
• syrup from can of pineapples
• additional boiled water, if necessary
• sugar, to taste

Method

1. Rinse prawns lightly in water.  Trim shells and feelers.  Remove the heads (optional).
2. Ground chillies, belachan, shallots and candlenuts into a fine paste.
3. Heat oil in a wok until hot.  Fry the paste until the oil separates from the paste.  Add tamarind water, tamarind pieces, salt and syrup.
4. Add prawns, large onions and pineapples pieces.  Fry the mixture until the prawns turn colour.  Season with sugar, to taste.
5. Serve hot with rice.

Notes

• Juice from limes may be added for a more sourish taste.

Assam Fish

During the recent holidays, the Swallow's mate took one of the young ones fishing and they came back with a Queenfish (her young one's pride), a Wolf Herring, a Garfish, several Hardtails and a few Scads.  Quite a haul compared to previous trips when the Swallow's mate came home empty-handed.

The Queenfish weighed almost two kilograms and the Swallow's young one could hardly contain his excitement when he had successfully reeled the fish in.  With the Queenfish, the Swallow prepared Assam Fish, a dish enjoyed by everyone in the family.  The pineapples in the recipe was a fitting touch for the lingering Chinese New Year (CNY) mood.

ASSAM FISH (serves 6 - 8)

Assam Fish

Ingredients

• 1 whole fish, about 1.5kg - 2 kg, cut into steaks
• 15 pcs fresh red chillies
• 3 tsp belachan granules
• 10 shallots
• 12 candlenuts
• 2 cups tamarind water
• 4 tamarind pieces
• 1 can of pineapple rings, drained and cut into slices
• syrup from the can of pineapple rings
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup oil
• Additional boiled water, if necessary

Method

1. Ground chillies, belachan, shallots and candlenuts into a fine paste (add a little of the tamarind water if water is needed to keep the grinder moving).
2. Heat oil in a wok until hot. Add the grounded paste and fry until the oil separates from the paste.
3. Add tamarind water, tamarind pieces, syrup and salt.
4. Add the fish steaks and cook for about 5 minutes. Turn the fish steaks over and cook for another 5 minutes.  Remove the fish onto a plate.
5. Add the pineapples into the wok.  Continue cooking for about 2 minutes.  Season with sugar to taste. Return fish to the wok, mix well.
6. Serve hot with rice.

Notes

• Batang is suitable for this dish.
• Pineapples may be replaced by lady fingers aka okra.
• Use dried chillies for a spicier touch.

Sambal Ikan Bilis

Anchovy, or ikan bilis as it is known in Malay, is a good source of protein and calcium.  Protein promotes growth while calcium strengthens the teeth and bones.  Anchovies are usually added to water and boiled to make anchovy stock.  As anchovies also have a strong fishy smell, her young ones do not enjoy drinking soup made with anchovy stock.  To encourage her young ones to eat anchovies, the Swallow prefers to use them in Sambal Ikan Bilis, a dish made with a basic sambal tumis recipe with added large onion, which covers up the fishy smell well.  This dish is also suitable to be used as an accompaniment for Nasi Lemak.

SAMBAL IKAN BILIS (serves 6 - 8)

Sambal Ikan Bilis

Ingredients

• 1 portion of Sambal Tumis

  

  Sambal Tumis

• 1 large onion, sliced
• 300g dried anchovies

Method

1. Remove the head and insides of the dried anchovies.  Rinse and drain the anchovies.  Set aside.
2. Prepare a portion of Sambal Tumis.  When the sambal is ready, add the anchovies and sliced onions.
3. Cook the mixture until the onions are limp, about 10 minutes.
4. Serve hot.

Notes

• Dried split fish is a hassle-free alternative.
• If preferred, more onions may be added.

Fish Paste

As far as the Swallow can remember, her mother has always made her own fish paste.  She remembers watching her mother removing the fish meat from the skin, then hammering away at the fish meat with the back of a cleaver, and adding some water (with some salt).  That was as long as the Swallow could stand watching.  It was a tedious process, and the Swallow was quickly bored.

Many years down the road, the Swallow finds herself in her mother's shoes.  However, the Swallow finds the process not as tedious as before, for the simple reason that she uses modern techniques!

Raw Fish Paste

The following recipe has been tried and tested to her family's taste...

FISH PASTE

Ingredients

• 1 whole Tenggiri Batang, about 2 kg in weight, filleted (keep bones for fish stock)
• 2 rice bowls water
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Cooked Fish Paste

Method

1. Remove the fish meat from its skin by scraping at the meat with a metal spoon.
2. Place the meat into a large bowl.
3. Dissolve 1 tsp salt in 1 rice bowl water.
4. Using a dough mixer, beat the meat at the lowest speed.
5. Occasionally, stop the mixer, stir the meat (this is to allow the meat to be beaten evenly), and add several tablespoons of the salted water.  Continue beating the meat.
6. After 10 minutes of beating, increase speed a level, and repeat step 5.
7. Repeat step 3 when necessary.
8. After 10 minutes of beating, increase speed another level, and repeat step 5.



Fried Fish Cake

9. By now, the fish meat should be less sticky.  Gradually add the eggs into the meat and mix well.

Notes

• Use less salted water for a chewier texture.
• Use this home-made fish paste as soon as possible.
• Fish paste may be used as a filler for Yong Taufu, as a replacement for meatballs in soups / noodles (Cooked Fish Paste), deep-fried as a finger food, or pan-fried to make Fried Fish Cake.  Be creative!