KIAM CHYE FISH HEAD (SALTED VEGETABLES FISH HEAD)

Last minutes preparation for dinner as we cannot decide what to have for dinner that evening, to eat out or not. Is already getting dark and my elder son's Keat suggested just cook something simple.Immediately looking into my freezer,found a few medium size threadfin fish heads( originally wanted to cook curry fish head), taupok (beancurd) and ever ready cooked mushrooms.With all the available ingredients that I have is just hit me to cook this simple and yummy one pot kiam chye fish head that go very well with cooked rice.

In half an hour the fish head is ready to serve, my husband and the boys love it so much that I have to remind them to keep some for the maid. I too enjoy this dish as its sweetness,salty, sour taste really blended well.

Here the recipe hope you will give it a try.

Ingredients:

6 pcs Threadfin fish heads- cleaned,cut into pieces,marinated with salt, pepper and sprinkle 3tbsp.cornflour

1 packed salted vegetable -cut into thick sliced

1 carrot - sliced

5 pcs mushrooms - sliced

10 pcs taupok (beancurd)- cut into thick sliced

2 stalks spring onion - cut into long stripped

3 pcs assam keping - washed and shredded

3 nos bird eyes chili- smashed

1.5 liter water

salt, pepper and seasoning.

Method:

1. Heat the pot with the water and add in all the ingredients except the fish head.

2. Meanwhile, in another stove heat up a sauce pan with enough oil for deep fry.

3. Fry the fish heads in batches just to brown not cooked and also after frying the fish flesh will stay intact when simmer

4. Season the vegetables soup to taste, add in the fried fish heads

5. Simmer 3-5minutes to cook through.

6. Serve with cooked rice.

Note: Thicken the sauce with corn starch if you like but I prefer mine as it is.

Threadfin - Senangin in Malay, Ma Yau in Cantonese

TUNA ONIONS BUNS

BELOW ARE THE DOUGH FOLDING METHODS

Flip either side of the dough as the top surface, here I uses both sides and I got two difference look.

For DOUGH recipe please refer to my previous post on BUNS on 6th.December, 2010

Tuna Onions Filling:

1 can tuna in oil/brine-smashed a bit

6 large onions- sliced

2 red chili-finely sliced

1 tbsp flour mix with a little water

salt and pepper for seasoning.

1. Sauteed sliced onions until tender

2. Add in chili, stir fry a few seconds

3. Add in the tuna to combine

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste

5. Add in the flour mixture to thicken the tuna sauce.

6. Cooled and ready to use.

WINTER SOLSTICE DAY AKA TONG YUEN CELEBRATION

This year on 22nd. December is the Winter solstice Day aka 'Kuo Tong' in Cantonese. Glutinous rice balls or 'tong yuen' is a must have on this very special day. My mom always remind us no matter what we must have this tong yuen celebration. According to the Chinese people winter solstice is important than the Chinese New Year celebration. Family members will return home to have a gathering dinner and most important everyone will have to eat some of the tong yuen. Prayer and offering of tong yuen, cooked dishes to our ancestor and God is a must too. As always I prefer to made tong yuen myself, easy to made and delicious. Here the recipe the traditional way.

500 gm glutinous flour (Thailand brand)

2 to 3 tbsp. icing sugar

Water to make syrup soup

sugar to taste

few pandan leafs

food colouring

1. Mix flour with icing sugar well, add in water a little at a time until it become a pliable dough.

2. Divide the dough and add in colours of your choice,

3. Best rest the dough for 1 hour or immediately roll into small balls, put a side.

4. Boil enough water in a pot to make syrup, when water boiling add in sugar to taste and pandan leafs, cover, turn off heat.

5. Meanwhile in another pot add enough water, when boiling add in the rolled balls batch by batch to cook.

6. When the balls is floating, scoop up the balls and put directly in to the syrup mixture. Ready to serve.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011

SNAKE LONG BEAN AND BRINJAL



INGREDIENTS:

300 gm snake long bean -trimmed and cut into 3cm lengths

2 nos. brinjal (eggplant)- skinned, cut into 3cm lengths and strips

2 nos.chili -sliced

1 garlic cloves -chopped

2 tbsp. oyster sauce -} mix together with soya bean paste and 1/4 cup of water. 

1 tbsp. fermented soya bean paste (taucheo) 

Soya sauce to season 

Method:

1. Heat wok with oil.

2. Add in all the ingredients, except the oyster sauce mixture,

3. Cook in slow fire, keep frying, sprinkle some water, cover for a few seconds.

4. Uncovered, keep frying, sprinkle with water, repeating until the bean and brinjal is tender

5. Add in the oyster sauce mixture, stir to combine

6. Taste and season with soya sauce. Serve.

Note: You must be wondering, why I did not just add water to the dish in step 3 and 4 to cooked through.
Because you will not get the aromatic from the 'heat' (wok hei) slight burning smell.



CHINESE CABBAGE SOUP



INGERDIENTS:

1 medium size chinese cabbage - shredded

1 medium carrot - shredded

10 nos.. chicken balls

10 nos. beef balls

2 pcs. fish cakes

1 tbsp. cooked shallots oil

Salt, pepper and seasoning (chicken/anschovy/vegetables seasoning powder)

Method:

1. Heat enough water in a pot, add in the cooked oil.

2. When boiling, add in cabbages and carrot, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes.

3. Add in the chicken balls, beef balls and fish cakes, cover and cook for a few minutes until cooked

4. Season with salt, pepper and seasoning.





CURRY POTATO CHICKEN PIES

Shortcrust Pastry:

500 gm flour

300 gm butter

1/2 tsp salt

2 grade A eggs- beaten

80 gm cold water

Method:

1. Mix flour and salt for a few seconds (I use Kenwood cake mixer with dough hook)

2. Add in the butter and mix until crumbly.

3. With the mixer on slow speed (below no.1) Add in the beaten eggs.

4. Slowly add in the water and mix to form a dough( if the dough too dry add in water a little at a time)

5. Shape into a ball and press it flat. Wrap with plastic sheet and refrigerated it for 30minutes.

6. Roll out the dough between 2 plastic wraps to 1/2cm thickness and it is ready to use.

7. Use a large round cookie cutter to cut the pastry.

8. Take a piece of the dough, scoop the filling onto it,

9. Cover the top with another piece of the dough, pinch the round edge

10. Try to shape it nicely, seal and press the pastry edges together with a fork.

11. Brush with egg wash, bake at 200 C for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: I sprinkled some sesame seed on top to beautify a bit.

CURRY POTATO CHICKEN FILLING

1 large piece of chicken breast - cut into thin strips

5 large potatoes - cook in boiling water, skinned and diced

1 large onion - diced

2 tbsp dried chili paste   }

5 tbsp curry powder      }

1 tsp coriander powder  }  mix together

1 tsp fennel powder       }

1 tsp cumin powder    }

1 small packet of instant Campbell chicken soup -mix according to the packet directions, put a side

2 tbsp flour - mix with some water for thickening (optional)

Few stalks of Chinese celery (daun sup)- chopped finely

Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a wok, add in onion, cook until soft.

2. Add in the chili paste and stir fry a few minutes until the oil separated (pecah minyak in Malay)

3. Add in chicken, cook until tender, add the curry powder and stir fry for a few minutes

4. Add in the cooked potatoes, chopped celery and the chicken soup, season with salt and pepper.

5. Add in some flour water mixture to further thicken the sauce.

Note: I used a large ice cream scoop to scoop the filling on to the dough so that the pies will have an even look and the popped up shape.