Fish Croquettes

I was planning to make my mother-in-law's fish cake recipe today but I didn't make it in time to buy the spanish mackerel or what they locally call ikan tenggiri from the fish market.... so saving that recipe for another day now! 

So instead I made this Fish Croquette dish for lunch today. When I was making this I accidently added a little too much mash potato to my fish paste and decided to turn the fish cake into more of a croquette style dish. It was ok in the end because all the kids like eating mashed potatoes anyway and like anything with a crispy skin to it.

Fish Croquettes

400g fish fillet (I used a dory fish fillet)

6 small potatoes, peeled and cooked

1 small onion, chopped finely

1 tbsp spring onion, chopped finely

1 tbsp coriander, chopped finely

1 tbsp carrot, chopped finely

1 egg

salt and pepper

1 egg, beaten, for coating 

3/4 cup flour, for coating 

1 cup breadcrumbs (I use the Japanese style breadcrumbs), for coating

1. Using a cleaver, chop the fish fillet into smaller pieces and continue to chop until it becomes more like a fish paste or alternatively you can use a food processor to make the fish paste. I like to make the fish paste the old fashion way that way I can determine the texture of the paste, usually a mixture of paste and finely chopped fish.

2. In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for the fish mixture, Using a fork, mash the potatoes and combine all the ingredients into a rough dough.

3. Use a heaped spoon to measure each croquette and shape it into an oval shape with moistened hands. I find it's easier to handle if your hands are slightly wet. Roll each croquette into some flour and then dip it into the egg and lastly roll it into the breadcrumbs. Shake off the excess breadcrumbs and set aside.

4. Heat the oil in a saucepan for deep frying. Deep fry in batches and carefully turn over on each side until it is golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve with mayonnaise or sweet chilli sauce.

Deep Fried Dumplings

There are just so many ways to make dumplings... steam, pan-fried and boiling. The shapes of the dumplings also come in different shapes and sizes... round, crescent-shaped, pleated edges and pinched little pillows. Savoury or sweet .... pork, chicken, prawns, etc just so many ingredients you can add to a dumpling. Even the dumpling wrappers are made differently according to what type of dumpling you make.

I've made dumplings before but this time I tried using fresh pre-made wrappers and deep frying the dumplings. A quick snack after school to fill those hungry tummys!

Deep Fried Dumplings

100 g mince chicken (you can also you pork or even a mixture of the two)

1 tsp grated ginger

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 tbsp oyster sauce 
1/2 tbsp Shaoxing wine / rice wine
1/2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp coriander, chopped 

1 tbsp spring onions, chopped 

salt and pepper 

1 packet of freshly made round wanton wrappers

oil for deep frying

1. In a bowl, add all the ingredients and combine well. 

2. Open the packet of freshly made wrappers and pour a little water in a small bowl to use to seal the edges. 

3. Using a teaspoon, spoon in a heaped spoonful into the centre of the wrapper and wet the edges of the wrapper and press and seal the edges. Arrange the dumplings on a plate ready for deep frying.

4. Heat the oil for deep frying and fry the dumplings in batches. Fry until it is golden about a minute or less on each side. Drain dumplings on some paper towel and arrange on a plate for serving. Serve with a Soy Garlic Sauce.

Soy Garlic Sauce

150 ml light soy sauce

50 ml water

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp minced garlic

1. Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring it to the boil. Lower the heat and cook until the garlic is soften, about another 3 - 5 mins. Remove from heat and serve.

Mini Cinnamon Donuts

For the weekend I decided to give the kids a treat and make them Mini Cinnamon Donuts, half the size of a regular donut and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Just small enough to have a few bites but light enough not to spoil their appetite. 

I've actually made donuts before, Jelly Donuts but this time I thought of having a break from the messy jam filling. I had blackcurrant all over my fingers the last time and covered with icing sugar too! Nope going traditional today with snack sized donuts.....but you know they were so small we all ended up eating more.

For this recipe I've adapted Martha Stewart's Donut Hole recipe and tweaked it to make these smaller sized Mini Cinnamon Donuts.

Mini Cinnamon Donuts

3 3/4 cups plain flour
6 1/2 tablespoons sugar
 2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk, warm
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
30 g butter, soften
1L vegetable oil for frying
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, coating

1/2 cup extra caster sugar for coating

1. In a bowl, add plain flour, yeast, sugar, salt. In a separate bowl combine the milk and eggs.
2. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and mix. Add the soften butter and knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it forms a soft dough, about 8 mins. 
3. Roll the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave to proof until doubled in size or for about 1hr.
** I would normally preheat the oven 180C for 3mins and turn the heat off. Place the bowl (I usually use a enamel mixing bowl) with damp cloth into the oven to proof.
4. Punch down the dough and knead to form a ball. Using a 1tbsp measuring spoon scoop out the dough and roll it into a ball. Poke a hole in the centre of the ball using a the blunt end of a chopstick. Arrange the donuts on a greased baking tray to proof for about 30 mins
5. Heat the oil for deep frying and then bring the heat down to medium. Deep fry the donuts in batches and carefully fry on each side until lightly golden. Remove and drain on paper towels. 
6.Roll the donut while warm into a bowl of the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Shake off the excess sugar and serve.


I made these donuts thinking that it's only half the size of a regular donut but ended up eating more than I intended to eat. Too many bite size pieces to eat!!!.....Makes about 20

Sweet & Sour

Celebrations, holidays and family dinners have always gone along with good food, and of course, good company. Today is my Yehyeh's (chinese for grandfather) birthday, celebrating his 80th back home with the family with a big chinese banquet.

When I was young our family dinners would always be held at my grandparent's place. It was a get together usually held once a week, a time to catch up with the family over a good home cook meal. But it wasn't just any meal, you see my grandfather was a chef and ran a family restaurant in Sydney for many years. He had an additional mini kitchen set up in the garage with an industrial cooker, and was cooking up dishes of restaurant quality to be served at our family dinners.

Dinner at Yehyeh's place has always been and still is something I always look forward to whenever I'm back home. One of my favourites is his Sweet & Sour Pork, with just the right amount of sweet and sour sauce accompanying crispy strips of deep fried pork. I've watched him make it countless times and I tried to recreate it here.

Sweet & Sour Pork

450 g pork loin, diagonally sliced thinly

1/2 cup plain flour

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg white

1 medium onion, sliced into thin wedges

3 tomatoes, chopped roughly into large pieces

1/2 capsicum, chopped roughly

1 tbsp Shaoxing wine/ sherry

1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp vinegar

2 tbsp tomato puree

2 1/2 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup of chopped pineapple (optional)

oil for deep frying

1. Combine the flour, pepper, salt, egg white and coat the pork with the batter. The batter should be sticky not runny. Set a side for 5 mins. 

2. Heat the oil for deep frying. Fry the pork in batches until it is golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Arrange on a serving dish. 

3. Remove the oil from the wok and leave about 1 tbsp of oil.

Sauce.

1. Combine the sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, tomato puree and wine in a bowl.

2. Heat about the oil in a wok. Add the onions, water and sauce mixture in the wok and stir. Add the fresh tomatoes and cover and cook over medium heat for 5 mins.

3. Add the capsicum and pineapple (optional) and cook uncovered for another 3 - 5 mins. Cook the sauce until it has thicken making sure that the tomato and capsicum has still retain most of it's texture. Pour the sauce over the deep fried pork. 

**I usually don't add the pork to the sweet & sour sauce while cooking because I find the sauce will eventually absorb and sauce and soften the pork, plus the kids like the pork crispy. 

**The sauce doesn't really need any cornflour to thicken the sauce when you use tomato puree because the puree is already thick and you only need to adjust the water added. 

Tempting Tempura

Putting a twist on the old fish and chips the Tempura way. 

For lunch today I couldn't decide what to cook for the kids. They're usually very hungry after a long day at school and the first thing they'll ask is...

                 "What's for lunch? I'm so hungry!!"

So I had some fish fillets on hand and a couple of potatoes, why not give it a Japanese theme. I knew I had a packet of tempura batter somewhere at the back of the cupboard and a few fresh shitake mushrooms, daikon, green french beans and onions to spare in the fridge. The only thing I had to come up with was the tempura dipping sauce.

Now the expert at making Tempura in the family is my dad, he'll always manage to get the batter just right and everything would look like it came straight from a japanese restuarant......but he's miles away back in Sydney. ....But that didn't stop me from calling him today just to check what his secret to successful Tempura was.... "Ice, just remember the ice!"

Tempura

150 g tempura batter mix

150 ml ice cold water

handful of ice cubes

vegetable oil for deep frying

200g fish fillet, sliced

mushrooms, thickly sliced

daikon, thinly sliced

potatoes, thinly sliced

green french beans, cut in 2' lengths

onions, sliced

1. Place the tempura batter mix in a medium bowl. Pour the ice cold water into the bowl and add a couple of ice cubes. The ice cubes will keep the batter cool and this makes the batter crispy when it's deep fried. Use chopsticks to stir the mixture. It should be a slightly runny batter, not too thick. 

2. Heat the oil for deep frying. Test the batter by placing a little bit of batter.

3. Dip the ingredients one at a time in the batter. Use long cooking chopsticks for deep frying. Coat each with the batter and deep fry each ingredient until golden. Drain on paper towels. Serve the tempura while hot.

Tempura Dipping Sauce

1 tbsp dashi stock granules

2 tsbp soy sauce

1/4 cup mirin

1 cup water

1. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring it to the boil. Remove from heat and serve.

Deep Fried Seafood Tofu

I'm a big fan of tofu esp; japanese tofu (egg tofu), steamed tofu, mapo tofu, and any soup with soft tofu in it. 


As a kid whenever we were at a chinese restuarant, one of my favourite dish to order was this Deep Fried Seafood Tofu. I've had it so many times but couldn't figure out how to make it, so with a little experimenting on the family this is it.

Deep Fried Seafood Tofu


2 pcs soft tofu
2 pcs egg tofu
150g prawn or fish paste (you can mince this yourself with a meat cleaver)
1 egg
2 tsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
2 tsp carrot, finely chopped
1/2 tsp chicken stock cube
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
pinch of salt
corn flour to coat the tofu
vegetable oil for deep frying


1. Mash up the soft tofu and egg tofu. Add the fish paste, egg, carrot, coriander, stock, salt & pepper. I would normally alternate between the fish and prawn paste but you can also add both. Combine it until it's smooth. For this I usually use a hand blender for a few quick pulses.
2. Prepare a greased dish for steaming. Pour the tofu mixture and spread it evenly. 
3. Heat a steaming pan and place the tofu mixture for steaming. Reduce the heat to  medium and steam for about 20 mins. Remove and cool before cutting.
4. Heat the oil in the wok for deep frying.
5. Cut the tofu in small rectangular shapes and coat them in corn flour. Coat it evenly and dip them into the oil for deep frying. Fry until it is golden brown and drain on the paper towels. Serve them with mayonnaise or sweet thai chilli. I usually serve them with thick mayonnaise. (I'm a big fan of mayonnaise and Dutch frite sauce!!)

Paprika Chicken Wings

Just having a break from cooking today, just relaxing with the kids.

After a long hot and humid week I thought a dip in the pool would be a great way to start off the weekend. Esp. with this dry spell we seem to be going through, everything just calls out for water.

SpliSh, SplaSh around the pool always calls for a tasty snack to fill up those hungry tummies and what usually goes down with a swim for my kids is the ever ready Paprika Chicken Wings.

It's quick to put together and they'll gobble it up wanting more....that's what the little one does.

Paprika Chicken Wings

1 kg (about 12) chicken wings, drumstick and wings cut, tips removed

2/3 cup plain flour

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cracked black pepper

vegetable oil for deep frying

1. Clean and dry the prepared chicken wings. Remove the tip and cut into drumsticks and wings.

2. Mix flour, paprika, salt and pepper into a large bowl and cover the chicken wings with mixture. Make sure all the wings are fully coated. Leave it for 10 mins.

3. Heat the oil for deep frying. Fry the wings in batches until golden brown and drain over paper towels. I normally would fry the skin side first and fry the drumsticks and wings separately so that they cook evenly.