Teochew Style Steamed Fish

I was never really sure how to steam a fish when I started cooking on my own. After watching and helping my mum steam fish I could never remember how long to cook the fish so that it was just right. It is always the timing that determines how the fish is cooked... cooked too long and the flesh becomes rubbery and hard.... cooked too short and the flesh clings onto the bone..... cooked just right and the flesh just simply comes of the bone and melts in your mouth.

.... the secret is wait till the eyes pop out.... yes not a nice sight to see but when the fish is just right the eyes start to pop out and it's just like the fish is saying "I'm ready!"

Well, anyway for tonight's dinner I've made a pretty easy dish with fresh grouper and steamed it Teochew style... all salted mustard greens and a little salt and pepper, oh and throw in some soft tofu and tomato too! 

Teochew Style Steamed Fish

400 g whole fish (I used a grouper but you can use just about any fresh fish)

1 pc of fresh soft tofu, cut into roughly 2cm cubes

2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

1 shitake mushroom (you can use more if you like)

1/3 cup salted mustard greens, soaked and shredded (approx)

1/2 cup water

Black pepper, freshly ground

salt

1 stalk spring onion, chopped finely

1 stalk coriander leaves, roughly chopped into 5 cm lengths

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp sesame seed oil

1. Clean the fish and make a cut from the bottom of the fish up to the mouth so that the fish can stand upright in a steaming dish. 

2. Using a metal steaming dish, arrange the fish so that it will stand upright. Arrange the tofu, tomatoes, salted mustard greens and shitake mushroom around the fish. Sprinkle the salt and pepper around the dish. Pour 1/2 cup of water on over all the ingredients.

3. Prepare a wok for steaming and place a steaming tray in the wok. Add enough water for steaming and bring the water to a boil. Arrange the steaming dish in the wok when the water is boiling. Cover the fish and steam for about 10mins or until the fish eyes start to pop out. This will mean the fish is ready and you don't want to over steam the fish or else the flesh will be rubbery and hard.

4. Remove the fish when cooked and set aside or carefully rearrange on a serving plate. Arrange the coriander over the fish.

5. In a saucepan, heat the vegetable oil and sesame seed oil. Heat until it starts to smoke. Turn off the heat and add the spring onions. Quickly pour over the garnishes and fish and serve while hot.

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.