Krill Fritters

I made Krill fritters for dinner last night. I served it with Thai chili sauce and mayonnaise. Nice and crisp on the outside, soft and warm on the inside. Huge hit with the family. I've made these several times now, and they've always turned out perfectly.

These are fantastic as afternoon snacks with tea or coffee though I grew up eating them doused liberally with tomato sauce.

Krill are tiny shrimps. Fresh krill is not always available in the market. It's the same kind that made into fermented shrimp paste, belacan. Dried krill is sold in packs in supermarkets or wet markets. Very cheap stuff but very high in protein.

Before you start, you have to pick over the krill and remove any impurities then wash and drain thoroughly in a colander.

Krill Fritters

Ingredients

2 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup fresh krill

½ cup corn

3 shallots – peeled and sliced

1 red chili – deseeded & chopped finely

1 sprig of fresh Chinese parsley leaves – chopped

1 tsp soda bicarbonate

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp white sugar

Plain water

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, soda bicarbonate, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and gradually add the water into the flour mixture until you achieve the consistency of thick paint or cream, not too thin and not too thick. Stir gently to combine.

Use a spatula to fold in the rest of the ingredients so that it's evenly combined.

Heat oil in a heavy pot or deep fryer to 185⁰C. Drop fritter batter by spoonfuls into the hot oil, allowing room for the fritters to puff up, without sticking to each other. Turn the fritters over to ensure even browning. Fry until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels. 

Serve hot with chili sauce or mayonnaise. 

Deep-fried Whole Fish In 3-Flavoured Sauce

This is a fantastic fish recipe with a 3-flavour sauce -- sweet, sour and spicy. The fish is cooked and served with the head and tail on the plate. Hub especially like to eat the head. 

Deep-Fried Whole Fish In 3-flavoured sauce

Ingredients

800g whole snapper - cleaned, scaled and gutted

2 tbsp chili paste / chili powder

Corn starch

Turmeric powder

Salt

Vegetable oil -  for deep frying

1 sprig of fresh coriander leaves – coarsely chopped

For the 3-flavoured sauce

2 garlic cloves – minced

4 shallots – minced

10 bird’s eyes chillies – coarsely chopped

3 tbsp oyster sauce

½ tbsp fish sauce

3 tbsp water

2 tomatoes – diced

2 slices of pineapples / 1 green apples - chopped

3 tbsp tomato sauce

3 tbsp cooking oil

White Sugar – to taste

1 tbsp corn starch – dissolve in 3 tbsp water

Directions

Pat the fish dry with paper towel, both inside and out. Make 3 deep diagonal cuts on both sides. Rub the fish, on both side, with salt, turmeric powder, chili paste and lightly coat with corn starch.

Deep fry the fish, turning it over until golden and cooked through on both sides. Drain on paper towel and place on a serving plate. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok on medium high. Add the garlic and shallots then sauté until aromatic.

Add the chopped bird’s eyes chillies and stir for 15 second or so. Stir in the pineapples / apples and tomatoes.

Season with oyster sauce, tomato sauce, fish sauce and sugar. Add water and bring to a simmer.

Stir in the corn starch mixture to thicken the sauce.

Pour the sauce over the fish and top with the chopped coriander leaves. Serve with steamed rice. 

Assam Pedas Fish

One of the joys of being married to a man of a different race is that I get to learn about their culture and the food that they eat. One spoonful of the Assam Pedas stew and I was instantly hooked. This is also my late FIL’s favourite dish.

Literally means “sour spicy” is a classic and well-loved Malaysian dish. Different spices and types of fish may be used but the end result is always the same. Spicy and tart. Traditional Assam Pedas calls for Spanish mackerel but this recipe works great for stingray, red snapper or pomfret too.  You may use the fillet, tail, head or slices of fish cut thickly.

You may also substitute the tamarind paste with lime juice. The spices have to be well cooked to bring out their aroma but be careful not to burn it. Stir constantly and keep a close watch. Add the tomatoes just before you turn off the heat as not to overcook them or they will become very soft.

The ingredients for this recipe may seem like a lot but don’t let that deter you from trying it out! You can make a bigger batch of the spice paste as it can be refrigerated for upto 1 week. So the next time you want to cook this dish, you’ll just have to get the fresh ingredients as you already have the spice paste.

Assam Pedas Fish

Ingredients

4 slices of medium-sized Spanish Mackerel
1 stalk lemon grass (white part only) – smashed
1 tsp Adabi tamarind paste
3 cup water
8-10 sprigs Vitnamese Mint leaves
1 stalk of torch ginger flower – halved
4 pcs okra
1 tomato – cut into wedges
Salt – to taste

Sugar – to taste

¼ cooking oil

Spice paste

7 shallot

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp turmeric powder / 1-inch fresh turmeric
1 tsp shrimp paste
5 tbsp chili paste (add more if you want it spicier)

Directions

Wash and pat dry the fish. Set aside.

Grind the spice paste in a food processor. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok over medium heat and stir fry the lemon grass until fragrant. Add the spice paste and stir fry for about 3 minutes until the oil starts to separate out.

Add the water, Vitnamese Mint leaves, torch ginger flower and tamarind paste and bring to the boil then simmer over a low heat for 5 minutes.

Add the fish and okra then continue to simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes until the fish is cooked.

Finally, add the tomatoes and season with salt and sugar. Dish out.

Serve with steamed white rice.

Fried Spanish Mackerel In Spicy Soy Sauce

If you are tired of plain fried fish then try this recipe. I bet you will love it.  Cook this for dinner tonight. My son loved it so much that he cleaned his plate! 

For this recipe, I always use a non-stick pan to fry the fish so that it won’t stick to the pan. But if you do not have a non-stick pan then you can use an ordinary wok but just make sure your wok is super hot before you drop the fish into the wok. This recipe works great with tuna fish too…yummy!

Fried Spanish Mackerel in Spicy Soy Sauce

Ingredients

4 slices of medium-sized Spanish Mackerel

1 green chili - sliced

½ yellow onion - sliced

1 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp tomato sauce

Juice from 2 pcs calamansi lime + Juice from ½ calamansi lime

2 tbsp sweet soy sauce

1 sugar or to taste

½ tbsp salt or to taste

½ cup water

Ingredients to blend into a paste

10 shallots / 1 big yellow onion

5 cloves garlic

10 bird’s eye chili

1½-inch ginger

Directions

Wash and pat dry the fish. Rub salt and dust with turmeric powder on both sides of the fish. Then squeeze the calamansi juice (from 2 pcs calamansi lime) over the fish.

Heat oil in a frying pan on high heat and deep fry the fish till golden brown on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Heat oil in a wok over medium heat and stir fry the sliced yellow onion until fragrant. Stir in the paste and cook until the oil starts to separate out.

Add the water, tomato sauce, oyster sauce, sweet soy sauce and the calamansi juice (from ½ calamansi lime) then bring to the boil.

Stir in the sliced green chili. Season with salt and sugar then add the fried fish. Stir to coat the fish. Simmer for 1 minute then dish out.  

Serve with steamed white rice.

Mom's Fish Curry

Well, this dish is still one of my favorites. Ms Lee (my mom) used to cook this dish when I was a little girl, when I used to visit her during one of those school holidays. I learned to cook this dish 4 years ago and have made it many times for my family.

This recipe is especially for my SIL, A, a Tambunan lass. She was in her 1^st trimester pregnant with the twin, D and D when she and my brother, D came to visit us at our new house when we first moved to Sabah and I served them this dish. It is a Chinese style fish curry.

She loved it and requested Ms Lee to teach her how to cook it but Ms Lee instead told her to get the recipe from me…. So, a couple of months later,  I invited her again to my place and walk her through the recipe.

Ms Lee likes to use 88 brand curry powder but as for me, I prefer to use Adabi brand Fish curry powder as I find it more flavourful. If you live in Asia, you'll easily find all the ingredients at your local market or grocery store. Otherwise, they are generally available at any Asian grocers. If you do not like fish head then you can always use fish fillet. This recipe is so rich in flavour that after eating it you will feel its delightful aromas lingering on the palate for hours.

So let’s get cooking!

Mom’s Fish Curry

Ingredients

1 whole Fish head (about 500gm) – cut into 2

2-inch ginger – thinly sliced

2 shallots – thinly sliced

1 clove garlic – thinly sliced

4 tbsp Adabi Fish curry powder

3 cups water

½ cup thick coconut milk

1 tbsp tamarind paste (diluted with 2 tbsp water)

1 red chili - slit into half lengthwise

1 tomato – quartered

Salt – to taste

Sugar – to taste

Instructions

Rinse the fish head thoroughly and pat dry. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok, sauté the ginger, shallots and garlic over medium heat till lightly browned.  

Stir in tamarind mixture and curry powder then stir fry until fragrant and oil separates.

Add the fish head, water and coconut milk then bring to a boil.

Seasons with salt and sugar then add the tomato and red chili.

Continue to simmer gently for about 8 - 10 minutes or until the sauce is thickened to a desired consistency and the fish is cooked through.

Dish out. Serve with steaming hot rice.

Fish Congee

My mother is here to stay with us since 2 weeks ago. I have been religiously cooking fish congee for her since then. She is suffering from a chronic knee osteoarthritis hence she has to move around in a wheelchair. My children have been helping me to take care of her. Praise the Lord; my children treat my mother with loving care. I am proud of them.

Thanks to my FIL who once told me that we must show respect to our parents or in-law even if our relationship with them has been strained. If in future we’re not in good terms with our parents or in-laws, we must leave our kids out of it. He said that our children learn how to treat others by watching their parents' behavior. Hence, seeing how parents interact with their own elders helps the children realize that even if they don’t always agree with their elders, they should still respect them because of their position in the family. He told us not to speak badly about any particular relative so that our children will not grow up to be negative and critical human beings, only noticing the bad in someone before noticing the good. That in case we have a grouch with someone, we should only discuss it with our spouse.

Nowadays, not every extended family lives within driving distance but they should connect on a regular basis through email or phone calls to strengthen relationships with grandparents. I want my children to have a positive relationship with their grandparents from a young age. So when my children receive something from their grandparents, such as a card or a gift, I would encourage them to call and say thank you.

I would never turn a blind eye whenever I noticed my kids showing disrespect to their grandparents. That is totally unacceptable and there is a high possibility that their disrespectful attitude will turn on me as I get older. Thus, don’t wait until the situation gets out of hand.

I want to help my children value the family they have as it is difficult to harmonize relationships between family members. Modern kids are so busy playing games that they have no time for their grandparents. 6 years ago, when my late FIL was still around, I sent my children to stay with my in-laws for 2 weeks during their school holiday when I went on office trip to Bali because I want them to spend quality time with their grandparents. I told them that  their grandparents love them and are happy to have them at any time and that they should behave themselves when they are with their grandparents as neither the grandparents, nor I, would tolerate any nonsense.  But at the same time, I also allow my parents and in-laws to spoil my children.

Fish Congee

Ingredients

1 cup rice - rinsed and drained

½ cup fresh Spanish mackerel

1-inch knob ginger - peeled and finely julienned

Soy sauce

Ground Pepper

Sesame oil

Salt / chicken stock granules - to taste

Spring onion – chopped

Instructions

In a large pot, rinse rice till water runs clear, about 3 to 4 times. Drain and set aside.

Add 7 cups water to the rice and set it on the stove to boil. When water comes to boil, remove lid and allow it to simmer on medium heat for about 30 minutes. If porridge gets too thick at any point, stir in 1 cup water to dilute.

Rinse and pat dry fish with paper towels. Using a very sharp knife, thinly slice fish at an angle. Add the fish, ginger and salt / chicken stock granules to the porridge.

Stir to get everything well mixed. Allow it to cook for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Serve in individual bowls topped with spring onions. Drizzle with a few drops of sesame oil and soy sauce. Add a little more pepper if desired.

Crispy Fish In Garlic Oil

Growing up by the beach is a privilege that not everyone gets to enjoy. I’m so lucky to have been able to grow up by the beach. I grew up eating fresh lobster, squid, octopus, jelly fish, shrimp, flower crab, various kinds of seashells and fishes. So I can never give up seafood.

Fried fish eaten with plain rice and bird’s eyes chilies may be simple but you'd be amazed how good it is. However is you’re a health-conscious type of person then you should avoid drizzling the fish with garlic oil.

Crispy Fish In Garlic Oil

Ingredients

3 mackerels - each about 25cm long or smaller

1 bulb garlic – peeled and lightly crushed

10 pcs bird’s eyes chilies – chopped

2 cups Fresh vegetable oil

1 tbsp sweet soy sauce

Instructions

Clean the fish, removing scales and guts. Cut a couple of slits in the thickest part of the fish and dry the fish and with paper towel. Rub salt and turmeric powder over the fish including the cavity. Set aside.

Heat up a deep wok and add oil. Fry the garlic in low heat, stirring all the time until garlic is crisp and golden. Remove garlic and set aside. Leave the oil in the wok and reheat.

When oil is slightly smoking, add the fish and fry in medium heat. Do not over crowd the wok. Turn to fry the other side. The fish must be well-fried until crispy all over.

Remove the fish onto a serving plate and drizzle with ½ tbsp each of the hot garlic oil and sweet soy sauce.

Scatter some chopped bird’s eyes chilies over and serve immediately with plain rice.

Enjoy!

Fried Fish in Green Sambal

Fried fish with sambal is a very popular Malay dish in Johore. There are many variations of sambal sauce and this one use fresh long green chili. Each time I have this dish, I remember the shop we used to patronize near my house, Lembah Impian. Unfortunately, the shop has since closed down.

This is a very simple dish that goes so well with a bowl of hot steamed rice. Hub and my son are capable of polishing off huge portion of rice whenever I cooked this dish. It’s easy to prepare too.

For the fish, I always go to the Chinese fishmonger near the Kepayan stalls (near my brother’s house) along the Lintas highway coming from the airport to Penampang. The prices are slightly higher but his fish is so much fresher than those in Penampang Market.

Fried Fish in Green Sambal

Ingredients

500gm Mackerel fish - Gutted

10 pcs fresh long green chilies – roughly chopped

1 yellow onion – peeled and cut into wedges

4 shallots – peeled

6 cloves of garlic – peeled

1 tsp shrimp paste sauce

¼ cup of Tamarind juice (½ tsp of tamarind paste dissolved in ¼ cup of water)

Salt – to taste

Sugar – to taste

Instructions

Clean the fish then score a couple of slits in the thickest part of the fish and dry the fish with kitchen towel.  Rub salt and turmeric powder over the fish including the cavity.

Heat up a deep wok and add enough oil for deep frying and when the oil is very hot, fry the fish until golden brown and crisp. Remember not to over crowd the wok. Drain them on paper towels to rid of excess oil then transfer into a serving dish. Set aside.

Using a pestle and mortar, pound the shallots and garlic. Transfer into a bowl and set aside. Then pound the chilies. Be careful when you do this as you really do not want to get any chili in your eyes. 

Heat up another wok and add about 3 tbsp of oil then sauté the yellow onion until soft. To this, add the garlic, shallots, green chili paste and shrimp paste then sauté until fragrant.

For the shrimp paste sauce, I normally use this.

Add the tamarind juice and season with salt and sugar. Let it simmer for another 2 minutes then pour the sauce over the fried fish.

Voila!