Spicy, Sourish & Sweet Fried and Cooked Fish

 

This is another twice cooked fish recipe which I revisit.  A delicious and appetizing dish is one which we will cook again and again.

Click this link here for the full recipe.

Fried-Cooked Fish

This savory fish dish is cooked twice; first fried in oil, then cooked with ginger, chilis and preserved bean paste, which is widely known as taucu or tau cheong.  Most Chinese home cooks are specialized in this dish.  It is a 'Simple Yet Yummylicious' dish!  This time round, I did not add chili into it as my pantry is out of chili.  Will grab some when I go for my next grocery shopping.

I have cooked this dish before, so to get the full recipe click this link here.

Hope you all love this savory dish as much as my family 👍

Chinese Braised Whole Fish

This is another 'Simple Yet Yummylicious' Fish Dish which every home cooks would love to add into their menu or to-cook-dish for their family to savor with a plate of freshly cooked fluffy rice. Indeed it's a tasty dish which calls for more rice with the yummy sauce!!

Ingredients:

1 whole fish (I use golden pomfret)

1 tablespoon cornstarch/cornflour

4 tablespoons cooking oil

3 spring onions (whites cut into 2" pieces, some green thinly sliced for garnish)

1 thumb sized ginger (peeled and sliced)

1 cup water

2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

2 teaspoon sugar

Methods:

1. In a bowl, add water, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar.  Mix until sugar dissolves and set aside.
2. Clean the fish and score with 1" space in between cuts.  Pat the fish dry with paper towels.  Coat the fish with a thin layer of cornstarch/corn flour.  Shake off excess flour.
3. Heat cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat.  Swirl the wok to let the oil coat the sides of the wok.  Very carefully lower the fish into the wok.  Let cook without touching for 2 minutes.  Use a spatula to carefully release the fish and flip it.  Continue to cook until browned.  Transfer the fish to a plate and set aside.
4. In the same wok, with about 2 tablespoons of oil, reheat the wok.  Add spring onion whites and ginger.  Stir and cook until fragrant.
5. Add in the sauce ingredients from (1).  Bring it to a boil and add back the fish.  Put the lid on and let it braise over medium heat.  Flip the fish over, cover with lid and continue to braise for another 2-3 minutes.  
6. Remove the lid, switch off heat and transfer the fish to a serving plate.  Drizzle the sauce over the fish.
7. Remove and discard the spring onion and ginger.
8. Serve immediately!

This recipe is adapted from 'Omnivore's Cookbook' by Maggie Zhu.

Spicy Terung Asam Fish Soup

It has been quite a long while since I last cook this appetizing dish.  One morning as I was doing my grocery shopping at a popular Supermarket, I saw some Terung Asam, so immediately I grab hold of it and there it goes... A bowl of Simple Yet Yummylicious 'Spicy Terung Asam Fish Soup' for our lunch!!

This is my very own recipe of Signature Terung Asam Fish Soup which can be obtain by clicking this link here.

Hope you all enjoy this appetizing dish as much as I do.  It always calls more more rice, so if you cook this dish, make sure to cook more rice ~ sluuurrrp ~

Masala Fried Fish

 

Ingredients:

1 piece fish fillet

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. red chili powder

1/4 tsp. tumeric powder

1/2 tbsp. ginger garlic paste

1/2 tbsp. rice vinegar (can use lemon juice)

1 tbsp. rice flour

1 tbsp. cornflour

Cooking oil (for shallow frying)

Methods:

1. Clean and pat dry the fish.
2. In a small bowl mix salt, chili powder, tumeric powder, ginger garlic paste, vinegar, rice flour and cornflour.
3. Coat fish evenly and rest for 15 minutes.
4. Shallow fry on medium heat until golden and crisp.
5. Remove onto a serving dish and serve hot!

I adapted this recipe from 'Easy Homemade Recipes' by Linda Palma with slight adjustment to suit my cooking preference.

Fried fish in light sauce, shallot and ginger oil

Ingredients:

1 whole black pomfret (cleaned and pat dry with kitchen towel)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. chicken stock granules

2 tsp. cornflour

1 thumb sized ginger (peeled and thinly julienned)

5 shallots (peeled and thinly sliced)

Enough cooking oil

Sauce: (mix in a small bowl)

1/2 cup water

1 tsp sugar

3 tbsp. light soy sauce

Methods:

1. In a heated wok, add enough cooking oil for frying the shallot and ginger.  I fried them separately and dish onto a plate, then set aside.  Remove the oil onto a bowl.  Leave the wok for later use.
2. Add the salt and chicken stock granules to both sides of the fish and massage evenly.  Sprinkle cornflour to both sides of the fish to lightly coat the fish and shake off excess flour, if any.
3. In a medium heated wok, shallow fry the fish till golden brown on both sides, dish onto a serving dish and set aside.
4. In the same wok from (1), add 3 tablespoon of the shallot and ginger oil from (1) and once heated up, lower heat and pour in the sauce.  Stir till sugar dissolves and smell the caramelised aroma.  Pour the hot sauce over the fish and add the crispy fried shallots and ginger on top.
5. Serve with hot fluffy cooked rice. Enjoy!

This delicious recipe is adapted from Rosalia Chua with slight adjustments to suit my cooking preference.

Spicy, Sourish and Sweet Fried & Cooked Fish

 

Ingredients:

1 Black Pomfret Fish

1 tbsp. light soy sauce (to taste)

1 tbsp. white vinegar (to taste)

1/3 cup water (add more as needed)

1/2 tbsp. sugar (to taste)

1 white onion

2 bird's eye chilis (sliced vertically but not all through)

Salt and pepper

Cooking oil

Methods:

1. Peel onion and cut into rings.  Chop some leftover from the top and bottom part for frying.
2. Season the fish with salt, rub and let it sit for 10 minutes.  Fry until golden brown and cooked.
3. Remove excess oil from frying the fish, leaving about 2 tablespoon.  Stir fry the onion rings for a few seconds.  Remove from pan and set aside.
4. In the same pan, saute chopped onion and bird's eye chilis until  the onion is soft.
5. Add light soy sauce, vinegar and pepper.  Give it a stir, then add sugar and water.  Let it boil for a few minutes until the sauce is slightly reduced.  Taste for your preferred seasoning.  Add slightly more light soy sauce, vinegar and sugar, if needed.
6. Add the fried fish and onion, simmer for a minute.  Turn over to cook the other side.
7. Transfer the fish to a serving plate and arrange the onion rings and chilis over the top.
8. Enjoy warm with a plate of warm fluffy rice! Yummy Yum-Yum!!

I adapted this recipe from 'Fannie's Cookery' with some adjustments to suit my cooking preference.

Ginger Onion Fried Fish

 

Ingredients:

1 fish (any fish of your choice - I use Golden Pomfret)

2 tbsp. cooking oil

1 tbsp. minced ginger (I finely shredded)

1 tbsp. chopped garlic

1 red chili (remove seeds and sliced)

1/2 onion (peeled and sliced slightly thicker)

1 sprig spring onion (chopped) - I did not use

1 tbsp. light soy sauce

1 tbsp. oyster sauce

1/2 tsp. granulated sugar (to taste - add more if needed)

Dash of pepper

Methods:

1. Clean the fish, deboned and cut into bite-sized pieces.
2. Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt and pepper for 15 minutes.
3. In a medium heated wok, add 2 tablespoon of cooking oil.  Add the fish pieces and fry both sides until golden brown.  Remove and set aside.
4. In the same heated wok with leftover oil from frying the fish, add ginger, onion, chili and garlic, and saute until fragrant.
5. Add spring onions, if using, and give it a quick stir.
6. Return the fish pieces into the wok and give it a quick stir.
7. Add light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
8. Taste for correct seasoning; add light soy sauce, oyster sauce, or sugar if needed.
9. Remove from heat and serve hot with freshly cooked fluffy rice.

I adapted this recipe from 'Foodie Frenzy' with slight adjustments to suit my cooking preference.

Fried Fish With Ginger, Spring Onion And Chili

 

Ingredients:

1 slice fish 

Salt and pepper

1 knob ginger (peeled and thinly sliced)

3 garlic cloves (peeled and chopped)

1 sprig spring onion (cut into 1 1/2" pieces)

1 red chili or 3 birds eye chili (sliced)

Cooking oil

2 tbsp. light soy sauce

2 tbsp. Shaoxing Wine

3 tbsp. water

Methods:

1. Clean and descale the fish.  Pat it dry with kitchen towel. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a wok over medium-high heat, add enough cooking oil for frying fish, add the fish and let it fry until golden brown, then flip over and cook until cooked through.  Remove from the wok and set aside.
3. In the same wok, remove excess oil, leaving about 1 1/2 tablespoon, saute ginger, garlic and red chili until fragrant.
4. Add light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and water.  Let it sizzle for a few seconds.
5. Return the fish to the wok, add in the spring onion, stir and turn the fish to ensure it is well coated with the sauce.
6. Remove from heat onto a serving dish and serve hot.

I adapted this recipe from 'Cooking TV.'

Chinese Style Braised Black Pomfret

 

Ingredients:

1 medium black pomfret

4 pieces ginger slices

1 tbsp. light soy sauce

4 tbsp. hot water

1 tbsp. Shaoxing Wine

1/2 tbsp. Oyster Sauce

1 tsp. Sesame Oil

1/2 tbsp. sugar (to taste, according to your preference)

1/2 tsp. ground white pepper

Some salt, for sprinkling both sides of the fish

Enough cooking oil, for frying

For garnishing:

1 red chili, sliced

1 sprig spring onion, chopped

1 tbsp. fried shallot

Methods:

1. Clean and dry the fish with kitchen paper before making some incisions on the thickest part of the fish with a sharp knife.
2. Sprinkle some salt on both sides, as well as the cavity of the fish.  Use your hand to rush the salt onto the fish.  Rest the fish for 5 minutes.
3. In a bowl add the remaining sauce ingredients and whisk to dissolve the sugar, and set aside.
4. In a heated wok, add cooking oil for frying the fish.  First, lightly fry the sliced ginger pieces until the edges just begin to turn brown.  Carefully place the fish into the oil.
5. Fry the fish on medium heat until browned.  Flip the fish and continue cooking until both sides are golden brown.  Bring down the heat to low, and use a spatula to push the fish to the side of the wok.  Remove excess oil, then push the fish back into the wok.
6. Bring up the heat to medium, then pour the sauce into the pan.  Cover with the lid and cook another few minutes, turning the fish over to ensure even distribution of the sauce into the fish.
7. Turn off heat and dish the fish onto a serving plate.
8. Garnish with chopped spring onion, sliced chili and fried shallots.
9. Serve the dish immediately with rice.

I adapted this yummylicious recipe from 'The Domestic Goddess Wannabe' by Diana Gale with slight adjustments to suit my cooking preference.

During my second time of cooking this fish dish, I add in more water and a bit more light soy sauce and oyster sauce to make the dish with slightly more sauce, than the first attempt, which I just follow the recipe accordingly, and turns out quite dry.

Steamed Golden Pomfret

 

Ingredients:

1 golden pomfret (300g.)

2 tomatoes (washed and cut into wedges)

3 slices ginger (peeled and shredded)

1 red chili (remove seeds and shredded) 

2 cloves garlic (peeled and finely chopped)

Seasonings: (mix in a small bowl)

2 tbsp. premium light soy sauce

1 tbsp. sesame oil

1 tbsp. dark soy sauce (add less if your soy sauce is dark)

1 tbsp. cooking oil

1 tbsp. water

Methods:

1. Scale, gut and rinse the pomfret; then use a sharp knife to make 3 cuts on both sides; and put it on a steaming plate.
2. Arrange tomato at the sides of the fish.  Sprinkle with shredded ginger, red chili and garlic.  Then drizzle the seasoning over the fish.
3. Steam the fish in a steamer over high heat for 9-10 minutes.
4. Serve immediately.

I adapted this recipe from 'A Bountiful Reunion' SEASHORE recipe book with a slight adjustment to suit my cooking preference.

Fried Black Pomfret with Tumeric and Curry Powder

Ingredients: (serves 2)

Half, large black pomfret

1" ginger (peeled and thinly sliced)

Cooking oil (for frying fish)

Seasoning: (mix in a small bowl)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tbsp. Tumeric Powder

1/2 tbsp. Curry Powder

Methods:

1. Clean fish, cut 2 slashes and marinate with the seasoning ingredients; including the cut side and inside the slashes to ensure even marination.  Set aside in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
2. Heat up enough oil in a wok. (as my fish is thicker, I add more oil).  Add in ginger, fry until fragrant and  crisp; dish onto a bowl and set aside.
3. In the same heated wok, fry fish until both the surfaces turns golden brown.  Dish fish out from the wok and drain remaining oil; place onto a serving plate and top with fried ginger.
4. Serve with freshly cooked hot fluffy rice and other dishes.

This recipe is adapted from 'Madam Ng Recipe' with a slight adjustment to suit my cooking preference.

Steamed Fish

 

Ingredients:

1 piece fish (any fish of your choice)

Dash of salt (for sprinkle on fish)

1 1/2" knob ginger - peeled and slice 4 pieces, then the rest cut into strips (amount of ginger depends on your preference, I prefer more for more flavors)

5 garlic cloves (peeled and chopped finely)

2 tbsp. light soy sauce

1 tbsp. oyster sauce

2 tbsp. cooking oil

Coriander - for garnish (can use spring onion) - if you use spring onion, cut into thin silken threads, soak in ice water for 5 minutes to make it curl)

Methods:

1. Clean the fish and pat dry.  Sprinkle salt on both sides, place on a steaming dish/plate, and place the 4 slices of ginger on top of the fish.
2. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in wok and stir-fry garlic and ginger strips until fragrant.  Set aside.
3. Heat up a clean wok with enough water for steaming.  Wait for water to boil.  As soon as it boils, place your fish into the wok.  Cover wok tightly and steam for 6 minutes.
4. Discard the ginger on top of the fish and the fishy and cloudy fish 'water' after steaming.
5. Pour the hot oil with fried ginger strips and garlic over the steamed fish.  Drizzle with light soy sauce and oyster sauce.
6. Put back into the wok and steam for another 2 minutes.
7. Garnish with coriander or spring onion and serve immediately.

I adapted this recipe from Youtube 'Beyond Home Cook.'

Fried fish with onions in dark soy sauce

Ingredients:
3 pieces mackerel
1 onion (peeled and sliced)
Dash of salt 
4 tbsp cooking oil
Dark soy sauce (amount differs from types of sauce used)
1/2 cup water
Dashes of grounded white pepper
Dash of sugar (to taste)

Methods:

1. Rinse fish, dry with kitchen paper, rub with a bit of salt and set aside for about 15 minutes.
2. Heat cooking oil in a wok, add fish and fry until both sides are lightly brown.  Dish, drain and set aside for later use.
3. Heat the remaining oil and saute onions until soft, quickly drizzle in dark soy sauce, stir to lightly caramelize, then add water, pepper and sugar.  Taste for correct seasoning.
4. Bring to the boil, then add fish and simmer until the fish has absorbed some of the sauce and sauce has reduced.
5. Off the heat, dish the fish onto a serving dish and topped with the onions and leftover sauce.
6. Serve when hot with a plate of freshly cooked rice.

 Notes: To have a nice contrast in colour, add some sliced chilies to the onions.  I did not add in my cooking as my grandson is not a fan of chilies.

Crunchy Fried Hong Boi Fish or Ikan Gonjeng

Hong Boi Fish or known as Ikan Gonjeng in Malay, are the favorite of many.  It is normally deep-fried in hot oil until golden in colour and crunchy.  Most people will just prepare the fish in the normal way, but my late mother-in-law taught me this special way to prepare it so that when fried the whole fish can be eaten, without any leftover bones. Though it is more time consuming to clean and prepare the fish, but it is a worthy effort. Young children are also able to eat them without having to worry about small bones. The picture below tells it all....

How to prepare the fish:

1. Use a sharp knife, remove head and slice off the stomach area which are having sharp bones.
2. Scale the fish and wash clean.
3. Place the fish flat horizontally with the tail on the left side of our hand on the chopping board.  Run your knife above the middle bone, starting from the head area down to the tail (as seen in the picture), then turn over the other side and do the same, after which cut off the middle bone and discard.  Repeat until all is done.
4. Sprinkle some salt and grounded white pepper over the fish and mix gently, so that both sides of the fish will still remain intact.
5. Just before deep frying dust some corn flour over the fish, gently mix it to ensure that all the fish are well dusted.
6. Deep fry in a deep wok until golden brown.
7. Dish and drain on kitchen towel.
8. The crunchy fish is ready to be served!

Fried-Braised Fish

Another double-cooked dish to serve on my dinner table, and this time round it's a fish dish.  If I have white pomfret I will normally opt to cook this dish. The fish is sliced into big pieces; marinated with a few simple ingredients for few hours; medium fried in oil and braised with a sourish-sweet-saltish sauce.  Do give it a try if it suits your taste buds...

Ingredients:
1 medium white pomfret
1" knob ginger (peeled and smashed)
2 sprigs spring onion (cut into 1" length)

Marinade:
1 tbsp rice wine
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp five spice powder

Sauce Ingredients: (Mix together in a bowl)
1 tbsp rice wine
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vinegar
1 cup water

Methods:

1. Clean the fish, slice into big pieces (slanting) and place in a deep dish.
2. Add in the ginger, spring onions and marinade ingredients.  Mix to combine and let marinate for few hours. 
3. Just before cooking, remove the fish from the marinade, put aside and discard the marinade ingredients.
4. Heat 5 tbsp cooking oil in a wok, deep-fry the fish in medium heat until golden brown, dish and drain.  Repeat until all is done.
5. In the same wok, discard excess oil leaving 2 tbsp in the wok, add in the sauce ingredients, bring to a boil. Add in the fried fish and cook over low heat, turning the fish over from time to time, until gravy is nearly dry.  During braising taste for correct seasoning based on your own preference.
6. Off the heat, arrange the fish pieces on a flat plate and serve hot.

Asam Fish

Another appetizing dish of the Kuek family which calls for more rice!  It has been a while since I last cooked this yummy dish - a balance of savory, sourish, slight salty and sweet which calls for much tasting during the process of cooking as I don't have any specific measurements for the seasoning ingredients.  It is more of 'practice makes perfect' as well as depending very much on individual's taste-buds preference.

Ingredients:

• 2 black pomfret (scaled, cleaned and halved)

• 2 sticks lemongrass (peeled the outer layer, leave whole and smashed)
• 5 tbsp tamarind (mix well a bowl of water to obtain tamarind juice)

• Some lady's fingers/Okra (optional) 

• 3 tbsp cooking oil 
• enough water (for cooking)

Blended ingredients: blend with some oil until fine

8 shallots (peeled and roughly chopped)

5 garlic cloves (peeled and roughly chopped)

4 red chilies (remove some seeds and roughly chopped)

4 chili padi (remove some seeds and roughly chopped)

Seasonings:
Salt (to taste)
Sugar (to taste)

Methods:

1. In a medium heated wok add in 3 tbsp cooking oil, saute the blended ingredients for 1 minute, then put in the lemongrass and continue to stir until fragrant and oil separates.
2. Add in the tamarind juice, seasonings and water, give it a stir to mix well.
3. Add the fish (ensure the sauce ingredients is enough to cover the fish for it to cook properly), give it a toss and put the lid on.
4. In between cooking, stir often, turn the fish over, ensure enough sauce or else add more water and taste for correct seasoning of your preference.  
5. Just as the fish is almost cooked, add in the lady's fingers (if using) and put the lid on.
6. Continue cooking until the lady's fingers are soft, turn off the heat and let the dish sits in the covered wok for a while before serving for the flavors to seep into the fish. 
7. Serve with freshly cooked rice.

Fried fish in pineapple and chili sauce

Ingredients:
1 piece fish of your choice (can also use whole fish)
3 dried chilies (remove seeds, soaked and cut into 1" pieces)
1 fresh red chili (coarsely cut)
1 cup fresh pineapple flesh (cubed)
1 tsp ginger (chopped)
Water
Oil for deep-frying

Seasoning:
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sugar (to taste)
1/2 tsp chicken stock granules
Dash of grounded white pepper

Methods:

1. Rinse fish, pat dry with kitchen paper and deep fry in medium heat till golden brown and dish out.
2. Discard oil and leave 2 tbsp oil in wok, using low heat saute ginger till fragrant, add in both chilies , pineapple and seasoning, stir-fry using medium heat till well combined. Taste for correct seasoning.
3. Add water (just enough) and bring to boil, then put in the fried fish and cook for 1 minute on one side, turning over once.
4. Once the sauce has reduce remove from heat and serve hot.

This savory sourish dish is one which I will continue to cook again and again as it's deliciously yummy.  The pineapple and chilies makes the dish so irresistible and not to mention "more rice please!"

Tasty Savory Fried Fish

Ingredients:
1 piece fish of your choice (cleaned, wipe dry with kitchen towel)
1/2 tbsp chopped ginger
1/2 tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 tbsp chopped red chillies
1 tbsp salted black beans (washed and drained)
few sprigs of coriander (cut into sections)
Tapioca flour (for dusting)
Cooking oil (for medium frying)

Seasoning:
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
Dash of chicken stock granules
1/2 tsp sesame oil

Methods:

1. Dust the fish with tapioca flour and medium fried in a heated wok with enough cooking oil until both sides are golden brown in colour and dish onto a plate.
2. Drain off excess oil leaving about 1 tbsp in the wok, saute chopped ginger until fragrant, follow by chopped chillies, garlic, salted black beans, coriander and give it a quick stir fry.
3. Add in the seasonings and stir well.
4. Put in the fried fish, stir and turn the fish to coat evenly with the ingredients, dish the fish onto a serving plate topped with the fried ingredients.
5. Serve with a plate of hot freshly cooked rice.

Note:  This tasty savory dish is a great booster to our appetite! The combination of fried ginger, garlic, chillies, salted black beans, coriander drizzled with the slight salty and sweet seasonings balanced out the whole dish.  If you intend to cook a fish dish with a tasty savory flavour, this is one dish to include in your home recipe.

Thai style sweet-sour-spicy fish

Ingredients:
1 fish
5 slices ginger
2 pips garlic (peeled and sliced)
1/2 onion (shredded)
2 red chillies (cut into long strips)
1 tbsp corn flour mixture to slightly thicken the sauce
5 tbsp cooking oil

Marinade:
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tbsp shao hsing wine

Seasonings:
1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp sugar (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 cup water

Methods:

1. Clean fish, cut two slits on both sides, pat dry with kitchen paper, marinate, set aside for at least one hour to let the marinade seeps through.
2. Heat cooking oil in a wok, fry the fish over medium heat until fish has browned on both sides, turn up heat to finish cooking, dish, drain on kitchen paper and put on a serving plate.
3. Remove oil and leave 1 tbsp in the wok, fry ginger and garlic slices until lightly brown, stir in onions and chillies and fry until fragrant.  Add seasonings and bring to a boil, taste for correct seasoning, then add corn flour mixture to slightly thicken the sauce.
4. Scoop the sauce onto the fish and serve immediately.

Notes:  I have always been wanting to try a hand on Thai fish recipe.  Read a recipe recently, and with available fish sauce in my fridge I've decided to cook this dish with some amendments to improvise the dish to suit the taste of my family. The sweet-sour-spicy taste of the sauce is yummylicious and really boost our taste buds - YUM!