Steamed Ginger Paste Fish Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

Steamed Ginger Paste Fish

For those who adore ginger and seafood, here's another gingery treat for you when your big cravings kicks in, besides fried prawn with ginger sauce.  It doesn't matter if your gluttonous mind rules your belly or the other way round, as long as your taste buds being titillated, your spurts of cravings being satiated and you're inundated with intoxicating steamed fish treat at the end of your day! Make sure your fish slabs are uber fresh and steamed until its texture is soft but not mushy, then every spoonful you'll be delighted with meaty sweetness of the fish and pungency of the ginger, making it a blissful meal of the senses.

Here's the how-to recipe for you to steam ginger paste fish at home. Enjoy your home-cooked dish!

Ingredients :

2 thick slices fish fillet (any meaty fish)

Gravy :

80g finely chopped matured ginger

2 tbsp ginger marinade

Seasoning :

1 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp sugar (or to taste)

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (绍兴酒) (optional)

1 tbsp rose wine (玫瑰露酒) (optional)

Garnish :

1 tbsp chopped spring onion

1 stalk coriander leaves, sectioned

1 tbsp shredded young ginger

1 tbsp shredded carrot

1 tbsp sesame oil

Method :

1. Combined gravy and seasoning ingredients in a small bowl, stir well.

2. Clean fish slices and pat completely dry, then place on a heatproof dish. Spread the combined mixture (in Method 1) over the fish slices. Steam over high heat for 12-15 minutes or until fish is just cooked through.

3. Add sesame oil to the steamed fish and garnish with chopped spring onion, coriander leaves, shredded ginger and carrot before serving. Serve hot with steamed rice.

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Unique Taste Soy Beancurd (Tofu) Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

Unique Taste Soy Beancurd (Tofu)

Sometimes I wonder what make me tick and satiate with life, I did not know then. But now apart from my family, I feel intrigued by anything scrumptious on the plate that aroused my taste buds, bringing forth a delirious gastronomic delights.  Today, the enticement of the picturesque recipe in the Amy Beh cookbook made me surrender, then dashed right into the kitchen and came out with this dish.

The recipe did guide me through to transform a plain, bland and squishy soy beancurd (tofu) into something special. Interiorly, tofu retains its natural flavors with a mild garlicky, oniony, gingery and spicy tastes which marry well as a result of an half-hour-steaming. Exteriorly, the criss-cross-cut tofu is coated with a layer of sweet glaze,  a thick viscous yet luscious sauce which obtains its flavors predominantly from rock sugar, rice vinegar and Shaoxing wine, to name a few. A confused melange huh? I thought that's why the dish is labeled as unique taste. Well, I must admit that I aren't big into this sugary syrup, but at least am happy to know that tofu can be prepared in this fashion.

If you have a sweet tooth, you might fancy this recipe. Below how-to recipe will help you to embark on. Enjoy!

Ingredients :
1 big piece soft beancurd (aka soft tofu or silken tofu) 水豆腐, 嫩豆腐或滑豆腐
3 cm knob galangal, lightly smashed
5 cm cinnamon stick
2 star anise
5 cloves
1 whole big bulb of garlic, with skin on
3 stalks spring onions, lightly smashed
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp oil
500ml water

Seasoning :
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
40g rock sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp concentrated chicken stock
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine 绍兴酒 (optional)

Thickening :
1 tbsp corn flour
1 tbsp water

Garnishing :
A sprinkling of chopped spring onions
Some coriander leaves

Method :

1. Heat oil and sesame oil in a wok. Add galangal, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, garlic and spring onions. Fry until fragrant, pour in water and add seasoning. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to mere simmer for 30 minutes.

2. Gently place beancurd in a big steaming bowl. Pour in the cooked sauce and steam the beancurd for 25-30 minutes.

3. After steaming, gently remove the beancurd into a serving platter. Make a criss-cross cut on the beancurd.

4. Bring the sauce mixture to a boil and add thickening. Pour the sauce over the beancurd and serve with a sprinkling of chopped spring onions and coriander leaves.

Unique Taste Soy Beancurd (Tofu)

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Thai Style Steamed Fish Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

This recipe remains quintessentially Thai at heart, with the subtle combinations of sourness from Tom Yam, fish sauce and lime juice, evocative aromas of lemongrass, kafir lime leaves and coriander leaves, a hint of sweet touch from sugar, tangy flavor from galangal and a spicy kick from bird's eye chillies.

After having a good experience with Nyonya-inspired dish - Nyonya Style Steamed Fish, it did pique my interest to reinvigorate the palate with Thai-inspired meal - Thai style steamed fish. Both Nyonya-inspired and Thai-inspired dishes bear a strong resemblance between them, you can observe both dishes harmoniously blend locally grown roots, grasses, aromatic herbs and spices to perk up the flavors and at the same time retain their distinctiveness.

I made a little tweaking to the recipe which is calling for fish head and used whole seabass instead. Opt for an addition of chopped bird's eye chillies and you get spare little pinpricks of heat as counterpoint to opulent fishy sweetness. I still can remember the twitch of my tongue the moment I placed a spoonful of fluffy rice caressed by thick, lumpy Thai sauce into my mouth, utter bliss! The savory gravy is good until last drop.

If you're hankering for a taste of Thai cuisine but too lazy to drive that far to reach a cozy Thai restaurant in town, you still can enliven your Thai palate with this home-cooked dish.

Here's Thai style steamed seabass recipe. 泰式蒸鱼食谱

Ingredients :
1 whole seabass, about 600-800g, cleaned (with scale, gills and intestines removed)
3 tbsp lime juice
some coriander leaves

Spices (chopped and blended together) :
6 shallots
2 stalks lemongrass
2 pieces kafir lime leaves
1cm galangal
6 bird's eye chillies

Seasoning :
1 tbsp Tom Yam paste
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
70ml water

Method :

1. Combine all the chopped spices and seasoning, mix well to form a gravy, then pour over seabass in a steaming plate.

2. Steam at high heat for 15 minutes or until the seabass cooked. Remove the steaming plate. Squeeze some lime juice and sprinkle a generous amount of coriander leaves on top of steamed fish. Serve hot with white rice.

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Steamed Herbal Seabass (Ikan Siakap) Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

This Chinese herbal fish recipe entails the subtle use of herbal ingredients that is initially bring to boil into a thick stock, then the herbal gravy is poured over the fish and steam at high heat until cooked. The herbal gravy bestows a myriad of health qualities, gives a potent punch, has a delicate taste and bear an aroma of Chinese herbs.

You can hop on the health bandwagon with this quick and easy dish - steamed herbal seabass which brings an irresistibly down-to-earth herbal whiff of home-cooked goodness. Famously lauded for its prized disease-busting and remedial qualities, Chinese herbal broth can be easily assimilated by taking simple gulps or take a step further by steaming with fish, which you will have one-in-a-plate-dish that is chock full of luscious herbal goodness and protein-laden.

Google for some medicinal functions of herbal ingredients used in the dish and summarized as below.

• Codonopsis pilosula or dang shen (党参) : lower blood pressure, increase red and white blood cell count, cure appetite loss, strengthen the immune system and replenish qi.
• Chinese Angelica sinensis or dang gui (当归) : treat gynecological ailments, fatigue, mild anemia and high blood pressure.
• Poria cocos or fu shen (茯神) : remove spleen dampness and used in herbal remedies for insomnia, restlessness, fatigue, sleep disorder, tension and nervousness.
• Polygonatum odoratum or yu zhu (玉竹) : traditionally used in a range of afflictions from menopause to broken bones, such as expedite the healing of cuts and bruises, skin irritations and inflammations, good for acne, blemishes and all kinds of imperfections of the skin, alleviate a range of symptoms associated with menopause, indigestion, diabetes, broken bones, insomnia, kidney pains, and even infertility.
• Red dates (红枣) : strengthen the functions of heart and lung, nourish stomach and spleen, increase blood flow and oxygen to the brain to improve memory and promote clear thinking.
• Chinese wolfberries or qi zi (杞子) : has antioxidant properties with potential benefits against cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, vision-related diseases, having neuroprotective propertiesor as an anticancer and immunomodulatory agent.

Shelving nutritional goodwill aside, this easy yet healthy dish is also a smart choice for those who keep a tab on their waistlines. This is one of the dish that I would go for whenever I feel low on the health level and require some tonic replenishments, without sacrifying the time, taste or nutrient.

Here's the how-to recipe for you to make your own steamed herbal seabass at home.  药材蒸石甲鱼食谱

Ingredients :

1 seabass (ikan siakap), about 600g, cleaned (石甲鱼)

some coriander leaves and spring onions for garnishing (芫茜葱)

Herbal Ingredients :

6 pieces Codonopsis pilosula or dang shen (党参)

2 pieces Angelica sinensis or dang gui (当归)

1 piece Poria cocos or fu shen (茯神)

6 pieces Polygonatum odoratum or yu zhu (玉竹)

6 red dates, seeds removed (红枣)

1 tbsp Chinese wolfberries or qi zi (杞子)

300ml water

Seasoning :

1 tsp oyster sauce

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp shaoxing wine (绍兴酒)

Dash of sesame oil and pepper

Method :

1. Bring all the herbal ingredients (above-mentioned), 300ml water and seasoning to boil. Lower the heat and simmer until half of the original stock left. Remove the stock and set aside.

2. The cleaned seabeass is placed in a steaming plate. Pour the herbal gravy over the fish and steam at high heat for 12 minutes or until cooked. Remove the steaming plate, sprinkle coriander leaves and spring onions on top. Serve hot with piping hot fluffy rice.

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Steamed Pork with Pumpkin and Yam Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

This is a variation of Hakka dish with assemblage of sliced pre-fried pork belly, yam and pumpkin that are steamed in a full-bodied gravy sweetened by sugar and shaoxing wine and balanced by a savory counterpoint of fermented red beancurd (南乳) and fermented soy bean paste (豆酱). This savory sauce thoroughly infuses all three layers of pig skin, fat and lean meat after long hours of steaming that elevates this classic to new gustatory buds.

Here's another recipe for pork belly, so my poor reader, you will just have to 'pig out' with me! The picture above may not justify how flavorsome this pork dish is, but I'll wager it's among the most delicious.

The ingredients of steamed pork with pumpkin and yam (南瓜芋头扣肉) have some resemblances with Hakka steamed pork belly with yam (客家芋头扣肉), with additional pumpkin and fermented soy bean paste, but omitting Hakka nam yee red sauce. The pork belly is gelatinously tender, reminiscent of Hakka steamed pork belly with yam. The texture of the pumpkin is cooked just to tender, soft but not beyond mushiness, in contrast to the yam, which is way too much mushy after long steaming. Both pumpkin and yam add hint of sweetness to the dish, complement well with the savoriness of pre-fried pork slices which are smothered in the bath of fermented red beancurd (南乳) and fermented soy bean paste (豆酱) sauce mixture.

So, why still waiting? Get ready to pig out with this easy steamed pork with pumpkin and yam recipe (南瓜芋头扣肉食谱).

Ingredients :
5 cups oil for deep-frying
150g yam, peeled and cut into thick slices (芋头)
150g pumpkin, peeled and cut into thick slices (南瓜)
500g pork belly (五花肉或三层肉)
1 tsp dark soy sauce (黑酱油)
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves (芫茜)

Seasoning :
3 cubes fermented red beancurd (南乳)
1/2 tbsp fermented soy bean paste (豆酱)
1 tbsp light soy sauce (生抽)
1/2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp shaoxing wine (绍兴酒)
1 tsp dark soy sauce
250ml water

Method :
1.  Heat up oil for deep-frying, deep-fry yam until golden brown. Dish up and drain.

2. Rub pork belly skin with 1 tsp dark soy sauce and marinate for a short while. Deep-fry in hot oil until golden brown. Dish up and drain. Leave it to cool down and cut into thick slices.

3. Leave 1 tbsp oil in wok, saute chopped garlic and chopped coriander leaves until aromatic. Add in seasoning and bring to boil. Dish up.

4. Arrange pork, yam and pumpkin repeatedly in sequential order into a steaming bowl. Pour over the prepared sauce (from method 3) and steam over high heat for 1 1/2 hours or until pork belly is tender. Before serving, you may want to invert onto a serving plate lined with lettuce with sesame oil drizzled on top. To do this, place the serving plate over steaming bowl, then invert it quickly.

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Hakka Steamed Pork Belly with Yam Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

This heavenly Hakka piggy dish is thoroughly infused with five-spice powder and nam yee red sauce, inducing sweet-savoriness. Pork belly is deep-fried and sliced thickly, then alternately "sandwiched" with deep-fried yam slices in steaming bowl and steamed over long hours. This Hakka classic cuisine is characterized by its saltiness (from the use of soy sauce in marinade and fermented red bean curd in nam yee red sauce), sweetness (from rice wine, oyster sauce and yam), greasiness (from multiple layers of fat), rich aromas (from the use of star anise and five-spice powder) and yumminess (from right blend of ingredients).

Chinese New Year celebrations is not complete without pigging out on savory dishes and my in-laws family have no exception until recently. This Hakka signature dish - "Hakka woo tau khau yoke 客家芋头扣肉" used to grace our dining table during Chinese Lunar New Year. Being a Hakka, my mother-in-law is good at reciting the recipe theorectically and my sister-in-law practically transformed it into a scrumptious meal, while hubby and I are the lucky buggers who eagerly partake and savor this irresistible Hakka dish. I was previously not that zeal in the culinary pursuit, hence not noting down the recipe mentally. My culinary adventures and passions only grow intensely and culminate after I ceased my industrial job to be a stay-at-home mom.

Hakka steamed pork belly with yam is a spectacular dish that I dubbed the dish as "killer pork"! However, daunted by its complexity, labour intensive, time-consuming and its glorious fat, I don't usually cook the dish. It was until recently that I stumbled across a cookbook featuring how to make Hakka nam yee red sauce and I found it is not as complicated as I first thought. Knowing that my hubby is a hardcore fan for this classic Hakka dish, I grabbed home this cookbook from Popular bookstores. I gave it an attempt after mustering up all the courage for having a written recipe narrating the nam yee red sauce and steamed pork belly with yam making process.

It is such a gastronomic pleasures when you sink your teeth into this bowl of this thoroughly sauced-soaked Hakka cuisine. Though there's a big dose of fatty pork, I just can't resist the temptation and simply put aside all the gnawing guilt and sit down to indulge on these pieces of piggy heaven! I know, I know, I must put an extra effort in reducing that disgusting bad cholestrol later on!

I structured the recipes into two sections, first the Hakka nam yee red sauce recipe and secondly Hakka steamed pork belly with yam recipe (which I will lay out here).

Hakka "woo tau khau yoke" recipe  客家芋头扣肉食谱

Ingredients :
1kg pork belly (五花肉或三层肉)
500g yam / taro (芋头)
5 cups oil for deep-frying

Marinade :
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp five spice powder (五香粉)

Gravy (Mixed) :
4 tbsp Hakka nam yee red sauce
100ml water

Method :
1.  Cut pork belly into 3-4 big chunks and mix with marinade ingredients. Deep-fry in hot oil until golden brown and pork skin firm up and crispy. Dish up and rinse with water. Keep aside.

2. Use a fork (or toothpick) to prick some holes on the skins to allow the pork to absorb gravy later. Cut into 1.5cm thick slices. The half-cooked pork belly enable more efficient slicing process, unlike wobble raw meat slicing.

3. Clean yam and skin. Cut yam into 1cm thick slices and deep-fry in hot oil until golden brown. Dish up and drain. Absorb excess oil with kitchen towels.

4. Arrange pork belly and yam alternately onto a steaming bowl and pour over gravy.

5. Steam pork belly and yam on high heat for 1-2 hours until yam and pork is cooked and tender (the longer the better, so as pork belly is tender enough to melt in your mouth). Serve hot with white rice.

Tips :
If you're particular about aesthetics and presentation, you can invert onto a serving plate lined with lettuce with sesame oil drizzled on top. Place the serving plate over steaming bowl, then invert it quickly.

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Steamed Chicken with Preserved Wet Plums Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

Preserved wet plums and preserved black beans perk up the steamed chicken with their sourness, and it's perfectly complemented by the sweetness of the chicken marinade. It tastes heavenly after steaming which seamlessly harmonize both flavours.

Chicken is justifiably one of the highly consumable meats within my family, the reason is, it is low in fat, is protein rich and exceedingly versatile. If you are an observant, you probably will notice that I opt for making poultry dish instead of beef or mutton, as I detest the high intense of goaty flavours. Fortunately my hubby is not as picky as I am over meat favourism.

This dish essentially relies on the commercially available preserved wet plums and black beans, which you can easily get from local groceries in wet market or supermarket. Bird's eyes chillies impart a slight hint of spiciness, which otherwise is unnoticeable. The finished dish, I would say, is an appetising dish smothered in the bath of sweet and sour sauce. It's a great companion to steamed white rice.

Ingredients :
2 chicken whole legs, cut into pieces
2 preserved wet plums, mashed
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tsp chopped bird's eyes chillies (cili padi in Malay)
1 tbsp preserved black beans, soaked and chopped

Seasoning :
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce

Method :

1. Combine all ingredients, seasoning and marinade the chicken legs, let it stand for 30 minutes.

2. Steam at high heat for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Serve immediately with rice while it's still hot.

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Steamed Bean Curd with Minced Meat and Preserved Radish Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

An easy, quick and healthy tofu (soybean curd) recipe, topped with minced meat, preserved radish and shallot. This humble dish has a soft character that envelops the palate in a comforting embrace.

Tofu (soybean curd) is an incredibly versatile, soy-based, protein rich, nutrient dense and high calorie food. By pairing it with right blend of ingredients, you will turn this budget-friendly, homey, bland and squishy ingredient into a superior taste dish that's bound to impress, varied from lip-smacking entrée to creamy sauces and delectable vegan desserts. The beauty of tofu is, it absorbs the flavours of the surrounding ingredients it is cooked with.

Perhaps as unappetizing as it sounds or as unappealing as the photos seen, this simple dish does not disappoint. In fact, this soft, smooth, silky and custard-like white tofu with the generous toppings of minced meat, preserved radish and shallot is surprisingly satisfactory.

This quick, easy and hassle-free dish is a wise choice for a speedy mid-week dinner. It take less than 30 minutes to whip up.

菜香豆腐食谱（菜脯肉脺蒸豆腐）

Ingredients :
2 block white Chinese-style soft bean curds (soft tofu)
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp shallot, peeled and chopped
4 tbsp preserved radish, soaked and chopped (菜脯)
200g minced meat

Seasoning :
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tbsp sugar
dash of sesame oil and pepper
2 tbsp chopped spring onion

Method :

1. Heat up 1 tbsp oil in a skillet, sauté chopped shallot until fragrant. Then add in chopped preserved radish and stir-fry until aromatic. It is followed by adding in minced meat and seasoning, quick stir-fry to mix well. Remove the mixtures from skillet, and now the toppings is poured over the bean curds.

2. Steam the bean curds (with toppings) at high heat for 10 minutes. Sprinkle chopped spring onion over the steamed bean curds. Serve hot with fluffy rice.

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Nyonya Style Steamed Fish Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

Cooking Nyonya dishes is labor-extensive, involves delicate preparation and requires mingling of a variety of spices which is pounded into a very specific texture. It is a perfect amalgamation of spices used by the Malay or Indonesian community such as pungent roots, aromatic leaves and sometimes together with candlenuts, shallots, shrimps paste, chilies, tamarind juice and coconut milk. But it all well-worth the effort as the finished dish proved. Nyonya style steamed seabass transformed into delectable melt-in-your-mouth morsels, smothered in the bath of sourish, spicy and tangy spices. The subtle selection of ingredients give it a wow factor that make you want to savor every mouthful.

If you're looking for easy delightful Chinese-Malay fusion to satisfy your spicy and sour cravings, you might want to try the recipe below.

娘惹式蒸鱼食谱

Ingredients :

1 seabass (siakap in Malay)(about 700g), cleaned

2 tbsp onion, shredded

2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

Spices :

2 stalks lemongrass, chopped finely

3 tbsp ginger flower, chopped (bunga kantan in Malay)

1 tbsp bird's eye chillies (cili padi in Malay)

4 tbsp squeezed lime juice

Seasoning :

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp fish sauce

dash of pepper

Method :

1. Combine all the spices and seasoning, pour over the cleaned seabass.

2. Steam at high heat in a wok with boiling water for 10-12 minutes until the fish is cooked. Then remove the fish from wok.

3. Sprinkle shredded onion and coriander leaves on top of the steamed fish and serve hot with fluffy rice.

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Salted Chicken in Glutinous Rice Wine Recipe | Easy Asian Cooking

A low fat recipe with kampung chicken, tinged with the sweetness of Glutinous Rice Wine and the fiery, pungent flavour of fresh ginger. This ginger-enriched dish also consumed during confinement to expel winds afterbirth.

Rice Wine (mijiu, 米酒) is a clear and sweet chinese rice wine (like Japanese sake) made from glutinous fermented rice, drunk as a beverage or used in cooking exclusively in East and Southeast Asian countries. It is categorized as a form of chinese "yellow liquor"(huangjiu or 黄酒).

My hubby bought me a bottle of glutinous rice wine when I was in confinement 2 years ago and it was left unattended in my kitchen cabinet after the confinement. I decided to use it for my cooking when I'm trying to keep up with what's in the kitchen weeks ago. I bumped into this recipe and was happily give this a whirl, wondering on the medley of flavors that would be produced from!

Salted chicken that is imbued with the sweetness from Glutinous Rice Wine is juicy, tender on throats, sweet (but not overly sweet), zingy and full of bright and vibrant flavor! Shredded ginger round out the flavors, giving the kampung chicken a good kick!

黄酒咸醉鸡食谱

Ingredients : 材料

1 kampung chicken, cut into half and cleaned 1只甘榜鸡，开半，洗净

1/2 tsp sesame oil 1/2小匙麻油

2 tsp salt 2小匙盐

1/2 tbsp oil 1/2大匙油

2 tbsp shredded ginger 2大匙姜丝

300ml glutinous rice wine 300ml糯米酒/黄酒

Seasoning : 调味料

1/2 tsp salt 1/2小匙盐

1/2 tsp sugar 1/2小匙糖

Method : 做法

1. Stir-fry sesame oil and salt in a wok at low heat until fragrant. Dish up and rub all over the chicken. Put into fridge and marinate for 6 hours.

先将麻油和盐放入瓁里用小火炒香，然后涂抹在鸡肉上，放入雪柜腌6小时。

2. Steam the marinated chicken at high heat for 25 minutes or until cooked. Remove and cut into serving pieces.

将腌好的鸡以大火蒸25分钟或至熟，取出斩块上碟。

3. Heat up oil and saute shreded ginger until fragrant. Add in glutinous rice wine, seasoning and bring to boil. Pour over chicken and serve.

烧热油爆香姜丝，加入糯米酒和调味料煮滚，淋在鸡上即可享用。

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