Salmon Fish Curry

I am not a professional cook. I'm just into quick, easy and delicious recipes. Today's recipe was taught by an Eurasian housewife years back and even after all these years, it still serves as a quick fix to my curry cravings. The salmon used in the curry are not the usual fillet but the belly strips which are sold separately. Known for its high fat content, the belly lends a creamy finish to the dish, which otherwise can only be achieved through using coconut milk. I love this dish with a bowl of rice but it actually tastes best with some prata, even if it's the frozen ready type.

Serves 2 -3

Ingredients:

3                             shallots, sliced
2 cloves                 garlic, minced
2 slices                  old ginger
2 tablespoons        cooking oil
300g                      salmon belly slices
2                            chilli padi, sliced
1/2 cube                fish bouillion cube
2 tablespoons        fish curry powder

Method:

Heat a wok with 2 tablespoons on medium heat and add in the minced garlic, sliced ginger and sliced shallots. Fry for about 2 minutes or until fragrant.

Mix the curry powder with some water until a thin paste is formed. Transfer the paste into the wok, and add in a few more tablespoons of water. Fry on low heat until a layer of oil forms on top of the paste, usually for about 5 minutes.

Pour in 500ml of water, mix well and bring the water to boil. Add in the salmon belly slices, bouillion cube and sliced chilli padi. Lower heat to low and simmer covered for about 10 minutes.

Cincalok Omelette

 

My brother has recently returned from a short getaway to Malacca, Malaysia with a bottle of cincalok - fermented small shrimp. Usually served as a condiment, the pungent salty pink little shrimps can also be fried with dishes. One of the easiest way to showcase that unique gorgeous flavour, is to fry it with an omelette. Absolutely delicious, if you ask me.

Ingredients:

2                              eggs
1/2                           white onion or 4 shallots, sliced
1                              red chilli or 2 small chilli padi (if you like it spicier), sliced
1 tablespoon            cincalok or more if you prefer
2 tablespoons          cooking oil

Method:

Heat a frying pan with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Add in the sliced onion and chilli and fry until it is fragrant.

Beat the eggs with the cincalok and add into the frying pan.

Fry each side of the omelette on high heat for about 30 seconds and serve.

Creamed Spinach

 

I've had a huge bunch of spinach left in the fridge and decided that a creamed spinach will be the ideal side to my grilled meat. Creamed spinach uses heavy cream but if you run into a situation like me where you don't keep heavy cream at home, you can always subsitute with some milk and butter. If using low fat milk, do add in 1/2 tablespoon of flour and you are all set to go.

 

Ingredients:

 

1 packet                     spinach, washed and drained

1/2 clove                    garlic, minced

3                                 shallots, minced

2 tablespoons             butter

1/4 cup                       heavy cream (or 1/4 cup milk with 1 tablespoons butter)

pinch                          nutmeg

                                   salt and pepper to season

 

Method:

 

Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add in the spinach and cook for about 2 minutes. Drain, squeeze the water out of the spinach and chop finely.

 

In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and add in shallots and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes.

 

Add in the spinach, cream, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Stir and cook for about 4 minutes or until the liquid has reduced and reached a thickened consistency.

 

Grilled Rack of Lamb

 

My brother had personally air flown some beautiful lamb racks back from New Zealand and the only way to do justice to these gorgeous looking meat is to grill it to perfection. The success to a good grill dish lies with its marinade. It's time like these that I'm thankful that I insisted on having my spice rack at home. It's always better to use the fresh herbs but if you live in a tropical country like me, some dried ones in the fridge will do the job just fine.

 

Ingredients:

 

8                         baby lamb racks

2 cloves              garlic, minced

1 teaspoon          dried thyme

1 teaspoon          dried rosemary

2 tablespoons     olive oil 

                           sea salt and black pepper to season

 

Method:

 

Mix the olive oil with the dried herbs on a chopping board and chop till it forms a rough paste.

 

Season the lamb rack with sea salt and black pepper. Rub the herb paste onto the lamb rack and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

 

Remove from fridge and leave it in room temperature for at least 30 minutes before grilling.

 

Set the grill on a high heat. Grill the lamb racks for about 3 minutes on each side for medium and half a minute lesser for medium-rare doneness.

 

 

Shark's Bone Cartilage Soup

 

I know the environmentalists are gonna frown at me but still, I have to admit that Shark's Bone Soup is one of my all time favourite soups, even more than the expensive shark's fin. Then again, I was never a fan of the ubiquitous shark's fin soup to begin with. Lest the common perception that this is another version of a shark's fin soup, you will be surpised to know that it has absolutely no shark's fin in it. All you get is a thick milky gelatinous soup that is packed with all the collagen extracted from the shark's bone after hours and hours of brewing. Don't ask me why I like this, I just enjoy that sticky aftertaste in my mouth, evidence of a collagen overload.

 

Ingredients:

 

1                        chicken carcasse, blanched

1 packet             pork shank, blanched

10                      chicken feet, blanched

1 thumbsized    Jin Hua ham, diced 

1 piece              dried tangerine peel

1 tablespoon     white peppercorn

5 pieces            large sharks soft bone

3 slices             old ginger 

1 tablespoon     wolfberries, rinsed

 

Method:

 

Place all ingredients except the wolfberries in a large stock pot and place in 4 litres of water. Bring to boil.

 

Lower heat and simmer for a good 4 hours covered, stirring constantly to ensure that the ingredients do not stick to the bottom of the pot. Add in more water if required.

 

After 4 hours, what you should get is a thick milky gelatinous consistency. Add in the wolfberries and cook for another minute or so before serving.