Tag Archive for: Asia
Asian Steamed Fish
Ingredients
- Saltwater fish
- Ginger sliced
- Green onions chopped
- Oil
- Soy sauce
- Sugar
- Chili flakes Optional
Instructions
- Picking your fish: Look for saltwater fish with thin skin (no big scales) that’s generally 8-12 inches long. Pick one that fits into your pan without having to cut it in half.
- Clean the fish thoroughly.
- Cut slices of ginger and chop your green onions.
- Place the fish on a plate and scatter the ginger and green onions over it. Note: Some people also put a pair of chopsticks under the fish and place the green onions around to keep airflowing underneath.
- Put water into a wok and bring it to a boil. Place fish inside steaming tray (we use a bamboo steamer).
- Put the cover on and steam the fish for 8-13 minutes. Timing is dependent on weight of the fish.
- Switch off the stove and let the fish sit for 2 minutes. Do not open the cover; this will cause the heat to leak out.
- To prepare your sauce, liberally add oil to a heated pan.
- Add soy sauce and a bit of sugar.
- Add extra ginger and chili flakes (if desired).
- Optional: Pour the juice from the fish into the sauce.
- Bring to a boil. Add your green onions last so they remain green and don’t get overcooked.
- Pour the boiling sauce over the fish and serve.
Notes
Eating whole fish with bones in it is common in China and Hong Kong. Don't be shy about eating the meat that's on the head—the cheeks are supposed to be the best part of the whole fish! Chinese tradition also says that eating the eyes will help you see better.
Nepalese Chicken Momos
Ingredients
For Filling
- 200 grams ground chicken
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 sprigs spring onion chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp momo marsala
- 1/2 tsp tumeric powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp garlic
- 1 tsp soy sauce
For Dough
- 1 cup plain flour
- water as needed
Instructions
For Filling
- Mix the ground chicken in a bowl with spices and mix well to combine.
For Dough
- Mix flour and water to form a firm and soft dough. Set aside to rest.
For Assembly
- Take the rested dough and roll into small balls and flatten it with a rolling pin to create a small a thin, flat and round shape. Take a small portion of meat mixture and put it in the center of the dough. Wrap it over making sure you conceal the dough so no meat mixture shows. Repeat.
- Boil water in a momo steamer, once the water boils, grease the steamer and place momo's at the top shelf making sure they do not touch. Steam for 15 minutes. Serve hot.
Notes
This is a favorite dish of many people in Asia. We especially enjoyed them in Nepal. I actually went to a class and learned how to make them with my granddaughters.
Nepalese Marsala Tea
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 3 cups milk
- 2 tbsp black tea
- 6 tbsp sugar
- 3 whole cloves
- 2-3 cardamom pods cracked open (or 1/2 tsp ground cardamom)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp ginger
Instructions
- Boil water and milk together.
- Add the black tea, sugar, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon stick and simmer for 10 mintues to blend flavors.
- Strain and serve hot.
Thai Pork Massaman Curry
Ingredients
- 1 ½ LB of Pork (or Chicken or Beef)
- 5-6 tbsp Massaman curry paste 5-6
- 3 tbsp Thai spices
- 3 tbsp cardamom
- 2 bay leaves remove before serving
- 3-4 tbsp star anise
- 6-7 cinnamon sticks
- 5 cup coconut milk
- 5 potatoes
- 3 onions
- 1 cup peanuts
- 8 tsp fish sauce
- 5 + 1/2 tsp coconut sugar
- 4 tsp tamarind juice
Instructions
- Slice the potatoes, onions, and pork into large chunks, as usually for a stew.
- Cook the pork, when it is nearly finished add in a cup of coconut milk and the curry paste and mix together.
- Add the remaining coconut milk, the spices, the potatoes, peanuts and onions to stew.
- Add palm sugar, fish sauce, and Tamarind juice to taste.
- Stew the curry for about 40 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
- Serve with white rice.
Video
Bangladeshi Hilsa fish
Ingredients
- 1 tsp black cumin seed
- 1/2 tsp turmeric seed
- 2-4 green chilies
- 1 tbsp mustard oil or veg. oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a shallow pan fry fish pieces to a golden brown
- In a pan heat 1 tbsp oil and add 1 tsp cumin seed and let it crackle
- Add about a cup of water and 1/2 tsp turmeric and salt to taste and boil.
- Add fish pieces, split the green chillies and add to curry.
- Cook 2 minutes.
Notes
This is one of the most popular dishes in Bangladesh.
Hilsa (or ilish) curry is the national dish of Bangladesh, made from the Hilsa fish, and is one of the most popular traditional Bangladeshi dishes. The Hilsa fish is marinated in turmeric and chili paste, before slowly frying on a low heat and serving with a mustard gravy and rice
Thai Mango Sticky Rice
There is a lot to love about Thai food. Panang Curry, Spicy Basil Pork, and Papaya Salad have quickly become some of my favorite dishes. But none of them beats my absolute favorite: Mango Sticky Rice. There are many recipes out there for Mango Sticky Rice, some more garnishes or steps, but I’ve found the simple recipe is just as good and takes a fraction of the time and effort. In fact, I’m not sure I can call it a recipe because I don’t know the exact amount, but I’ve tried my best to lay it out for you here.
Equipment
- Rice Cooker (Or a steamer)
Ingredients
- 3 cups Thai Sticky Rice (Not jasmine, it won't work)
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 mangos yellow, sweet, juicy ones
Instructions
- Put the sticky rice in the rice cooker with water and set to glutenous rice setting. Alternate Step One: You can also wash, soak the sticky rice for 5-6 hours, and then steam the sticky rice using any form of a steamer, Thai people use steam baskets, steaming for about 15 minutes. (You see, this is why we just buy it local for $1.50!)
- Mix coconut milk with sugar in a saucepan and heat until the sugar is all absorbed into the sticky rice.
- Peel the mangoes and slice off two sides of the mango from the pit. Slice the mango into bite sized pieces. I usually do one cut lengthwise and four or five cuts widthwise.
- When the sticky rice is finished, place sticky rice and mango on a plate together. Pour the sweetened coconut milk over the sticky rice.
- Eat and then repeat step four.
Video
Northern Thai Pork Stew
This is actually a Thai adaptation of a Taiwanese dish brought by immigrants about a century ago. The version shared here is a family favorite of the Wiesenauer family. Super easy to make. Smells and tastes amazing.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork cut into 2 inch pieces
- 4-6 potatoes peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup cooking wine
- 2 slices ginger root approximately 2 inches long each
- 2 whole star anise
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp sugar
- Enough water or chicken broth to cover ingredients
Instructions
- Put ingredients in crockpot and cook on low for approximately 6 hours. Add more water as needed.
- Serve over rice.
- This dish is traditionally served with hard boiled “stewed” eggs. The eggs are boiled and peeled first, and then soaked in some of the stew sauce overnight in the fridge.
- Then return the eggs to the stew when you reheat it.
- The eggs only work if you plan on making the stew a day ahead of time or if you plan on having leftovers for the next day.
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