Oven Roasted (Grilled) Mackerel 烤鲭鱼

We usually have mackerel (saba fish) cooked on the outdoor grill, however the grill is kept away during winter; so with a vacuumed-packed mackerel in the freezer, there are two choices (1) pan-fry the fish over the stove, or (2) oven-grill.


I pick the latter, of course - the no-fuss, clean and neat way to crispy skin mackerel. It is so easy to prepare the fish this way as part of a regular meal plan. The entire meal is completed in about 20 to 25 minutes, which is the time it takes to cook the fish.

Steamed beets, oven-grill mackerel, sauteed garlic baby spinach

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Bengali-Style Fish 孟加拉式鱼料理

Bengali-Style Fish or perhaps...not-Bengali-Style Fish. I do not know what prompted me to cook this dish. I was flipping through a cookbook - Easy Curries, at my friend's place and came across this dish Bengali-Style Fish that seems quite a easy recipe for curry-style fish.

Why did I say not-Bengali-Style Fish? Well, if mustard oil and mustard seeds are what makes it Bengali cuisine, then it is not Bengali-Style Fish, as mustard oil/seed is not used here (not available in my pantry at time of cooking).


However, ease of recipe wins and the lack of essential ingredients did not deter me. This winter weather calls out spicy food and curry-style dishes.

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Herb-Roasted Trout En Papillote 香草烤全鱼

Steamed Whole Trout in Parchment En Papillote is a quick and easy recipe that yields extraordinary results. With beautiful whole trouts and fresh herbs ready in my kitchen, such a cooking method is typically reserved for hassle-free-cooking.


Previously, I have used a smaller whole trout and stuffed the cavity with green onions, garlic, and ginger.

Today, the recipe uses fresh thyme and rosemary. If you grow these herbs in your garden or kitchen, it is a good time to incorporate them in this recipe. The reasonably big-sized (and long) trout is also perfect to accommodate a generous mix of garden herbs, then baked en papillote which technically steams the fish in the oven.

In order not to overpower the delicateness of the fish, the strong-scented rosemary usage was kept to a minimal ~1-2 sprigs per fish; in comparison to mild lemon-scented thyme that was used quite generously for each fish.

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Pickled Chili Steamed Whole Fish 泡椒蒸鱼

What? Tilapia is also widely genetically modified?! Now that is a contradictory view to Monterey Bay Seafood Watch. Perhaps, that is why some consider tilapia a fish that is good for the environment but bad of us, consumers. In a good way, we don't always eat tilapia fish - whole or fillet. The only reason I buy tilapia, or specifically whole tilapia, is because it is one of the two (the other being sea bass) fresh "live" whole fish usually available in the Asian supermarket. Once in many months, we go for fresh whole tilapia to add an element of variety to the routine salmon and sardines.

After steaming

Steam - that is how I cook fresh whole fish. A fuss-free way of cooking, steaming brings out the delicate texture, and fresh clean flavors of a white-flesh fish like tilapia.

Today, it is about putting a new spin on quite an ordinary steamed whole fish. How about adding some finely minced tangy pickled chili for the appetizing zing, and fresh red chili for the spicy kick?

Seasoned and "assembled"..prepared to be steamed

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Pan-Fried Yellow Croaker 干煎小黄鱼

As I am writing this, I am still figuring out if yellow croaker is native to Korea or China. I have heard from my friend YJ, who used to live in Shanghai, that Pan-Fried Yellow Croaker 干煎小黄鱼 and Braised Yellow Croaker 红烧黄鱼 are some homestyle side-dishs in many families in China.

However, Pan-Fried Yellow Croaker Fish is also quite commonly served in Korean eateries or restaurants, and found in Korean supermarkets. Further reading into Yellow Croaker Fish or Yellow Corvina has indicated that this fish is actually a traditional fish staple in Korean traditional formal dining (hanjeongsik: meal with a smorgasbord of banchan side-dishes laid out on the table).


Known as Jogi when fresh, and Gulbi when lightly salted (and dried), I bought these frozen yellow croaker from Hankook Supermarket, my favorite Korean supermarket in the South Bay (Super Kyo-Po and Galleria Korean marts are the other two stores that I know of in the South Bay).

On this same day, I had the chance to taste the pan-fried yellow croaker samples as there was a food demo on this particular product. Since the fish comes salted, I could taste some briny flavors on the mildly sweet fish. I also saw how easy it was to use the frozen fish (heads already removed) straight from the package, onto the frying pan, as demonstrated. At home, I followed exactly what was done in the food demo.

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Whitebait Shirasu Egg Fritters Omelette 吻仔鱼蛋饼

Calcium-rich Shirasu (whitebait, of Japanese anchovy) is typically used in home-style Japanese cuisine. A simple and delectable snack or side-dish, I am making Shirasu (Whitebait) with Egg again, in the like of Chinese home-style cooking. This time, the cooking directions have been slightly tweaked and in my opinion, an improvement from the last time.


Now, Shirasu is but another (different) type of anchovy, not the Mediterranean anchovy, not the Southeast Asian anchovy (a.k.a Ikan Bilis).


Rather than adding Shirasu to the egg, and whisking with the egg before pan-frying the Shirasu-egg mixture, the green onions and Shirasu were sauteed/lightly fried in the pan, to "aromatize" (爆香), prior to adding the whisked egg to the pan.

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Grilled Eel Rice, Unagi Don 鳗鱼饭

Not until I saw eel and eel bento being promoted all over on ad flyers of two of my neighborhood Japanese supermarkets, I did not even know the existence of a day Doyo-ushi - a day in Japan that is "dedicated" to eating eel (unagi). Generally, the consumption of eel during hot and humid summer days in Japan helps people fight fatigue and recover stamina as eel is nutritious with a rich source of Vitamins A, B1, B2 and E.

Japanese unagi imported from Japan, available in Mitsuwa (on sale for $17.99 for 4.4oz eel)

Eel is actually not seasonal and can be enjoyed all-year round. You can always order eel sushi, or eel rice (Unangi Don) from the regular menu in a reputed Japanese eatery; or buy eel (typically, already broiled, then vacuum-packed) from the supermarket.

Due to decreasing eel population, it is now very rare to have eels from Japan that is imported and sold in our local supermarkets. Most packaged broiled eels (I would say 90%) sold in Japanese and Korean supermarkets are all from China. If you frequent Japanese restaurants/eateries very often, and happens to love Unagi Don, that unagi is most likely from China as well.

Eel preparation, with reference to JustOneCookbook.com 

Rare as the facts but on this special day of Doyo-ushi and a week before, some supermarkets here in the Bay Area especially the Japanese supermarkets bring in eels, usually already broiled and vacuum-sealed, that are indeed "product of Japan". As a bonus to eel-consumers, it might be during this time that the already expensive "product of Japan" (about $25 for just about a 5-oz broiled eel) will be discounted, to about $18 - well, not heavily discounted but still a discount; and without doubt, even after sale, it is still much more expensive than the China eel counterpart that is just 1/5th the price ($6-7 for about 5-6oz eel).

Which would you buy?

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Garlic Roasted Tomatoes with Fish 蒜烤小番茄

For today, the focus is the roasted grape tomatoes with garlic, and not the fish. Do not under-estimate the umami in roasted tomatoes. Roast a batch and you can use it in several dishes though I bet these garlic roasted tomatoes will be gone without knowing, so don't even think of several dishes.

With these cod fillets, you can either roast/bake or steam.

When baking the fish, it should be done in a different baking tray/pan from the tomatoes. That is to prevent the fish and tomatoes from turning soggy by their inherent moisture liquid in the baking process.

If you choose to steam the fish, roast the tomatoes first; then place the roasted tomatoes with the fish and steam them together. For example, you can make Parchment-Baked Cod Fillets/Cod En-Papillote with roasted tomatoes in it and it should turn out delicious. In such a steamed dish, the fish will be infused with the umami, savory, sweet flavors of the garlic roasted tomatoes. 

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Sweet & Sour Salmon 酸甜鲑鱼/三文鱼

How do you make a dish "sweet and sour" similar to Sweet and Sour Pork or Plum Sauce Chicken, or Orange Chicken, or Lemon Chicken?


In this recipe, the "sweet and sour" essence is created by fresh tomatoes, caramelized onions, hint of brown sugar in soy-based sauce, finished off with a little black vinegar. Many times, this has been my simple way to cook fresh whole fish such as tilapia and yellow croaker - sweet-sour style.

Today, I am giving this sweet-sour spin to the salmon fillet, and make an entire meal out of it, in a skillet.

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Almond-Crusted Fish 杏仁片鱼柳

If you are thinking of making a biscuit- or panko-crust fish fillets and do not have soda crackers or panko in the pantry, use sliced almonds as an alternative.

With the sliced almonds, it gives an additional toasty nutty flavor to the fish!


Tag: almond-crusted fish, fish nuggets

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Whitebait (Shirasu) Egg Fritters 吻仔鱼煎蛋

Whitebait - a collective term for immature fish, is also known as Shirasu in Japan. In Mandarin, it is quite often known as 银鱼 or 吻仔鱼.


I remember having them as egg fritters when I was younger. That is perhaps the most popular Asian way of using this ingredient. As the fish is mildly briny, it adds flavor to the omelette and if you cook the egg a little longer, the omelettle actually crisp up and become more like fragrant fritters, calcium-rich fritters!

Note: The Shirasu Egg omelette segment starts from the beginning and ends at about 4.40mins

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Milkfish (and Belly) Porridge in Tainan, Taiwan 虱目魚粥

I usually like my rice porridge or congee more soupy than thick and starchy. How about you? So between Cantonese porridge in which the rice is boiled longer then cooked down with the soup broth or water to a thick and smooth consistency; versus Hokkien-style (also Teochew-style) porridge in which rice grains in the porridge are soft yet intact (you still have to bite and chew on the rice) with visible rice grains and brothy soup distinctly separated in that same bowl of porridge yielding a typically more soupy/watery porridge, I tend to choose the latter.

Milkfish belly porridge, @ 阿星咸粥

Hokkien-style porridge may be cooked in two ways - either soup is directed ladled over cooked rice 泡饭/饭汤 or the rice grains are cooked with a high proportion of fluid (water or broth) till the grains absorb broth flavors. I prefer the latter.

It is my first time trying milkfish porridge 虱目魚粥 and this has by far become my favorite Tainan or Taiwan dish or snack (breakfast). I enjoy it very much, perhaps because I have always enjoyed Hokkien-style porridge.

Milkfish belly porridge, seafood combination porridge, and pan-fried milkfish belly, @阿堂咸粥

A lot of milkfish porridge stalls in Tainan open really early, as early as 5.30am (some even open 24 hours!). The locals and early-birds sure have a good breakfast before they start their day.

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Milkfish, Awa, Ikan Bandeng, Bangus, 虱目魚

Milkfish (虱目魚 pronounced Si Mu Yu) is a southern Taiwanese specialty. Some popular Taiwanese milkfish dishes include milkfish (and milkfish belly) rice-porridge (虱目魚粥, 虱目魚肚粥），pan-fried milkfish belly （煎 虱目魚肚） and fishballs made from milkfish （虱目魚丸). Have you tried this fish before?

Top left: Milkfish belly porridge; top right: seafood combination porridge, bottom right: fried milkfish belly

If you are hearing about milkfish for the first time just like me, you may want to know more about this fish. It is also known as Awa - in Hawaii, Ikan Bandeng in Indonesia, Bangus in Philippines. I am not quite sure the method of preparation for milkfish in these countries, but I surely like how the Taiwanese prepares them, incorporating de-boned milkfish into a Hokkien-style rice-porridge. I have actually seen whole milkfish being sold in the Asian supermarket - 99 Ranch, in California, USA; however, I don't think I know how to de-bone this notoriously boney fish that is said to have more than 100 to almost over 200 fish bones!

Milkfish has good nutritional value - very high in niacin and Vitamin B12, high in phosphorus, high in selenium, high in vitamin B6. Similar to other oily fish e.g. sardines and salmon, milkfish is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) - "nutrients" for the brain. However, since it is high in purine, gout sufferers should mind their intake of this fish.

Tag: milkfish

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Grilled Salmon Belly 烤三文鱼肚腩肉

While this is my first post on salmon belly, it is definitely not my first time enjoying this "delicacy". As salmon belly has a oilier texture than salmon fillets, it is really hard to overcook this part of the fish and especially easy to cook on the grill. If you are into crispy salmon skin whenever salmon fillets are pan-seared or when salmon-collars are grilled, then you will enjoy salmon belly on the grill even better.

Salmon Belly with Saba (Mackerel) Fillets, and Vegetable (Zucchini, Bell Pepper, Pineapple) Skewers

Though I usually buy salmon fillets, Alaskan wild (frozen, vacuum-packed in individual packages), the salmon belly here is the farmed version. Farmed salmon is often claimed to be a less-preferred source of salmon as they are often raised in crowded fish pens, treated with antibiotics when infected by any disease, and depending on the variety and the meal they are fed, may have higher levels of PCBs (Source: Eatingwell.com).

However, I have also heard another source (from America Test Kitchen) that as wild salmon does not have a controlled environment, some wild varieties tested actually contain very high levels of PCBs due to the nature of the waters they are swimming in.

Do you buy wild salmon or farmed salmon?


Salmon Belly (left), Saba-Mackerel Fillets (right)

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Asparagus, Tomatoes, Ginger & Cilantro Salmon 芦笋蒸三文鱼

This is another way to flavor up a steamed salmon dish by using a lot of ginger and cilantro. Of course, steaming the salmon with asparagus and tomatoes adds natural-tasting flavors too!

Which is the star ingredient? They all are!

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Biscuit-Crusted Fish Nuggets

February is what I remember when I batter-coat something. Not the month so to speak but FEB as in the sequence of batter coating: first F (flour); then E (egg). last B (batter).


Biscuit-Crusted Mahi-Mahi

Today, however, it is another batter or bread-like coating for this fish fillets with the use of soda crackers/biscuits. Soda cracker is a thin, usually square cracker made from white flour, yeast, and baking soda. Perhaps it is what I grew up with that soda crackers are not usually salty; thus from my understanding, soda cracker and saltine cracker are different kinds of biscuit especially when taste is concerned.

It is a simplification of F.E.B as only two ingredients are required. The two ingredients "breaded" coating for this pan-fried mahi-mahi fillets: egg white and soda crackers.

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Braised Yellow Croaker Fish 红烧黄鱼

I am usually delighted when a Korean eatery serves fried yellow croaker in banchan (small dishes served along with cooked rice in Korean cuisine). The fish has delicate flavor and tender-firm flesh. When fried, they can be such delicious...SNACKS!

This USA wild-caught yellow croaker was purchased from the Korean supermarket - Hankook. "Freshness" caught my attention. Then it reminded me of the yellow croaker ( 黄鱼） dishes that my friend usually cooks - Yellow Croaker Soup and Braised Yellow Croaker. I have always "depended" on my friend on these two dishes and according to her, these two dishes are signature home-style Shanghai dishes. Now, I need to learn how to "fish', instead of being fed "fish" all the time, so I decided to try cooking this Lightly Braised Yellow Croaker  红烧黄鱼 at home.


Frying the fish
Clean and gut the fish, pat dry. Dust some flour on the fish then pan fry the fish both sides (to crisp up both sides of fish). Make sure there is enough hot oil in the wok/pan before frying the fish. Do not move the fish while frying on the first side. It will allow crispy skin to form, and the fish will not stick to the pan. When both sides done, set the fish aside. Leave about 1tbsp of oil in the pan for sauce preparation.

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HappyCall Pan (HCP) Pan-Fried Fish Fillet

When I first watched HappyCall Pan (HCP) demo on TV, one of the highlights was how easy it was to pan-fry a whole fish without the grease and splatter all over the kitchen. That, to me, is a big plus. Though I have not try a whole fish on the HCP yet, I have to say it worked quite well for a fish fillet.

HappyCall Pan (HCP) Pan-Fried Spiced Fish Fillet
The sole fillet was lightly seasoned with paprika, ground turmeric, ground coriander, a little extra virgin olive oil, squeeze of lemon juice. Then place on the pan, pan-fry about 3-5 minutes per side, till cooked. In the process of cooking the fish, the pan was also partially closed (not locked by magnetic) so that the steam cooks the fish fast. Also to prevent any splatters.

Other HCP creations: Fried "Rice" Quinoa

Tag: happy call pan, fish

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Tandoori Masala Fish + Curried Cauliflower

Both these dishes were cooked on one same day which can be called "oven-cooking" day whereby almost the entire meal was cooked using the oven. The flavor base is similar in the fish (tilapia fillet) and vegetables (cauliflower) using onion, garlic, ginger and tomatoes.

Let's start off with the Tandoori Masala Fish. Marinated for at least an hour in masala powder, paprika, ginger-garlic paste, a little salt; then leftover marinade to mix with thinly sliced onions, garlic and chopped tomatoes. Place marinated fish on the bed of onions and tomatoes, then bake in pre-heated 375-400F oven for 20-30 mins till the fish is cooked and onions caramelized.


This Baked Curried Gobi (Cauliflower) is prepared by mixing blanched cauliflower (then seasoned with curry powder, ground coriander, turmeric, ground red pepper, pepper and a little salt) with finely chopped onions, garlic, chopped tomatoes, finely chopped cilantro; then also bake in the oven 375-400 for 20-30 mins, till the cauliflower is lightly charred (caramelized)

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"Feast of the Seven Fishes", my way

While the Italians-Americans celebrate Christmas Eve with Feast of the Seven Fishes; to the Chinese, a quintessential fish dish for reunion dinners during the Chinese New Year symbolizes prosperity and abundance.

2011 will end soon with the the New Year 2012 being welcomed, here is my take on "seven fishes" for the new year; AND the Chinese New Year (23rd and 24th Jan 2012) - for all good tidings to come.

As a welcome to the new year, there are new fish dishes featured below with recap of some older recipes at the same time. The past, present and future are part of us. What is your take on whole fish? I absolutely enjoy whole fish and usually get them fresh (and "live") from the Asian supermarket.

(1) NEW: Negi Miso Baked Mackerel (adapted from Negi Miso Chicken@ Nami's - Just One Cookbook ). The sweetened-up of leeks while caramelizing balances the savoriness of the miso - the perfect marinade for this fish when I did not have teriyaki sauce to do the more common/popular teriyaki-glazed fish.


(2) NEW: Braised Whole Tilapia in Soy-Based Sauce with Green Onions, Ginger, Tomatoes, Shitake Mushrooms. My friend calls this "Lazy Man's Fish" 懒人鱼as the fish is not pan-fried (a lazy way of cooking, thus the name) prior to braising. Not perfecto but the flavors are definitely not compromised I can guarantee. I enjoy it a lot!


(3) NEW: Steamed Whole Tilapia with Ginger, Green Onions, Tomatoes on a bed of greens. Steaming is one of the best ways to cook a fresh fish, if you ask me. And to me, this is even simpler to cook than the braised fish above. Well, just for a sake of change and to tamper the taste buds once in a while, I interchange "steaming" and "braising" quite often.


But of course, the convenience of fillets (without the extra cleaning and scaling) as part of kitchen prep. cannot be over-emphasized.

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