Sambal Stuffed Mackerel 参巴塞 Kembung 鱼

Back! I'm back! It has been a really long while and a good break that sure was! One that left me yearning for more (and definitely so looking forward to another break anytime soon), coming home was just... a little difficult indeed. But truth be told, I'm back feeling like I am a better person, having learned that there is so much more installed in life and surely... all energized! It took me a while to get back to blogging and I do sincerely apologize for not being back on time. But now that both the hesitation and procrastination barriers have been broken through, this will hopefully set me back on track... fingers crossed! *wink*

Deciding on a starting point, I thought this would make a fair continuation to where I last stopped - the Laksam Kelantan. Not directly related in any ways, their similarity simply lies on the fact that they share a common ingredient in both their makings - the Indian mackerel fish (better known as the Ikan Kembung in Malaysia). I chanced upon the Indian mackerel fish not that long ago - probably just a couple of months back - but I was truly thrilled to have found it in one of the Vietnamese grocery stores around where we live. And that finding almost immediately sparked off plenty of ideas as to what I can now make and cook out of it - all of which are some specialties of Malaysian cuisine - mostly those that I am rather familiar with, others not so.

And I started off with the Laksam Kelantan in conjunction to the Malaysian Food Fest (MFF) Kelantan Month held by Gertrude from My Kitchen Snippets last month. This Sambal Stuffed Mackerel 参巴塞 Kembung 鱼 was one of my mom's specialities, my dad's all-time favorite despite the fact that he had always disliked fish (for their bones and the danger they pose! lol)! Yup, this was his one and only exception. But seriously, anyone who have tried this would have easily fallen for this too.

Nothing like the usual steamed of deep fried, this Sambal Stuffed Mackerel 参巴塞 Kembung 鱼 is just so delectable (and even that hardly justify how good they really are!). And obviously, it is the sambal that makes it all special - spicy, salty with a tad of sweetness and tanginess from the tamarind. Stuffed and then pan fried to give them a slightly charred look (and crispiness at some parts while the firm flesh within not at all jeopardized), they are seriously finger-licking good and best had with rice!

And just like how my dad had obviously decided back then - going bare hands and picking at the fish bones in this case was just worth it all!

Laksam Kelantan

It has been a real long while since I last had laksam. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder"... there's so much truth in that saying when it comes to many aspects in life, but probably just not so much with food. It wasn't until I came across Gertrude's from My Kitchen Snippets on her post on the Malaysian Food Fest (MFF) Kelantan Month that had once again stirred all the memories of everything Kelantan-related food in me after all this while.

Browsing and reading through her post, it felt like a walk down the memory lane - of all the family gatherings my dad's side of the family had had in Kelantan back in my younger years and particularly of the many years dad spent working in the state up North along the Peninsular East Coast, away from home.

A sweet moment of reminiscence that sure is...

My appreciation (with some curiosity) for the diverse cuisines in Malaysia is one precious value I take after my dad. We share the same enjoyment trying different cuisines whether or not they are the familiar to us, checking out new places, exploring different cities like the locals, strolling at one local bazaar after another and especially getting spoilt for choice when it comes to food. It was during those trips of ours to Kelantan that I was briefly introduced to Kelantan culinary delights. And the rest of the story - they simply unfold and develop themselves there onward.

Of the extensive list within Gertrude's introduction post that reveals some the most famous dishes in Kelantan with good details, my attention kept getting diverted back to one single dish among them - the laksam. Oh, how I've missed it! Made famous in the East Coast particularly in (but certainly not limited to) Kelantan and Terengganu, it is a local favorite for many, even for a Kuantan folk like me.

The difference between the laksam of both states? Not much really... they closely resemble one another especially in term of appearance. The only difference (but maybe not so notable after all) is probably how the Kelantan laksam tends to be a little sweeter in taste whilst the Terengganu version - a little more savory in general.

I have not an exact recollection as to when and where I had first tried the laksam, but it has always been one of the few dishes in my "lookout" list especially during the Ramadhan months with food bazaars springing to life everywhere. Having not had it for so so long, that post was all needed to first get me so intrigued, and then all motivated to check the laksam out a little more. That, plus some extra  readings especially on its making and I'm all decided - this is it! I shall give it a try making my own at home!

Scouting out for a laksam recipe was not too difficult a task - thanks to its popularity! This is a recipe I adapted from Ita at Masam Manis in her post on Laksam which in turn has originated from Yani at Myresipi.com. My only setback in this laksam making - I did not manage to get hold of any asam gelugor (dried tamarind slices). So where it should be present, I substituted them with the tamarind juice instead (a suggestion brought forth by Chef Wan in his post on Tuna Curry featured on Asian Food Channel). It did concern me a little wondering if the lack of asam gelugor (and especially its natural fruity flavor) will affect the laksam much, but it was proven unwarranted in the end. There's the promised delightful tangy taste in the gravy nonetheless, and it's not at all disappointing. But should you have the asam gelugor readily available in your pantry, by all means please do use them...

Breaking the laksam down to its components, we have the laksam gravy, the noodle, the ulam (a mixture of fresh herbs and salad eaten raw) and the sambal. A brief look at it - it is generally a serving of rolled up flat rice noodles drenched in a rich and relatively thick white gravy, topped with a variety of ulam and finished with a huge dollop of sambal (and a squeeze of lime!).

 ikan kembung (Indian mackerel)

The rich and relatively thick white gravy - it is the centerpiece to a serving of laksam, pretty much defining the quality of the laksam in general. Made primarily with fish - first steamed, deboned and then pulsed into a paste, the gravy with a natural sweetness coming from the fish is then made creamy by adding in the coconut milk. Some of the choices of fish include the ikan kembung (Indian mackerel), ikan selar (yellowtail scad), ikan selayang or ikan tamban (both translated as sardine on the MalaysianFood.net in its glossary page). With some minimal spices adding in some aroma and tanginess to the gravy, its taste (and appearance) is accentuated and made even more unique with the use of black pepper powder and especially so when it is freshly and coarsely ground.

The laksam noodle is made with a mixture of rice flour and wheat flour. Slightly thicker than the usual flat rice noodle (kuey teow), making the laksam noodle has always been more like a homemade affair - they are almost never seen or sold readily made and packed in the market unlike all the other easily available types of noodle. From a smooth batter, a small amount is spread in a thin layer and steamed to set. As it cools, it is rolled up neatly and cut to bite sized right before serving. Soft with a tad of springiness, they should neither be too thin or too thick in texture.

The ulam made up of different types of vegetables and herbs makes a great source of fiber that completes the laksam in terms of its nutritional value. It is also the garnishing that does the rest - it adds color, complements the aroma and enhances the taste. Some commonly used greens that make great candidates for this ulam include the bean sprouts, cucumber, long beans, daun kesum (Vietnamese coriander) and bunga kantan (torch ginger bud). Served raw (some julienned, some thinly sliced, others serves as it is), the ulam adds a contrasting flavor and texture with an extra crunch to a serving of laksam.

And for the finishing touch - the sambal! Made with fresh red chilies and some birds eye chilies for an extra kick, it comes with a hint of piquancy from the shrimp paste (belacan) added in. A plate of laksam now completely transformed visually with the vibrant red of sambal - with a grandiose squeeze of the fresh quartered lime to wrap things up... the laksam's all done!

Now... to the recipe!

Crispy Deep Fried Baby White Pomfret 脆皮炸白鲳鱼仔

This is one of the plenty other dishes that will always bring me down the memory lane of mine. Kids being kids, I had always loved everything deep fried and crispy that came readily packed with a crunch in every bite. And this Crispy Deep Fried Baby White Pomfret 脆皮炸白鲳鱼仔 is one of mom's regulars back then. My dad and my brother are no big fans of fish and especially so after a couple of those mini episodes of theirs with the nasty fish bones in general. Mom and I - we love everything fishy! No, not literally that of course lol.

A simple dish it sure is, but getting it done right does take a little basics set right with plenty of patience to spare. But when you have got those checked off, this is what you get - crispy, golden brown looking baby white pomfrets that need basically no effort to literally break a bone lol. And as much as most people will find this unacceptable, they're so crunchy and brittle every little part is made edible! My favorite parts? The side fins, side bones and the tail! Eww I know, but yummm lol. And all those plus just a tad of saltiness coming from the light soy sauce further enhanced in the presence of the smoky hot oil drizzled in prior to serving... super yummm lol.

Chee Cheong Fun (Steamed Rice Rolls) with Curry and Sweet Sauce 咖哩甜酱猪肠粉

I'm back! lol. Took some self-proclaimed holidays post the Chinese New Year celebration, fought the winter storm over the past week, laid back and rested and now I'm feeling all recharged! Browsing through my album, I reckoned I shall start off with this - Chee Cheong Fun (Steamed Rice Rolls) 猪肠粉. Something light and easy to write about, pleasant and soothing (hopefully) to read about lol.

My history with chee cheong fun started when I was a kid still. Back then chee cheong fun to me was steamed rice rolls of bite sizes that came served with just the sweet sauce 甜酱 with plenty of sesame seeds sprinkled on it. You get to pick the ingredients to go with the cheong fun - fish balls, meat balls, fish cakes, mini sausages, bean curd sheets (fuchok) and plenty more. Years later when I tolerated spiciness better, I started having them with some hot sauce on top of the existing sweet sauce (in a 1:4 ratio maybe). So that brought the cheong fun a different dimension; it is now packed with an extra flavor.

Then came another version of chee cheong fun into my life. Instead of them rolled, they came in sheets. Briefly cut, you can have them plain or served alongside a variety of yong tau foo. And instead of the sweet sauce, they came in a shallow pool of curry. Interesting...

At some points, dad introduced me to yet another version of chee cheong fun - his hometown, the Taiping version! This Taiping version has got to be the simplest version of all. Simple yet unbelievably awesome! There's the cheong fun in it; and there's the special red sweet sauce that came served with it. Oh, and it's loaded with fried shallots too. That's it! The red sweet sauce tastes very much like the red sweet sauce that is often served with steamed yam cakes. And as unique as it sounds, some cheong fun stalls actually sell those yam cakes too. So a lot of times, you'll see patrons slurping away plates of chee chong fun topped with yam cakes, all in a same serving plate. Even more interesting... lol.

An all-time big fan of chee cheong fun myself, it didn't take me that long to be craving for this when I moved here. And this featured here is a personal preference of mine; it's a bit of all those above mixed together. Rolled cheong fun with an assortment of yong tau foo and side dishes, drenched in both the sweet sauce and curry gravy with a dollop of chili sauce on the side and finished with sesame seeds and crispy fried shallots for garnishing. I haven't got the talent to be making my own steamed rice rolls just yet, so store-bought ones it is for now! Having tried a couple of different brands, the plain ones produced by the Canada Hung Wang Food Inc. has always been my choice. But someday, someday I shall live up to the challenge and start rolling my own in my kitchen lol. 

Homemade Mee Hoon Kueh (Hand-Torn Noodles) 面粉粿

A post rather similar to the Flour Noodle Soup (Pan Mee Soup) 清汤板面, this was made to satisfy my sudden craving for a bowl pan mee out of the blue. So sudden I hardly had all the ingredients I needed to make this our dinner that day. Yet I wasn't quite that keen on making a trip out to get them all. With some store bought flour noodles left barely enough for an individual serving, I resorted to making my own dough this time. Not my first time, but definitely one that I have not done for a while now. Probably so since I have found the commercial pan mee that I got so contented with, one that I still think is somewhat comparable to those home made ones as mentioned in my previous post.

The good thing about making my own? I guess rather than having the usual thin and round noodles 幼面 that I regularly made my pan mee with, I can opt for the hand torn version of pan mee this time around. mmMMmm, suddenly all my taste sensations just felt so awaken simply picturing a bowl of this mee hoon kueh lol. Not having the "manicai" with me, I have that green substituted with the Chinese mustard green (choy sum). And instead of the fried baby anchovies that I previously used, I made a batch for garnishing with the regular kinds of anchovies. Simple variations, minimal changes, huge satisfaction!

Steamed Chilean Sea Bass in Soy Sauce

It was barely a month ago when I first came upon the Chilean sea bass. And that was all that is needed to get me all so head over heels with this sea treasure. In Bellagio Hotel where we stayed throughout our trip to the Vegas, this Chilean sea bass was one of the many other upscale high quality items that they served in their dinner buffet line. I don't quite remember how exactly the fish was done then, pan-roasted maybe or plainly steamed even. But I do remember going all "ooooh and aaahhh"s with each bite I took. That naturally became the center of attention to my dinner that night. Even the Kobe beef and the Alaskan king crab seemed to come second behind this. Yea, that was how crazy I got over this lol. Unlike the many fish dishes commonly seen in a buffet line, this was nowhere close to those that tend to get overcooked in some manners. This Chilean sea bass literally melts in your mouth! But of course that has got to be attributed to the great team of chef behind its making.

Returning home, that experience had made hubby and I a better observer these days especially in the fish markets lol. Little did we know that the Chilean sea bass (not really a bass) can actually fetch a real premium price in the market, let alone in those high end restaurants where they can be found in their menus. The highest I have noted to date marks a good $37 a pound in a local market here near where we live. It is almost at the same time that I also started noticing how it has always been a debated issue if the Chilean sea bass is an endangered species. Turn out they are not. The problem with them has all along been one coming from the large, unreported catches coming from illegal fishing that makes keeping track and managing this valuable fish population difficult. But as far as the fact goes, they are not listed as an endangered species.

 

With that, I got our first piece of the Chilean sea bass home. I chose to have it steamed, pretty much resembling the Chinese way of doing it. Topped with some minced garlic fried to perfect golden brown, I had it served with a soy sauce specially concocted to include a tad of sweetness. Sweet and salty yes, but not too overwhelming on the whole that it may mask the exquisite flavor of the fish. And to finish up, I drizzled some hot fried garlic oil along the the center line of the fish. This is a tip I learned from my mom who has in turn learned from my nanny decades ago. The smoky hot oil plays a role in locking and binding all the different flavors together. And with that it adds a touch of richness in taste to the dish, especially coming from the spring onion curls and the cilantro leaves that lined the top. An amazing source of protein naturally rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, this piece of sea treasure simply makes a sublime meal!

Ikan Bakar (Grilled Fish) 烧鱼

Arghhh, cravings cravings cravings!!! The first time I got all too ambitious and decided to make an attempt at this, it was this craving alert that pushed me right into this. I was all motivated, at least good enough to get me to the kickoff lol. A bout of excitement then started but that was soon followed by some disappointments and later a little frustration along the way, and at some points it was all three in one. The craving hits so hard you know you really would do anything to satisfy it even if it doesn't promise much. With that impulsive decision of mine, I spent hours in the kitchen that day trying to create and re create, adding a bit of this and a bit of that and decided on a bit more of this and a bit more of that all in the hope to get the right hit to the basic sambal because this is simply just how it works - no sambal and there won't be a foundation to this and so there'll be no ikan bakar! Oh NOOO!

My kitchen was quickly turning into a food lab. This was a picture of desperation in reality. Frustrated that this is one of the many things that I have never heard or seen served anywhere in the many Asian restaurants here where we lived, not even a version close enough to extinguish this craving heat in me; and even more so that of all things I had to crave for something so challenging and impossible to make my own. One thing leading to another, the hours spent experimenting on it was a real test against the little patience of mine, so much so that I was very close to the verge of just giving up and trusting myself to handle the craving on its own over time. But hey! Things took a turn for the better at a point and the sambal was actually turning out to be good if not superb. And I finally got my parcel of a sea bass fish with squids and okras wrapped in banana leaves grilling away to perfection a while later. One that came packed with bundles of joy and satisfaction at last to hubby and especially myself, and also to our group of friends who we shared this with - the few who are just like hubby and I, grew up surrounded by this good and gracious ikan bakar, a classic favorite in Malaysia. 

Amazingly spicy and savory in taste, this is a parcel opening to reveal an elegant piece of juicy seafood treasure contained within daubed generously with the specially concocted homemade sambal. This time the same craving attacked, I was way calmer than I was before. The highlight to this very episode of mine - the stingray! My very personal history with ikan bakar started with exactly this, one that I have never thought possible of finding here. Slightly better self prepared with the little experience I have in hand this time around, this is a masterpiece so heavenly I have never imagined myself making within the very comfort zone of mine here at home. Add in squids or clams as you like, they'll make just as awesome a parcel with or without. As the name suggests, this is always best grilled to give the fish wrapped in the banana leaves a uniquely charred characteristic and the aroma as they get caramelized on the whole. But I must say that to fire up the grill outdoor in this chilly weather on the other hand did not look that appealing to me. So oven to the rescue! And worry not about the result - it's finger licking good all the same lol. The only setback? The dipping sauces that I have yet to venture into still. The cincalok and the one loaded with shallots and chilies? Argh there goes me salivating again just picturing them lol. Anyone with some good recipes to spare me pleaasse?

Cantonese Style Steamed Fish 粤式蒸鱼

When I first started in the kitchen, my first steaming self-taught lessons began with this Cantonese style of steaming. Probably the most classic way I am not exactly too sure, but on average eating in and out, I indeed have had this more than any other styles steaming can adopt. Steamed whole with ginger and spring onion and lightly bathed in a specially mixed light soy sauce, this gentle method of cooking works well in retaining the fish's tender and delicate texture. This is pretty much the very same version of steamed fish that I grew up having at home. So ultimately, this is exactly what I first intended and eventually attempted to learn and re-create in my own kitchen two years back. But honestly, the first couple of times were so meh. And as with many other things, making a steamed fish is definitely one that only gets better with experience. You adjust and readjust the sauce fine tuning it each time, you experiment with the steaming time until you can visualize well how it correlates with the size and especially the thickness of the fish and you then start perfecting it by regulating the heat locating the optimal point, and lastly finishing it with a refined garnishing. And when you have done enough wrongs and some rights, you will soon figure that you have got the steaming ABC right at your fingertips. 

Quoting from the post on the Steamed Fish with Ginger Puree 姜茸蒸鱼, "Regardless of which steaming styles with what kind of sauces you decided to adopt, they always do come back to the steaming basics - a real fresh fish to begin with, scale, clean and gut thoroughly, season and stuff, make a bed, set timer and steam, lift and transfer to a serving plate, pour prepared sauce over the fish, garnish and serve! Contrary to that precious essence we do always get with steaming a chicken, the pool of fish juice and the stuffing post-steaming is anything but good. Fishy and cloudy in appearance, having utilized them fully throughout the steaming process would have rendered them tasteless, flavorless and simply too unpleasant a sight when served alongside the fish. So yes, have them removed and always let the fresh fish start anew post steaming."

Steamed Fish with Ginger Puree 姜茸蒸鱼

This was totally impulsive - I woke up missing fresh swimming fish, and all of a sudden I was so missing the ginger-puree-style of steaming. I missed the ginger pungency with its heat factor and I simply missed missing it having last had it easily more than a decade ago. Now time sure flies! So off I went to the the Chinese grocer and got myself a tilapia fish at its freshest. One moment the fish was happily mingling with its kind in the large fish glass tank, the next moment the five-minute-dead fish was sitting still in the box beside me in the passenger seat as I drove home in my evil grin - obviously thinking about the dinner I was so anticipating lol.

When you have a fish this fresh to begin with, I would really think that you are already halfway there. And while there are plenty other ways to getting them done equally good, I would really love to think that steaming when done right, is the way to go. It brings out the best a fresh fish can offer - tender flesh flaking just so optimally and a texture so delicate it almost goes melting with each bite, held back by the very bit of chewy nature it retains still. With the right heat and duration, steaming lets you savor the freshness and natural sweetness with a minimal intrusion. 

Regardless of which steaming styles with what kind of sauces you decided to adopt, they always do come back to the steaming basics - a real fresh fish to begin with, scale, clean and gut thoroughly, season and stuff, make a bed, set timer and steam, lift and transfer to a serving plate, pour prepared sauce over the fish, garnish and serve! Contrary to that precious essence we do always get with steaming a chicken, the pool of fish juice and the stuffing post-steaming is anything but good. Fishy and cloudy in appearance, having utilized them fully throughout the steaming process would have rendered them tasteless, flavorless and simply too unpleasant a sight when served alongside the fish. So yes, have them removed and always let the fresh fish start anew post steaming.

The whole picture of dealing with a whole fresh fish may look so intimidating and too overwhelming especially for a beginner. But we all start as a newbie and there always is so many firsts in life. Surely this is something that only gets better with experience. So keep trying, make mistakes and when you know that you finally have got them under control, you will then agree that steaming fish is something easy - pure, and simply delicious. 

Stir Fried Bean Sprouts with Salted Fish 咸鱼炒豆芽

I remember hating bean sprouts growing up. Not the small handful served in a bowl of curry noodle or the few strands found in a plate of fried noodles or even those wrapped in a spring roll, but only when it was fried in a large amount and served as a vegetable entree accompanying a meal. I have not even the slightest idea as to what the reason was, but I do remember growing up thinking that a plate of stir fried bean sprouts was my mom's easy way (oops, sorry ma lol) to fulfill and satisfy my request to always have a plate of vegetables to go with our everyday meals. Not that it was simply done, it was never that. And it was not that we had to have it raw either. So honestly, I have no clue as to what was with me and the bean sprouts relationship. Maybe they are simply not green lol.

Over the years, I slowly did get my sense normalcy back in check and the relationship eventually took a change for the better - it turned neutral at the very least. I started to like it alright whenever it was served and the hatred feeling no longer felt. A few more years later was when an occasional craving did start kicking in once in a while. And venturing into the kitchen was when I truly started to adore bean sprouts and their crunchy with a delicate hint of sweetness nature. Pair with salted fish with some additional pieces of tofu just like how mom always makes it at home, I guess this is me traveling back in time reminiscing the love-hate feeling I once had for this.

Flour Noodle Soup (Pan Mee Soup) 清汤板面

Pan mee has been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. This I must have picked up from mom, who in turn has gotten it from my grandmother. Dad and brother, however, not so. Despite losing the two biggest fans at home, mom would still be making this pretty often and especially when dad and brother were not home for some reasons occasionally. So counting back, my very first exposure of this must have happened at home, with the most conventional type - the broad, flat, non-uniformly shaped hand-torn pieces served in soup that mom would always make. "Mee hoon kueh" 面粉粿 is what we call this in Hokkien. 

With this being one of the many local favorites in Malaysia, soon I learned that they are plenty other types of pan mee around. Often involving the use of a pasta maker machine these days, there are the thin and round noodles 幼面 and also the wide flattened long strips noodles 粗面. Instead of the basic dough made of plain flour, water and sometimes the egg, some have even evolved to incorporate the use of some natural colorings from natural ingredients creating a multicolor pan mee. Thinking back, I remember how a shop selling the 3-color pan mee 三色板面 was such a hit back in my hometown when it first made its appearance years ago. They have the red from dragon fruits (pitaya), orange from the carrots, and green from the spinach.  



While the soup version remains the most basic one that I am most familiar with, the dry tossed pan mee is yet another common way of having the pan mee served. A lot similar to the dry version of wonton noodle, they are tossed in a specially mixed dark soy sauce. Either way, they are both served with the usual topping most commonly seen - minced meat, some sliced mushroom, fish balls or pork meat balls, deep fried anchovies and not forgetting some greens on the side. Fast forward a few years later during my uni years was when a close friend, Simon introduced me to the world of chili pan mee. A subgroup of the dry tossed pan mee, the chili pan mee is mixed and tossed in fiery dry chili flakes fried to perfection instead of having it tossed in a special concoction of dark soy sauce.

a bowl of homemade chili pan mee commonly served with a poached egg

With all the years in between and more different versions of pan mee continue sprouting out, I continue to adore pan mee all the same, if not more. Entering my married life, my mother-in-law makes especially good homemade pan mee. Knowing that I am a big fan just as she is one herself, pan mee was a guaranteed dish that she would always be making time after time, again and again whenever hubby and I got to spend some time at home, enough to drive my youngest sister-in-law out of the house literally each time she was warned ahead of time of the upcoming lunch or dinner menu lol. Well it just so happens that she is one of the few that I know who really despises pan mee wholeheartedly. 

Moving here, a pasta maker machine is one of the first few items in the kitchen that we invested in. And that began the series to many trials and errors experimenting with the noodle making in our very own kitchen. Right until I stumbled into this pack of noodle in the Chinese grocer that I frequent weekly and decided to give it a try. Plain flour, water and salt are all that listed under the ingredients on the package and just like pan mee, it comes in all three different types - big cut pieces, the thick noodle as well as the thin one. I must say that I have been very happy indeed using this for all those bowls of pan mee so far. With all the time and effort saved minus the hassle dealing with flour, it is a shame on me to admit that the machine has since been kept away for a while now. A failed investment? Maybe lol.

As far as making a bowl of pan mee soup goes, balancing the noodle and the toppings with some good quality of soup base is crucial in defining its final quality. Living by mom's pan mee-making principle, the anchovy stock is what I will always make to go with the pan mee. While I am not particularly choosy when it comes to the type of greens used, the sweet leaves, better known as the "mani cai" 马尼菜 is probably the most common vegetable typically seen served in a bowl of pan mee. To spot or secure this here in the States was what I used to think as something totally out of the question. Moving in to a new town and exploring the different Asian stores around soon after, one of the Vietnamese grocer's place here was where I surprisingly spotted this for the first time ever here. Excited I sure was and there a day or two later, we finally had a taste of what seemed like the most classic version of pan mee soup, feeling all so satisfied.

Anchovy Stock 江鱼仔上湯

Anchovy stock has always played a big role in my family's diet growing up, certainly unknowingly to me back then. It makes the basic to many different soupy dishes that mom always makes at home - bowls of noodle soup, the many more elaborated soups that we have had every now and then, and this even makes the soup base to which bowls of congee are made. Obviously oblivious to anything happening in the kitchen when I was a kid, this is a discovery that came way later in the years when I have grown up and learned enough to care. It all then make every sense as to how we have never failed to be awed by how flavorful, sweet and perfectly balanced those soups were back then - everything good minus the usual unquenchable thirst from soups you would get dining out. And if there were just one thing that mom was really proud of her cooking, it has got to be the absolutely MSG-free food that she has made over the years, and this is just one of them.

To have a special liking in a good anchovy stock is definitely something that I picked up from mom. To have a preference for a stock appearing to be slightly cloudy rather than an all-clear one, that I must have got the influence from my ex-room mate, ChanSee who has always been a natural in the kitchen. Having the anchovies lightly pan fried in just a little bit of oil is what needed to do the trick, giving it the right color and hue when made into stock later.

Anchovy stock is one that can always be made pure with no unnecessary additives or flavor enhancers needed. What really matters will be the amount and particularly the type of anchovies selected to begin with and the rest will then depend on the way this is prepared. Of equal vital importance here is the surprising fact that unlike many other different kinds of stock, anchovy stock is one that does not get better with prolonged simmering time. 10 to 15 minutes are all it takes, beyond which the sweetness diminishes and the bitterness then dominates. This is good to be made right there and then when required or even well ahead of time. They can be kept refrigerated or frozen in batches for up to two months and come in really handy anytime a good soup base is needed to prep a meal.

Yong Tau Foo 酿豆腐

Yong Tau Foo, of which a direct translation will be "stuffed tofu" is probably a name very well depicting the dish itself. While the history may have started with just that, the dish must have evolved over the decades, tested against time, influenced by the food customs of different nations around the world, modified and molded along the way bringing us the versions that we actually see and savor today.  

My personal history of yong tau foo started with the very version featured here stuffed with fish paste, served on top of a bowl of curry noodles back in my hometown. And then there were these served on the side with a plate of smooth rice noodle roll 猪肠粉 bathed lightly in a sweet sauce, or served topping a bowl of plain noodle soup and not forgetting the one served in a big combination platter on its own to go with rice. 

Fast forward a few years dining at a relative's place was when I had my first try of the Hakka version of yong tau foo. While the choices of vegetables and soy products used for stuffing are generally the same - eggplant, bitter gourd, okra, red chilies, tofu, bean curd sheets and tofu puffs being the most common few, the main difference between this posted here and that of Hakka will be the stuffing used. Instead of plain fish, the stuffing includes two other ingredients that are often incorporated into Hakka cuisines - pork and salted fish. Served in gravy made with fermented bean paste, Hakka version of yong tau foo, infused with the aroma and taste of salted fish has a flavor distinctly different to this other version. I must however say that either version is nevertheless just as awesome in their very own specific ways.

Growing up in Malaysia with yong tau foo so easily found everywhere throughout the country, this is something that I must have taken for granted all along unknowingly. It was only after moving here to the States that I really do begin to appreciate this heavenly dish. The closest thing we have here is probably the stuffed eggplants often served at dim sum places with the stuffing made of pork and shrimps instead. Not as good maybe, but they do keep my occasional cravings in check most of the times.

Back at home in my younger years, I did know that making this from scratch was indeed very time-consuming and labor-intensive involving bouts of literally throwing, slapping and pounding all in the pursuance of a springy and bouncy stuffing in the end. I had personally seen mom in action making this every now and then and it indeed is a shame on me that never once had I got myself involved to learn from her back then. A spoiled brat I sure was lol! To make one from scratch over here is definitely made difficult with the limited choice of fresh, whole fishes available in the market. I may have seen some Atlantic Spanish mackerel every now and then in the Chinese grocer, but one single bad experience here with its freshness was more than enough to stop me from ever getting near it again. So with that coming to an end, my hope and dream for a homemade yong tau foo eventually got halted too. Right until the day I spotted this - frozen Cha Ca fish meat emulsion at the Chinese grocer.

Skeptical I indeed was initially of especially the quality but this being probably the only option to reliving my dream again, I bought one and gave it a try anyway. And - well lets just say that my dream came true soon after! While this may never be on par with those homemade ones done from scratch, this has indeed become my best choice since.

Beer Battered Perch

Growing up as a kid in Malaysia, an occasional dining experience in restaurants specializing in serving Western cuisine would be what we kids called a treat. And kids being kids, we simply love the out of the norm food that we would usually get in those restaurants. One of the classic favorites would be the chicken chop, which I learned only years later that it is by no means a Western specialty surprisingly.

Unique to Malaysian mostly, this is more of a local creation that almost everyone from all ages has come to love and adore, but has somehow mistakenly linked it to the Western cuisine for a reason obviously unknown to me and stayed the way it is since. So much so that picturing and describing it here with words seem a little difficult. Here is a photo of it.

black pepper (gravy on the side) served with fried, coleslaw and mashed potatoes

That aside, I had always have a special liking for fish and chips in those restaurants all the same. And the preferences stay through all the years growing up. Leaving Malaysia to study abroad, while chicken chop was nowhere to be found, I was in a city with fish and chips aplenty. In Glasgow, Scotland, it is so popular you see them everywhere, pretty much like a Glasgow version of fast food. The Counting House right in the city center was where I had my first fish and chips away from my homeland, and somewhere in the same city was where I had my very first taste of beer battered fish and chips.

Re-creating the beer battered fish at home using perch fillets, it was a pleasant surprise to see how well they turned out to be. Perfectly browned with a light and crispy texture, they were nicely infused with beer flavor on the outside, yet nicely retaining both tender and flaky qualities on the inside.

ocean perch (on top) and yellow lake perch (bottom)