Asian Style Salmon

I suddenly had cravings to eat fish last night at about 10pm so obviously I could not/did not want to whip up some fish and eat them then go to bed so hubby suggested that I take the fish out from the freezer so I can cook them the next day.

I found two salmon that I bought a couple of weeks ago and decided to cook that. I tried cooking salmon on the pan before and it stunk up my whole house thus I don't cook salmon in the pan anymore. I normally cook my salmon on the grill so that it won't stink up the house but hubby was at work when I tried to cook this so I decided to use the oven instead hoping it won't stink up my house.

Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds whole salmon, cleaned
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons chili sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger root
1/2 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2 lime, zested
1-1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1-1/2 green onions, chopped

Method
1. Prepare outdoor grill for high heat.
2. Trim the tail and fins off of the salmon. Make several shallow cuts across the salmon's skin. 3. Place salmon on 3 large, slightly overlapping sheets of aluminum foil.
4. In a bowl, stir together soy sauce, chili sauce, ginger, and garlic. Mix in lime juice, lime zest, and brown sugar. Spoon sauce over the salmon.
5. Fold the foil over the salmon, and crimp the edges to seal.
6. If using hot coals, move them to one side of the grill. Place the fish on the side of the grill that does not have coals directly underneath it, and close the lid. If using a gas grill, place the fish on one side, and turn off the flames directly underneath it; close the lid. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove to a serving platter, and pour any juices that may have collected in the foil over the top of the fish. Sprinkle with green onions.

OR

7. Prepare as stated but preheat over at 425 degree F. Bake for 20 minutes and take the top foil out so and cook for another 5 minutes. Check fish to make sure the fish is cooked.

Thankfully my house didn't stink even though I cooked it in the oven so I guess I don't need to only cook salmon on the grill. I love to cook the salmon this way because it taste so good and there is no fishy taste/smell. Even my picky hubs approved of this dish and actually eats them.

Parmesan Tilipia and Sweet Potato Fries

I'm trying to clear my deep freezer so that I can clean it soon. I've also tried to stay away from the store because of the access of perishable food that I bought on my last few trip to the store. I already threw out two head of lettuce because we could not eat it in time (I have good intention to use all the perishable food that I bought). Anyway I've forbid myself from going to the grocery store to get anything (not even milk) until I've clear out my refrigerator and most of the deep freezer.
I remembered that we had some frozen tilipia in the freezer so I decided to make some fish for dinner and since I bought some sweet potato a couple of weeks ago I thought that I should use that too. I remember eating sweet potato fries at this restaurant a few months ago and loved it so I thought I would fry some up too.

Parmesan Tilipia

Ingredients

1 lb tilapia fillet (orange roughy, cod or red snapper can be substituted)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1-1/2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
1/8 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (or salt)
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
Dash of black pepper
1/2 dash Tabasco sauce(or hot sauce)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In buttered 13-by-9-inch baking dish or jellyroll pan, lay fillets in single layer.
3. Do not stack fillets.
4. Brush top with juice.
5. In bowl combine cheese, butter, mayonnaise, onions and seasonings.
6. Mix well with fork.
7. Bake fish in preheated oven 10 to 20 minutes or until fish just starts to flake.
8. Spread with cheese mixture and bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
9. Baking time will depend on the thickness of the fish you use.
10. Watch fish closely so that it does not overcook.
11. Broil 3 to 4 minutes or until almost done. Add cheese and broil another 2 to 3 minutes or until browned.
Note: This fish can also be made in a broiler.

Initially I was not too keen on making fries because I the night before I made about 2 dozen of chocolate glaze donuts and thought that I should not make so much fried food but sweet potato fries was what came into my mind and it was also what I wanted to eat. I didn't want to bake it in the oven because I've tried baking sweet potato fries in the oven before and it didn't taste too good so I thought screw it I'll just fry it. I guess I should make some herb drink before I get sick from all these fried food.

Homemade Seasoned French Fries

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes or just normal potatoes, peeled
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 teaspoon old bay seasoning or salt or seasoned salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup water, or as needed
1 cup vegetable oil for frying

Method

1. Slice potatoes into French fries, and place into cold water so they won't turn brown while you prepare the oil.
2.Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. While the oil is heating, sift the flour, garlic salt, onion salt, old bay seasoning, and paprika into a large bowl. Gradually stir in enough water so that the mixture can be drizzled from a spoon.
3. Dip potato slices into the batter one at a time, and place in the hot oil so they are not touching at first. The fries must be placed into the skillet one at a time, or they will clump together. Fry until golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.

I've use this recipe to make french fries for quite sometime now. This french fries recipe is really yummy and is worth making. Even my hubby that's really picky with his fries approved of this recipe.

Prawn Noodles (Har Mee)

I've been thinking of cooking Har Mee for the longest time but I knew that I needed to save up some prawn shells first. I diligently saved up my prawn shells for about 8 months now and my freezer is getting full from all sorts of stuff I have in my freezer so I finally decided that it is time for me to make my har mee. I found about two half filled grocery bags of prawn shells.

Ingredients

Prawn shells
Chicken or pork bones (optional)
water
Pork and prawns

Seasoning
Salt to taste
Rock Sugar to taste

Method
1. Put shells in a stock pot and add water.

2.Take a handful of prawns and fry it on a with two tablespoon of oil until very fragrant. Add to the rest of the prawn shells and water

3. Boil the stock for about 1.5 hrs

4. When stock is done boiling, strain out the shells/bones.

5. Add prawns, pork and seasoning and bring to boil or until sugar dissolve or until pork and prawns are cooked. Dish out the pork and prawns and put aside until ready to use.

p/s: I knew I had more than enough prawn shells but I added the chicken bone anyway because I had it sitting in my freezer and I'm trying to clear out the freezer.

Chilli oil adapted from here

4–5 tbsp chilli paste (cili boh)
6 shallots pounded
3 cloves garlic pounded
4–5 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt

Method
Heat 4–5 tablespoons of oil and fry pounded shallots, garlic and chilli paste until aromatic. Dish out and set aside for use as chilli oil and paste.

600g fresh yellow noodles
300g rice vermicelli, soaked until soft then drained
250g bean sprouts
200g water convolvulus, plucked into neat sections
Some shallot crisps
Hard boil eggs

To serve, put noodles, rice vermicelli, bean sprouts and water convolvulus into a noodle strainer. Scald in a pot of boiling hot water for a minute then drain off excess water. Place into soup bowls. Top up with the main stock and sliced pork, chilli oil, chilli paste and shallot crisps.

The process is not as difficult as it sounds. I had a lot of free time in between when I made this dish. Honestly I never knew that it was this easy to make har mee. When my prawn stock was done it honestly smelled like har mee in the stalls you get in Malaysia and it taste so good! I cannot believe that I was didn't make this earlier. I do have a lot of prawn stock left hence I frozen about 4 container of them because I am the only one that eats this so I can now have a bowl of har mee anytime my heart desire.

Seafood Cook Off

Everyone knows that I love to cook and bake but I love to eat more! I love to go to different restaurant and try different kinds of food. In America I might come across someone that’s really gutsy to try different kind of food that may seem foreign to them for example chicken feet or even fish (with skin)..Americans normally only eat fish fillet and when I bought and made the whole fish everyone was grossed out. They were surprise I eat almost every part of the fish including the head which is the yummiest part of the body.
I love fresh sea food. When I was living up North I rarely had the opportunity to eat seafood because their seafood are all frozen and I don’t care for frozen seafood now that I’m living down South I’ve had the opportunity again to eat fresh seafood!
Y was telling me about the Great American Seafood Cook Off which would be held in New Orleans, Louisiana. I’m thinking of suggesting to hubby to go there for the cook off because I think it’ll an eye opener for us. There would be different chefs competing and cooking all sorts of seafood. The cook off will begin Aug 2-3 at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center within the Louisiana Foodservice EXPO and the Gulf Coast Seafood Pavilion. The admission fee is only $10 so it’s not like its super expensive. Does anyone care to join us?
Since I’m not joining the cook off let me share with you one of my seafood recipe. One of my favorite and simplest seafood recipes is seafood tom yam. It’s so easy to make and it taste so yummy especially on a cold cold winter night (hopefully I don’t have to worry about that anymore). I just pour some chicken stock in a pot and put some tom yam paste together with it to boil. When it comes to a boil I’ll put in any seafood I have available, some tofu, tomatoes and onions and bring it a boil again. And there is my seafood tom yam. Pour over cooked noodles or rice. Quick, easy, simple and yummy!

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