Stuffed Veg N Tofu Balls
Made a huge pot of this recently when we felt a little over-whelmed with fried and stewed food. Ming likes soupy dishes and this was perfect for him but Wey didn't touch it because it's too bland for him and he hates fish. The stuffing is 50% fish (spotted mackeral, the type that makes springy fish paste) and 50% lean pork. Traditionally, the Hakkas use an all-pork paste for this dish, and a piece of pork skin is laid over the base of the pot for that extra flavor, plus to prevent the stuffed veg from sticking to the pot.
Stuffed Veg N Tofu Balls
300g lean pork, minced (preferably using chopper) and mix in 1/2 t salt
300g spotted mackeral fillets
salt and white pepper
1 T cornflour
1. Scrap the flesh off the mackeral using a metal dinner spoon. Discard the skin. Add 1/2 t salt, 1 T water and a few good shakes of pepper. Using the back of a chinese chopper (the knife, not the thing that flies), give the fish a good chop till it's well-minced. Now put it in a small bowl and swoosh it round and round in one direction with your hand. Or you can scoop the fish mince up, slap it against the chopping board many times, hard. After several minutes, the fish paste will have a shine and be quite stiff, not mushy. Now mix all the above ingredients together.
2. Fill the meat paste into veg like peppers, bittergourd, okra, brinjals, and tofu or tofu balls.
3. If you want it soupy like I did, just boil some chicken stock (or use chicken buillion cubes), add the tofu balls first because it takes longer to cook. Then after a couple of minutes, add the other veg, starting from the hardest to cook to the fastest. Bet it boil, test one tofu ball to see if it has cooked through. Season to taste and serve with a good chili dip. One dip I love is fresh bird's eye chili (or the hottest you can find such as hanabero), a squeeze of calamansi lime and some Maggi soy sauce.
NEE: I tried your soy chicken. both hubby and i love it esp with rice and nice bowl of vegie soup. the only prob is even though i tend it, the chicken skin still gets a little torn off esp the part touching the pot. use vision pot. think i should use wok next time? or does the chicken quality has any effect? i use the supposedly organic chicken. any ideas?
ReplyDeleteyes, i have tt problem too with glassware. wok is good. oh, d type of chicken makes all d diff! my MIL did my soy chicken last Sat using a lean chicken n although the flavor was good, d overall taste wasn't tastebuds blowing because it was rather dry. corn-fed chicken is best. try the cha xao recipe too! wah, hub not putting on too much weight?? mine just asked me to help him loose weight last night. problem is, i'm also gaining too much weight.*sigh*
ReplyDeleteWOw..... how I wish you're my auntie... so i can taste the food everyday!!! ;} They are all very yummylicious!! I like fish paste mix with pork ! both meat actually infused... and became a good dish!
ReplyDeleteNEE: yeah those kampung chicken is too lean to be cooked this way. think will buy a 'chai yuan' chicken this weekend. maybe that is your corn fed ones. i suspect it is either the chicken or the pot. will let you know once i test it out.
ReplyDeletetry making cha sao last nite. i have a recipe myself so i kinda merge yours with mine hehehe....mine has the addition of five spice salt and hoisin sauce. turn up nice and soft even though my meat was loin which is less fatty hence so imp not to overcook. i did with turbo hat oven 15-20 min on each side. next time must try with pork shoulder which is suppose to be more fatty and tender. yours look so juicy.
my hub is one of those tat hardly put on anything, (which is so annoying cause i feel i go fat even by drinking water). he has full breakfast, lunch, 5pm ish tea, and 7pm full dinner. hai...everyone thinks i bully him by not feeding him.
NEE: oh by the way, tried your lemon lamingtons. sooo nice for me and another fren whom i gave some to because the buttery taste is not so gelak with the lemon. very freshing. Good recipe, aunty terry!
ReplyDeletei use sponge cake but somehow i think my sponge recipe is big cause your lemon curd recipe was not quite enough for 16 pcs from 8inch by 8. so next time may double yours heehehee...but it is so good. where did you find the lemon curd recipe?
made a batch of chocolate ones before this. hubby loves it and choc lamingtons is his latest love (see wat i mean about him not putting on weight) sigh sigh
denise:i'm ur on-line auntie ok!
ReplyDeletenee: good girl! love it when ppl try out my recipes n give me feedback, n some even come up with more creative ideas, like denise above who used sausages in place of bacon for the chicken n piggy in the basket.
10 yrs ago the bkery at Home & Garden in KK sold a good lemon fresh cream cake. i checked a lot of english cookbooks but the recipes all used tons of butter (n sugar) so after a few tries, i made a curd i liked n i think my curd is better b/c i used all the wholesome quality ingredients instead of lemon essence n coloring like some bakeries do.
ur hubby is a lucky 'zhe bu fei'!