Home Cured Salmon

Lox is actually so simple!! Don't be afraid to try

Buy fresh salmon!

 

Here is my ratio:

1/2 cup salt

1/4 brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

as much dill as you like (fresh if possible)

2 tbsp vodka

 

Line a non metallic dish with plastic wrap, enough to fold over the salmon. Place the salmon on the plastic wrap, skin side down and pat dry. Sprinkle the vodka onto the salmon flesh. Now generously cover the entire flesh with the dry rub. Until there is no more pink showing from all sides. Wrap it up, could put in ziploc if you like, no air. Find something heavy like a larger dish or a couple cans of beans to put on top of the dish. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Remove the salmon from the plastic and rinse well. Dry, slice and enjoy! This keeps in the fridge for a month, and you can freeze it for longer. 

Vermicelli Salad

Made with fresh picked herbs from my garden.

Peanut dressing:
Equal parts of fish sauce, rice vinegar,
soy sauce
Triple parts natural crunchy peanut butter
Small drizzle of sesame oil

Nuoc mam:
3 table spoons each: brown sugar, rice vinegar & fish sauce
2 minced garlic cloves
1 bird eye chili pepper

Rice noodles, boiled and drained with a wash of cold running water.
Julienne carrots/ cucumber
I didn't have any bean sprouts, those would've been lovely. I snipped some perilla, mint and houttuynia (my favorite herb).
Toss everything together. Top with chopped scallions and shrimp, chicken would be better. And sprinkle peanuts of you have any.

Fish Congee

Home sweet home.

Marinate 1 basa fillet. 

sesame oil

white part of scallions, save green for garnish

ginger

1 cup of rice.

Soak it in water for 1/2 hour. Break the grains between your palm.

(optional)

 

 Stock is optional. Chicken would be hearty. I used 2 cups of fish stock.

Boil broken rice with 2 cups stock, 4 cups water.  Gentle rolling boil, stir often to prevent rice sticking and burning.

After refrigeration, the basa chunks were fragrant and this raw concoction reminded me of sashimi, it was delicious.

When rice is soft, stir in fish. Turn heat off.

Had another basa filet. Salt, pepper, olive oil.

Broil for 5 mins per side.

Lunch!

Picky Pancy's Tép Rang (Carmelized Shrimp)

My baby sister is a very picky eater, this dish has been her staple since birth. 

Put a pan on medium heat, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil (grapeseed/vegetable/canola). Saute shrimp with 1/2 teaspoon of: salt, pepper, sugar, and msg if you like.

Nancy eats this at least once a week.

Shrimp & Avocado Salad Rolls

 

Fresh and perfect for the warm weather!

Ingredients:

Rice paper

Rice vermicelli (boiled and drained)

Shrimp (boiled, peeled, sliced in half)

Avocado

Cucumber

Fill a bowl with hot water. Dip and rotate your rice paper just to get it wet, do not let it soak because it will become too soft.

Have your fillings ready.

Roll tightly.

Dipping sauce: 1 part mayo, 1 part sweet chili sauce, a tiny bit of wasabi.

Pant's Favorite Deep Fried Shrimp Wontons

Delicious, really! This is my little sister's favorite little dish. The wontons are just as good in soup as they are deep fried. The key is simplicity.

Ginger, garlic, white end of scallion, salt and pepper

Defrosted and peeled.

Now smash them with your cleaver!

Smash a little at a time

I used to chop each single shrimp up into 4 pieces, and sometimes I would just process them..

But this method is much better because I like this broken texture and the wonton holds together better

Sprinkle your seasonings over and fold with the cleaver, chopping as you mix

Deep fry with the heat between 8 and 9. 

Drain on paper towel

Serve with sweet and sour sauce

Giant wonton! Two wrappers were stuck together as one

Fish Tacos

 This was just a sudden craving. Nothing special, no cheese, no sour cream, just wanted to eat something fresh.

 

These are basa fillets that I rubbed lemongrass and chili on. Fusion tacos? 

 I placed my fillets on this makeshift grill (not broiling) for the juices to run off. In the oven for 20 minutes, flipped once. 350 F, next time I will broil it.

These are pickled serranos from my pickled peppers post.

 

Flour tortilla, shredded slaw mix, pico de gallo, and spicy peppers.

 

Fish on top!

Simple.

Canned Sardines

If I had a daughter, I would name her Sardinia and call her Sardine for short.

Ingredients:

Half a dozen sardines

As much garlic as you like

2 medium white onions

The amount of tomatoes it would take to fill your can, I used about 6 different sized romas

Chili flakes

Olive Oil

Pepper

Salt

These were frozen whole. Defrost. Chop off the heads unless you want them. I slit their bellies and gutted them. Be very very gentle because sardines are extremely delicate fish. The silver skin scrapes easily too. Their bones are thin and once cooked will not do much harm but I was able to pull the entire skeleton out. Try not to damage the flesh so much. You can split them in two fillets or keep them whole.

Half tomatoes and remove the seeds, half them again and again . Roughly cut up garlic and onions.

In sauce pan on medium high heat, drizzle in olive oil. Fry chili flakes, very fragrant. Mine turned a little black there. Throw in vegetables. Stir and break down tomatoes. Put a lid on it for a few minutes, take lid off to stir. Add more olive oil if mixture evaporates and tomato flesh is sticking.

Stir in your sardines, fold gently to incorporate. Cover for a minute.

Off the heat, into your sterilized jar. 

Put the jar in boiling water for 10 minutes.

Refrigerate.

 

Enjoy! The tomato sauce is great on rice or pasta.