Assam Fish Noodle Soup

When mum was here, she brought with her a whole box of spices from Malaysia. It was lent and it was Friday and I was racking my head as to what to make. Wyld Man isn't big on fish. I wanted something different. I thought of the box of spices and thought-what can I make with those? What it I used it on fish (they were mostly spices for poultry or beef dishes.) When I was back in Malaysia, there was a shop near dad's clinic that sold this delicious fish head assam soup with noodles. It was EXTREMELY yummy. Golden, milky, spicy and hot. I craved it. I didn't know how to make it. I made a guess. And so this recipe was born.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Ingredients"][/caption]

Frozen fish, dried noodles, Nyonya Steam Fish Spices, turmeric powder, okra, tomatoes, milk, African seasoning, salt, pepper and sugar.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Uncle Sun's Brand of Nyonya Steam Fish Spice Paste"][/caption]

This is the first time I've used this brand. I imagine you could use substitute brands with similar ingredients. I didn't take a picture of the ingredients list on the back, but I would hazard a guess and say that any paste with chili, shallots, ginger, garlic, turmeric, lemongrass, galangal should do as well.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Boil some water"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Cut the stalk of the okra heads."][/caption]

I used about 10 little okras for two serves.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Quarter the tomatoes"][/caption]

I used 3 large tomatoes.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Cube the fish"][/caption]

I used Nile perch that were on special-you could use anything as a substitute. The dish has so many spices in it that even fish that smell usually smell fishy won't. You can also use fish heads for a more intense flavour.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Heat some oil in a pot"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add spices into the pot and stir."][/caption]

Do not burn the spices. Pour in when the pot is medium hot.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add the fish and stir."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add okras"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add a tablespoon of turmeric powder"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add a few dashes of African seasoning"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Masterfoods"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Fill half the pot with boiling water"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add tomatoes"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add half a carton of milk"][/caption]

Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes till the soup has thickened considerably. Add your dried noodles and boil till the noodles are soft and floats.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="YUMMY!"][/caption]

Chicken Mee

I bought 3 chicken carcasses yesterday morning and made stock with it. And I spent a good 40 minutes picking off the bits of chicken on the bones-there was quite a lot of it. And I decided to cook a dish with it last night. I wanted something fast and simple. So I made Chicken Mee.

Mee is the Malaysian word for fat yellow noodles. Meehoon is the word we use for thin noodles, like rice vermicelli. I explained the difference to Wyld Man last night-and he said "I'll call you MEE now, and MEEHOON after the baby comes." Hrumph!

Anyways. These were the ingredients I used.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Carrots, Celery, Dark Soy Sauce, Chili Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Eggs, Shredded Chicken, Garlic, Dried yellow noodles, salt and pepper"][/caption]

First, I boiled some water with which to soften the mee.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Setting the kettle boiling"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Put the dried mee in a bowl."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Pour boiling water over the mee"][/caption]

And leave for 5 minutes till softened. Different brands will take different times to soften.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="I peel and slice my carrots lengthwise. They look like canons ready to fire!"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Cut quarter lengthwise again till no more than 1 cm in width."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Turn 90 degrees and chop into squares. Like in the frozen vegies pack."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Wash anc cut the celery sticks where the stems branch out."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Cut the the bottom stems lenthwise like the carrots"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Turn 90 degrees and chop"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="By this time the mee would have been sufficiently softened. Loosen up with a fork."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Drain."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="The brand of oyster sauce that I use-Ayam Brand, which means Chicken brand in Malay."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add about 2 big tablespoons."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Dark Soy Sauce."][/caption]

Wyld  Man loves this sauce....bottle. He keeps bugging me to finish it so that he can use it for beer bottling. It's a crown seal you see. It means that the you can use a beer cap on it repeatedly. Most glass bottles are screw caps which isn't ideal for beer. But I'll blog about beer another time.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add 2 big tablespoons."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Chilli Sauce."][/caption]

Mae Ploy brand is a brand I've heard mentioned in cooking blogs. This sauce has lots and lots of chili seeds in it. But it's not really hot. Just a thick sweetness with a teeny bite.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="2 big tablespoons. Maybe I should just abbreviate this to 2BT"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Mix it up and thoroughly coat the mee with the sauces."][/caption]

Have a taste and correct whatever is missing.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Heat the wok/pan with some oil."][/caption]

As I've explaing before, I would normally use a wok. But I have electric stovetops instead of gas, and my wok is not completely flat-bottomed. So I elect to use a big pan instead. Works just as well.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="At the same time, heat some oil in a non-stick pan."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Break a couple of eggs into a bowl and..."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="...stir"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Pour it into the non-stick skillet. Leave to set at low heat."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Take a teaspoon of garlic."][/caption]

You can use freshly cut and minced garlic. But I'm lazy.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add to the oil. "][/caption]

Add the garlic before the oil gets too hot, or the garlic will get burned.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="I add my shredded chicken."][/caption]

You can substitute this with any meat-just be sure to cut it bite-sized or use a mince. Minced pork or diced chicken will do as well.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add the celery and stir."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add a dash of oyster sauce"][/caption]

Here you can add a bit of chicken stock or water-half a cup, to prevent the bottom from burning.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add the carrots, and a dash of dark soy sauce."][/caption]

Add more stock or water-another half cup and let simmer a bit with the cover on to soften the vegies.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Add the mee and stir with two forks to avoide breaking the mee into small bits"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Remember the eggs from before? Break them up and add them in."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="If you want your mee a bit wet or saucy, add a bit more water/stock and cover till boiling. "][/caption]

Take off the heat and serve.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="639" caption="Yum!"][/caption]

Wyld Man likes MEE!!