Fish and Chinese Chive Dumplings 【鲅鱼饺子】

I grow up eating Tang Yuan (Glutinous rice balls) to celebrate winter solstice. And I came to know that the Northern Chinese eats dumplings/Jiaozi in the winter solstice.

Since I am craving for some dumplings and it is winter soltice yesterday, I made this fish and Chinese chive filling jiaozi for lunch and Gold fish glutinous rice balls in gingery syrup for dessert.

That makes 2017 winter solstice celebration a "Fishy fish theme"

我是南方人所以自小冬至是要吃汤圆的，出国后才知道原来冬至也有人吃饺子。

冬至这天我不忙，刚好馋鲅鱼饺子很久了。早上做完金鱼汤圆后就开始包鲅鱼饺子，刚好俊爹今天上班半天，午饭就吃了鲅鱼饺子，甜点是金鱼汤圆。

2017年的冬至庆祝妥妥地就是全鱼宴呀！

Sambal Ikan Kembung 【叁巴甘榜鱼】

I made Ribs Congee not long ago and posted the picture on my FB page, it was my maternal grandma's recipe, my cousin Yin saw that and asked if I remember the Chili/Sambal Mackerel that grandma used to make.

It brought back so many memories when she mentioned this dish, I was very young and was still learning to eat spicy food, a little of this sambal paste with fish will have to be eaten with lots of white rice for me. I will fold a little of the sambal paste in the rice with some crushed mackerel and enjoyed it like I would with fried rice.

我不久前重做了外婆的排骨粥然后把照片放到我的面子书上，表妹盈看见后问我是否记得外婆常做的辣椒甘榜鱼。

外婆嗜辣，几乎顿顿饭无辣不欢，做的辣酱特别的香辣，浇在炸得酥酥的甘榜鱼上，更是美味。我小时候不太能吃辣，却特别喜欢外婆的这款辣椒鱼，我会把鱼肉挑出来用勺子压碎，加上一小勺的辣酱和米饭拌着吃，一边辣得流泪一边大口喝水，满满的都是回忆哦！

Salmon Fried Rice 【三文鱼炒饭】

When we first came to the States, we were amazed with the price of foods here, coming from European country makes everything in the USA look so economical. We will go to Costco and bought tonnes of fruits and vegetables and meats, I will then literally cooking up a spree!

Salmon was one of our favourite purchase, I was initially very happy with the cut, it is boneless and is very easy to clean and prepare. We stopped buying from Costco shortly after, the reason is not hard to figure. The size of everything from Costco are humongous for a family of two, it started feeling more like a burden and I hate having to throw away many unused rotten vegetables.

Coming back to the salmon, I got tired of the meaty tasteless fillet, I grew up eating whole fish and enjoyed sucking on fish bones and head, we stopped buying salmon for a long time, until one day I discovered fish belly and fish bones in Hmart. I bought a packet home and managed to turn a 7 dollar box into three different dishes! How economical is that. Not to mention I thoroughly enjoyed the bones and succulent belly!

刚从欧洲搬来美国的那会儿，觉得自己简直来到了美食天堂，超市里的物价和欧洲比起来直接就是白菜。当时很爱去Costco买肉和水果，我尤其喜欢买Costco的三文鱼，切块腌制烤鱼块，做咖喱，烤鱼都很方便也卫生。

后来渐渐地就不怎么去Costco了，两口之家买Costco的东西其实是一种压力，经常吃不完丢了也浪费。而且我也开始对口口是肉的三文鱼厌倦了，吃海鲜长大的我还是喜欢吃整鱼啊！带骨带头的鱼怎么吃起来就鲜很多呢？

后来被我在Hmart发现了三文鱼骨腩，一大盒才七美刀左右，买回来鱼骨做了鱼头米粉，鱼腩部分做了三文鱼腩煲，还有一小块巴掌大的鱼肉切丁做了三文鱼炒饭，居然让我给弄出三道美食，这算不算很会持家呢？（笑）。

Toddler Meal -- Teriyaki Salmon Bento

I made Fish Tikka as afternoon snack yesterday over movie, the thicker cuts of the huge salmon fillet N bought were all made into Fish tikka and I turn the thinner cuts into this yummy salmon Teriyaki Bento for A, he had this for dinner and enjoyed it very much.

Thai Basil Fish 【泰式塔香鱼块】

I always planted some Thai basil every summer, it is an essential ingredient in Thai dishes, which I love dearly...it could also be used for some Taiwanese dishes like Salt fried Chicken (盐酥鸡) and 3 cups chicken (三杯鸡）.

My Thai basil has grow well as usual for this year, and we have got some fresh salmon at home, so I made this delicious fish dish for lunch!

夏天我总要种几棵九层塔，除了可以做好吃的三杯鸡和盐酥鸡之外，也是泰式菜肴不可或缺的一种材料。

今年种的九层塔一如往年那样茂盛，刚好买了不错的三文鱼，就做了这个好吃的泰式塔香鱼块啦！

Ikan Masak Taucu (Spanish Mackerel in Fermented Soy bean Gravy) 【豆酱马鲛鱼】

Spanish Mackerel is something I grow up eating a lot. It is found in markets in Malaysia all year around, fresh and economical.

This fish can be prepared in many ways, it is tasty even as simple as pan fried until crispy and drizzle some light soy sauce, this itself made a wonderful side dish. I could eat it just like that and never got tired.

We also make curry, fish balls, fish paste, fish cake, fish stew out of this beautiful fish. This particular recipe I made today is very common in my house, my mother use to make it at least once a month... it goes well with steamed rice and con-gee. And stays as a sweet childhood memory......

马鲛鱼也叫鲅鱼，是东南亚日常吃得很多的鱼类.香煎，红烧，做鱼胶都用它。新鲜的马鲛鱼煎香了滴上几滴酱油就可以让人空口吃好几块，鲜甜美味。

这道豆酱马鲛鱼是我母亲经常做的一道菜，是一道下饭配粥都适宜的家常菜。

【果阿咖喱鱼】Goan Fish Curry

果阿是印度的一个海滨城市，也是印度最小的邦。面向阿拉伯海的这个城市有着非常漂亮的沙滩。它曾经被葡萄牙占领过，所以有很多葡萄牙式的建筑物和饮食，许多当地人仍然口操流利的葡萄牙语呢！

海鲜是果阿家常菜里不可或缺的食材，果阿也是印度除了West Bengal和Kerala之外把海鲜当主要食材的州属。

对于来自东南亚的我来说，由于果阿菜的材料和东南亚菜很接近，所以口感和味道也比较容易接受。


Goa is the smallest state located in the South West of India. Its culture is  a mix of east and west due to the Portuguese ruling in the 1500s. The eastern influence is not just in the culture of the state, it also shows its footage in the cuisines. Seafood is the main cooking ingredients there, as well as a major source of protein.


As I grew up eating seafood, Goan dishes was one of the very first Indian dishes that I liked, and still do!