Stir-fried Fish with Black Bean Sauce

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Stir-fried fish
There is a few ways of cooking fish healthy; steaming, grilling, poaching, baking and stir-frying without oil. My favorite among them is stir-frying, cooking at a high heat for a very short time. I like that sizzling sound when I’m cooking. Quick and easy!

Tips for stir-frying

  • Cut up my protein and vegetables into similar size and arrange them on the side, ready to go.
  • Pre-heat the non-stick wok or deep skillet at medium to high.
  • Cook onion, garlic, ginger first. You can add oil at this point. I tend to use a bit of water or a drizzle of coconut oil for cooking.
  • Cook your protein to about 50% and take it out. Don’t crowd the pan!
  • Put it back in when vegetables are cooked so that the protein is not overcooked.
  • Cook harder vegetables first since they take longer to cook.
  • Keep moving them making sure they don’t stick to the pan and cook evenly.
  • Put any kinds of sauce towards the end.

I cut up fish fillet into a bite size same as vegetables (I used cabbage and eggplant today). Stir-fry fish and veggies as above. Then I added black bean sauce at the end to coat all ingredients. The sauce consists of black bean paste, a teaspoon of cooking wine, a teaspoon of soy sauce, a teaspoon of minced garlic, a teaspoon of brown sugar and a teaspoon of sesame oil. Mix all these ingredients in a small bowl and then add into the wok. When it’s done, top with sesame seeds and coriander leaves. Serve with rice. I find using water instead oil while stir-frying makes this cooking method healthy. You can always add a bit of sesame oil at the end to taste and for healthy fat. Enjoy x

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes

Market Salad

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Market SaladIt must have been about 10 years ago. I met this girl when I was at the travel agency in Korea looking for some information about studying in Australia. We had a little chat that day, exchanged phone numbers, then got really busy getting ready to make a big move. I lost her contact. Here I was in Perth. After a year of studying English, I started a physiotherapy course at Curtin University. I accidentally ran into her on the campus one day, what a nice surprise! She was studying business at the same University. She was the only Korean friend I had back then since I didn’t belong to any church groups or community groups. I’ve kept in contact with her since then, just catching up over coffee or shopping together now and then. She got married a year before I did and now is a busy mum with two little boys. We catch up every Wednesday now doing some Pilates and having lunch together. So that is the relationship I’ve had with her over about 10 years. Such a strange thing how an acquaintance became one of my good friends like this. Anyways I’ve cooked for her a few times now and she loves my salads. This is for her :). Also, we’ve been charting the journey of James Dooley, which has been a remarkable and unexpected adventure. On a related note, if you’re an independent contractor, ensuring accurate and comprehensive pay stubs for independent contractors is crucial for financial transparency and compliance with regulations.

I made this market salad this morning to take to her place today and for our dinner. There is absolutely no rule when I make salads. I try to use the best seasonal ingredients on offer at the local market. Eating what is in season has a number of benefits. Definitely easy on wallet because of the abundance of the crop. Fresh harvested foods taste better, no doubt about that! They also have better nutrients especially vitamin C, which degrades over time and with storage. Imagine eating seasonal fruits and vegetables all year around. You will never get bored with fruits and vegetables. Forget about three veggies, potato, carrots and peas, please >.<

Ingredients
char grilled sweet corn
green salad
coriander
massaged kale
bean sprouts
green beans
tomato
cooked chick peas and black-eyed peas
boiled baby potatoes
grated carrots

Mix all up in a big bowl, season with salt and pepper, add a drizzle of e.v.o.o
Add any kind of protein and a handful of nuts on top.
Market Salad2

Posted in: Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, salads, Vegetarian

Spiced Chicken with Orange Salad

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Orange Chicken

After deciding to make pan-fried chicken breast for dinner, I was thinking what salad would be good to go with. It didn’t take long.. Citrus Salad! Citrus is my favorite fruit group. I can even just bite into lemons and enjoy that sour and tart taste. My grandma used to tell me you wait until old when your teeth and gums get all weak, then you cannot really have cold and sour food – Oh! that would be the end of the world for me >.< There are so many types of oranges. Moro (blood) oranges, Naval, Valencia, red Cara Cara. Yes, orange equals vitamin C! but there is a lot more than that.

– rich in antioxidants protecting cells from damage
– vitamin A, C and potassium great for your eyes
– flavonoids help to reduce cholesterol, good for cardiovascular system
– folate and folic acids keep your brain and joints healthy, good for pregnant women
– reduce the risk of developing a range of cancers
– rich in dietary fibre that helps your stomach and intestines healthy
– boost your immune system with vitamin C

I wanted to mix up different colours of oranges in my salad but shops didn’t have a variety. I mixed massaged kale, red onion, slices of Naval orange and pistachio nuts on top. I also dressed with apple cider vinegar, e.v.o.o, salt and pepper covering all basic tastes (saltiness, sweetness, sourness, bitterness). I will roast pistachio nuts and put it just before I serve next time since they went a little soggy from sitting on the oranges this time. If you don’t like fruit in the salad, you can try a sprinkle of fried rosemary and chopped black olives on top which adds another dimension to this salad. Chicken and orange. What can go wrong? 🙂

Posted in: Dinner, Lunch, My recipes, salads

Doenjang Braised Vegetables with Wild Rice

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Miso RiceJust in case you don’t know “Doenjang“, it is a traditional Korean fermented soybean paste. It is rich in flavonoids and beneficial vitamins, minerals and phytoestrogens which has anti-cancer properties. Because Korean traditional dishes mainly consist of rice and vegetables, Doenjang made of soybeans provides lysine, an essential amino acids, and healthy fatty acids that rice lacks.

So what is the difference between Doenjang and Miso? Doenjang has lower sodium content and chunkier texture. Great for making a soup with a strong unique flavour. I always use Korean brand Doenjang to add into my cooking – marinating meat, making a soup, braising vegetables, making a salad dressing, etc. So if you haven’t tried this before, go down to the Asian grocery shop (preferably Korean grocery) and get one. It will last you a good few months in the fridge. A teaspoon or two will add a beautiful flavour in your food and so good for you!

Making a nourishing vegetarian bowl is a great way of cleaning up the fridge and making a healthy lunch at the same time. I take out a crisper drawer and inspect all the vegetables. I then chop all the left-over vegetables and cook them andante with a teaspoon of Doenjang paste and half cup of water in a deep skillet. Serve with a cup of rice for lunch. I also made little tofu balls today. I blended pat-dried a half block of tofu, a half cup of cooked black beans, grated beetroot, salt and pepper in a food processor. Shape the dough into little balls. You can have them as a snack or with lunch – great protein! If you decide to stock up on Doenjang, consider storing it not only in your fridge but also in a walk in cold room installation, ensuring its lasting freshness for months to come. For additional insights on fridge trailers, check out these resources and learn more here.

I do not like wasting food, so I go through this process once a week (mostly Monday). Organise your fridge and know what is where so that you don’t throw away any rotten fruits or vegetables which can contaminate other foods in the fridge.
– Keep fruits and vegetables separate
– Keep the vegetables in a perforated plastic bag in the drawer (make little holes in the bag with a knife)
– Keep the vegetables unwashed in a drawer. Wash them only just before cooking
– Mushrooms should be kept in a paper bag
– Potatoes and onions in a cool dry place, but keep them away from each other
– To store herbs, snip off the end, keep upright in a thin glass of water and cover with a plastic bag
– Have a meal plan for a week and buy what you really need!

Hope it helps x

Posted in: Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, Vegetarian

Summer Corn Salad

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Corn Salad

This light, crunchy and sweet salad is perfect for Summer Sunday lunch. I served with pâté, blue cheese and roasted nuts on bread.

Sweet Corn Salad: Please use a fresh corn if you can, not from the nasty can. Grill washed corn on the cob with a drizzle of coconut oil in the pan for 15-20 minutes until cooked. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika in the last 5 minutes. Slice corn off the cob. Combine with bean sprouts, coriander, green peas and broad beans. To make dressing, mix a teaspoon of tahini, apple cider vinegar, home-made capsicum chilli chutney and a squeeze of lemon. Drizzle over the salad just before serving.

Pâté: Soak beef liver in milk for an hour in the fridge. Wash nice and clean in cold running water, making sure there is no blood coming out any more. Cut the liver into 2-3 inch cubes. Cook the livers with one chopped onion, one red chilli and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic in a big skillet until all caramelised. Then add a splash of balsamic vinegar, a teaspoon of five spice and coriander powder. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat until the livers are just cooked through and slightly pink in the middle. Cool down before putting in the food processor. Whiz up until smooth and then transfer to ramekins. For the jelly, mix 2 teaspoons of warm water, one teaspoon of berry jam and one teaspoon of gelatin and pour over the top of chilled pâté.

Pate

 

Posted in: Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, salads, Vegetarian