Barramundi with an Asian Twist

"I must admit, I really do love cooking. I'm an artist in my own kitchen and I like entertaining friends over meals that I have prepared - it's liberating."

Since I joined twitter, I have met a lot of interesting people. One of them is Jacqueline Church, aka  @LDGourmet on Twitter. I follow her blogs and sometimes, I write comments on them. What a way of micro-blogging between Sydney and Boston and vice versa with only 140 characters. Forget the time zones, but it sure can be done and that's the power of twitter.

About a month ago, she tweeted me the link for the "3rd Annual Teach a Man to Fish Blog Event" and she asked me "watchamakin"? I was pumped up(adrenaline rush), so I tweeted her back, "well, it's time for Ed's seafood special to shine". And that's how it all began for me to prepare this dish called "Barramundi with an Asian Twist".

Barramundi is a very popular fish in Australia. The flesh is so tender and really good for steaming, frying and grilling.

Here is my recipe:

Barramundi with an Asian twist - a delightful dish to share as main for 4 person.

INGREDIENTS:

1 whole cleaned Barramundi (approximately1 kg, the one I used on this recipe)

Dressing:

1/3 cup fresh lemon/lime juice

1  tablespoon of brown sugar

2  tablespoon of water

2  tablespoon of fish sauce

1  tablespoon of sweet chilli sauce

2  hot red chillies - chopped

1  teaspoon of shrimp paste – dissolved in just enough boiling water (40ml appx')

Salad:

3  cups of fresh green mango thinly sliced

1  cup of Spanish onion thinly sliced

2  cups of seedless sliced Lebanese cucumber

¼ cup of chopped coriander

6  cherry tomatoes – cut into halves

2  tablespoon of thinly sliced ginger

¼  cup of chopped spring onions

Oil for frying:

Preparation:

1. To prepare the dressing, combine all in a bowl, stir well with a whisk.

2. For salad, combine all in a separate bowl.

3. Sprinkle both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. Heat enough oil to deep fry in a suitable pan over             medium heat. Fry the fish and turn once until golden brown, and flesh is easily flaked with a fork.

4. Serve on a platter, garnish the salad on top and pour the sauce over salad and fish.

*   It’s best to drain the fried fish for excess oil before serving on a platter.

** I used half portion of the fish for photo purposes only. The proper way of serving is the whole fish on a big platter to share.

My kind of Japanese Restaurant

Teriyaki Boy, in the leafy suburb of Balmain in the inner west is definitely one of the best kept secret Japanese Restaurant in Sydney. Discreet with a quaint ambience, you will feel the homely environment as you walk in, their attentive and great staff will greet you, especially Miko, who has been the lead waitress over the years. This all Japanese team,  is run by husband and wife. Their culinary skills brings the flavour of Japan to Sydney and is simply divine. The presentation, taste, aroma and ingredients used are very Japanese in flavour - the real art of cooking. I have been all over Sydney on a quest for true Japanese taste, like my home stay "Okasan's" (mother's) cooking in Japan, then I found this place.

Amongst my favourite dishes are:
Steamed crab meat "shomai" with light sauce and mustard for dipping.
Sashimi and Sushi platter. Sydney's freshest and highest quality seafood.
The vinegar flavour and texture of the sushi rice, "shari" are just perfect.
Very important for a good sushi. Not over powering and not sweet either. 

                                                                       

steamed crab meat

sashimi & sushi platter

Other dishes that I enjoy are agedashi tofu(best "tensuyo" sauce ever), bento box - best value meal, salmon carpaccio, beef tataki, wafu steak and shogayaki, all are highly recommended.

They are BYO, so you can bring your favorite white or red to go with their delightful menu.

Teriyaki Boy
481 Darling St.
Balmain NSW

Now, it's your turn, do you have a favorite Japanese food? Or favorite Japanese restaurant?     

Tiny Temptations - A Gallery of Fabulously Faux Food

As a foodie, I thought I will include this You Tube clip of this gallery of Fabulously Faux Food. 
They are so tiny that if they're real then they must be good for the 
figure. No need for dieting.

Party with a Peking Duck

When I visited Hong Kong a few years ago, a friend of mine who lives there invited me for dinner. He kept telling me about how he loved the peking duck at this restaurant, which turned out to be their specialty.

The restaurant was fully packed when we arrived. The floor manager led us to our reserved table, then a  waitress immediately served us with Chinese tea. For me, a cold beer would compliment the humidity outside. I was so happy to see Foster's beer, visible in their see-through beer fridge.

While I was gulping and appreciating the yeasty taste of my beer, I've noticed my friend  was placing the orders without looking at the menu to the waitress. Apparently for regular patrons of the restaurant, they just order what they want to munch and the chef will be happy to cook it for them. Now that's really handy.

Just after I finished my beer, the first dish arrived. One big plate came with square cut peking duck skin(crispy), underneath were prawn crackers. Next to it was the sauce, hoisin sauce, and a  plate of evenly cut cucumber and spring onion sticks. Another plate was the Chinese pancakes.

My friend showed me the step by step, on how to tackle our first dish of peking duck. It looked easy for me being used of preparing Japanese california rolls. Almost the same principle I guessed.

The second course of the peking duck experience, was the duck's meat cooked with soft noodles, chow mein, in a light sauce. I must admit it was the most exquisite peking duck that I have eaten.

So here's what to do, place one of the wrappers on a plate, plop the skin together with cucumber and spring onion and smear on some sauce. Roll the whole thing and enjoy. Easy!

Peking duck is an interesting eating experience. I have tried few times serving it at home, to surprise my guests. As much as I like the intricate preparation time and serving dishes at my dinner parties, I have come to realise that sometimes, I like short cuts. This way I can spend more time with my guests, and less in the kitchen.

In words plain and simple, here are some short cut suggestions on what you need for serving a peking duck. (Serves 4)

• 1 x whole peking duck from Chinatown barbecue shops in your local area, but if there is no Chinatown, I selected this link for preparing a peking duck. You can also politely ask the shop owner/chef to dissect the duck so you can get them in the right sizes. 
• 1 x packet of Chinese pancakes, available from the Chinese bbq shops or tortilla from a deli shops
• Hoisin sauce/dark sauce, available from the Chinese bbq shops or from an Asian grocery store.
• Lebanese cucumber, spring onions(stalk) , both cut in the same length.

That simple, try it and have a lovely Peking duck party.

Stunning Bell Towers & Churches of the Ilocos Region

On our recent visit to the Philippines, we travelled from Manila to the south-Davao Region and to the north-Ilocos Norte via Laoag City, the capital. We were lucky enough to have a family member who drove us around to visit these stunning Ilocos bell towers and churches.

☞click image to enlarge

• Laoag Sinking Bell Tower - Known as the tallest bell tower in the Philippines and was built by the Augustinians in 1612. It's massive and earned it's "sinking reputation".

• Bacarra Church - Constructed together with the Tower and Convent by the Spanish Augustinian Friars in 1593.

• Paoay Church - was built in 1694 commissioned by the the Augustinian friars. The church was completed in 1710.

My caffe latte addiction...how it all begun

I must admit, I was a big cappuccino drinker many years ago but suddenly my taste buds has changed. It's almost ten years since I started drinking latte. I like the espresso flavor with both generous amount of steam milk and foam. Yummy.

As a child growing up in the Philippines, we were not allowed to drink coffee. I remember my granny would say, "coffee is for the adults and hot chocolate is for the kids". My grandfather had three cacao trees in his backyard. I used to adore the fruit pods, how they turned from green to yellow and dark orange/red color, which signified that the fruits were ready for harvesting. My grandpa would then dry-roast then grind the seeds, and voila, an organic chocolate powder.

Moving to the big city as a boy, drinking coffee didn't give me the edge even most of my relatives from abroad would sent or presented us big jars of "Taster Choice" or "Nescafe instant coffee" and matching creamer as gifts. For me, they looked better in our display cabinet rather than being consumed. I liked the labels and design of the jars, and of course, they were made in the USA.

Coffee drinking wasn't the general trend when I left the Philippines some 20 years ago, albeit coffee was regularly consumed during certain events, like "lamay" - wake. Jeepney and taxi drivers could get themselves a quick and cheap coffee while waiting for passengers during the night, from the many street vendors in and around the city. The elite, however, would drink their coffee from the best English fine bone china at five star hotels, which often had specialist coffee shops.

Moving to Australia opened my eyes on how differently coffee was consumed. Although I didn't jump straight away into the many, then, milk bars and corner shops for a coffee. My experiences were rather a step by step approach, the weather had a major part to do with it, as some days just felt like "Coffee Days".

One of my very few, early possessions was a coffee maker. I poured the boiling water on to the filtered coffee granules and I watched the coffee slowly, and aromatically, drip in to the jug. The aroma of the freshly brewed coffee was sensual as well as sensational, and I could squeezed three cups out of it!

Having associated myself with Aussie flatmates, who were into Food and Wine, my knowledge and appreciation began. Although I kept my coffee maker, my flatmates introduced me to the real coffee drinking habits. We served coffee after dinner parties. We were Sunday regulars at the Colousci Bar along Darlinghurst road in Kings Cross. If we went for a dinner in a restaurant, our dessert comes with or the coffee will follow shortly. I also remember, we used to drink one shot of short black before heading for a big night out - to keep us awake. Oh insane!

My flatmates were big flat white drinkers and for me I enjoyed my cappuccino. It reminds me of my childhood days, the chocolate powder that's been sprinkled onto the froth was for me to look forward liking it first just like when I was a kid.

Now a days, trends and mores has changed our life the way we drink coffee. In my previous travels alone, I haven't been to any country wherein I am not confronted by Starbucks, Gloria Jeans, Coffee Beans to name a few. With the introduction of these chains of coffee shops, I wonder if Japan's Ginza district famous $30 coffee still exist.

Drinking coffee(latte) is now a part of my daily routine. One in the morning and one in the afternoon. I read a lot of scientific reports on the benefits of drinking coffee. My regular coffee shop offers a good deal too, six coffee then get the seventh free. Now that's generous.

Well, now it's your turn. What's your favorite coffee and why? Do you know the different types of coffees? Do you get a good deal from your coffee shop?