the Soycialist

Tag: #seafood

ingredients

  • Braised Fish in Taizhou Home Style 台州家烧鱼

    Braised Fish in Taizhou Home Style 台州家烧鱼

    TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

    YIELD: 2 servings

    CALORIES: 290 kcal per serving

    SPICINESS:

    “Home-style seafood” or “Jia Shao” is a traditional cooking method from the coastal region of Taizhou, Zhejiang. This dish is also a signature at the Michelin-starred restaurant Xin Rong Ji. Recreating it at home is actually quite simple, you only need fish fillets, scallions, ginger, garlic, plus soy sauce and cooking wine. The broth is incredibly flavorful, perfect not just for dipping rice cakes, but also delicious served over rice. It has always been one of my favorites!

    INGREDIENTS 备菜

    Item 配菜Amount 用量
    Sea Bass Fillets 鲈鱼1 pound
    Rice Cake Slices 年糕as needed
    Scallion 葱2 sprigs
    Garlic 蒜5 cloves
    Ginger 姜3 slices
    Red Chili 红辣椒1
    Light Soy Sauce 生抽3 tbsp
    Shaoxing Cooking Wine 料酒5 tbsp
    Hot Water 热水200 ml
    White Pepper Powder 白胡椒1 tsp
    1. For this dish, yellow croaker or pomfret is usually preferred, but Trader Joe’s Branzino works well too.
    2. If you can’t handle spicy food, feel free to skip the red chili.
    3. If you’re not a fan of rice cakes, you can leave them out.
    1. 家常做海鲜一般会选择黄鱼或鲳鱼，但用 Trader Joe’s 的海鲈鱼也很好。
    2. 不吃辣的可以省略红辣椒。
    3. 不喜欢年糕的话也可以不放。

    INSTRUCTIONS 做法

    1. Thaw the fish fillets, rinse them, and pat completely dry with paper towels. Make sure they are fully dry, this is key to keeping the skin intact when pan-frying. 鱼片先解冻、清洗干净，然后用厨房纸吸干水分。一定要彻底擦干！这是煎鱼时鱼皮完整、不破裂的关键。

    2. Heat a pan over high heat and add cooking oil. When the oil is slightly smoking, add a pinch of salt and reduce to medium heat. 开大火加热锅，倒入食用油，待油微微冒烟时加入少许盐，转中火。

    3. Place the fish fillets skin-side down. Do not flip them immediately; gently shake the pan occasionally to prevent sticking. Once the skin turns golden and crispy, carefully flip the fillets. 下入鱼片，鱼皮朝下。不要翻动鱼片，只需轻轻晃动锅让鱼皮不粘锅。等鱼皮煎至金黄香脆后，小心翻面。

    4. After the other side is lightly seared, push the fish to one side of the pan. In the same pan, add sliced ginger, garlic, and chili, and sauté until fragrant.将鱼片煎好另一面后拨到一边，在同一锅中加入姜片、蒜片和辣椒，用油炒出香味。

    5. Add light soy sauce. Pour Shaoxing cooking wine around the edge of the pan to release more aroma. 倒入适量生抽调味。沿锅边淋入料酒，利用高温激发香气。

    6. Sprinkle a little white pepper powder. 撒上一点白胡椒粉。

    7. Pour in 200ml of hot water (must be HOT!). 倒入200ml开水（必须是开水！）。

    8. Add rice cakes, adjusting the amount to your preference. Cover and cook over high heat for about 8 minutes, or until the sauce slightly thickens. Occasionally spoon the sauce over the fish. Just before turning off the heat, sprinkle chopped scallions for flavor. 加入年糕，量可根据个人喜好调整。大火煮开后，开盖煮约8分钟，或直至汤汁略浓（可用勺子将汤汁浇在鱼上）。临关火前撒入葱段提味即可。

    Voila! Bon appétit!

    Tips:

    • If you added a lot of rice cakes, you can add extra hot water during cooking, for example, I added an additional 50ml. 如果年糕量多，可在煮的过程中适量补充热水，例如我额外加了50ml。

  • Koong Karee (Shrimp Yellow Curry) 泰式咖喱虾

    Koong Karee (Shrimp Yellow Curry) 泰式咖喱虾

    TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes

    YIELD: 2 servings

    CALORIES: 770 kcal per serving

    SPICINESS:

    Koong Karee is known for its rich, velvety sauce that clings beautifully to the prawns. I first tried this dish at Soothr, a Thai restaurant in New York, and was blown away by its bold yet balanced flavors. As one of their signature dishes, Soothr even notes that it’s not something you can find at just any Thai restaurant. Curious, I searched for recipes online, and this version comes remarkably close — about 80% of the taste and texture of the one I had at Soothr.

    INGREDIENTS 备菜

    Item 配菜Amount 用量
    Shrimp 虾1 pound
    Eggs 鸡蛋2
    Yellow Curry Paste 黄咖喱酱1 tbsp
    Yellow Curry Powder 咖喱粉1 tbsp
    Tom Yum Sauce 冬阴功酱1 tbsp
    Coconut Cream 椰浆300 ml
    Flour 面粉as needed
    Fish Sauce 鱼露4 tsp
    Brandy 白兰地2 tsp (optional)
    Oyster Sauce 蚝油2 tsp
    Sugar 糖2 tsp
    Butter 黄油1 tbsp
    Red Chili 红辣椒1 (optional)
    1. It’s best to use large black tiger shrimp — the ones from Costco work well.
    2. For a spicier version, you can replace the yellow curry paste with red curry paste or simply add some bird’s eye chilies. The yellow curry paste, tom yum paste, and curry powder I use are all common brands easily found on supermarket shelves in North America.
    3. Here we’re using coconut cream, not coconut milk — make sure to note the difference. About half of this dish’s calories come from the coconut cream. If you’re concerned about the calorie count, you can substitute it with coconut milk, though the sauce will be less thick and the texture won’t be as rich.
    4. Brandy is added when marinating the shrimp, but it’s optional if you don’t have any on hand.
    1. 虾推荐用大只黑虎虾，比如Costco的这个。
    2. 如果喜欢吃辣的话，可以将黄咖喱酱替换成红咖喱酱，也可以自行加一些小米辣。黄咖喱酱，冬阴功酱以及黄咖喱粉我都是用北美超市货架上常见的。
    3. 我们这里用的是椰浆，不是椰奶，注意下。这道菜一半的热量都是来自于椰浆，如果介意热量的话，可以换成椰奶，但是椰奶不如椰浆浓稠口感上会打折扣。
    4. 白兰地是腌制虾的时候加入的，但是没有的话也可以。

    INSTRUCTIONS 做法

    1. Remove the heads of the shrimp, cut along the back, and devein. For easier eating, you may peel off the shells and leave only the tails (in this recipe, the shells are kept). 将虾去头，背部剪开，去掉虾线。如果想吃起来更方便，也可以把外壳剥掉，只保留尾部。（这里我保留了虾壳）

    2. Marinate the cleaned shrimp with 4 tablespoons of fish sauce and 2 tablespoons of brandy (optional) for 10 minutes. 处理好的虾用4勺鱼露和2勺白兰地拌匀，腌制10分钟。

    3. Beat the eggs and prepare a small amount of flour. 鸡蛋打散，面粉倒入少许备用。

    4. Gently open the shrimp backs, dip them in the beaten egg, then coat evenly with flour. Reserve the remaining egg mixture for later. 将虾背部掰开，先蘸蛋液，再均匀裹上面粉。剩余蛋液留作后用。

    5. Heat a little oil in a pan. Pinch the shrimp heads and tails together, place them back-side down, and fry until set. 锅中放少许油，将虾头尾捏在一起，背部朝下，油炸至定型。

    6. Then fry the sides until golden brown. Remove the shrimp and set aside. 再把虾两侧炸至金黄色，乘出备用。

    7. Melt butter and add the shrimp heads, frying until the rich shrimp oil is released (this step is optional). 另起锅，放入黄油加热，倒入虾头，煸出虾油（这步也可省略）。

    8. Add 1 tablespoon yellow curry paste and 1 tablespoon tom yum paste. Stir well. 加入1大勺黄咖喱酱和1大勺冬阴功酱，炒匀。

    9. Pour in 250 ml coconut milk and mix until smooth. 倒入250毫升椰浆，搅拌均匀。

    10. Add 1 tablespoons curry powder, half a small bowl of water, 2 teaspoons oyster sauce, and 2 teaspoons sugar. Stir and bring to a boil over high heat. 加入2大勺咖喱粉、小半碗清水、2勺蚝油和2勺糖，拌匀，大火煮开。

    11. Add the red chilies (this step is optional). 加入红辣椒丝，但可省略。

    12. Add the fried shrimp and simmer over low heat for 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp and set aside. 放入炸好的虾，小火煮2分钟。将虾捞出备用。

    13. Mix the reserved egg mixture with the remaining 50 ml coconut milk. Pour the egg mixture into the curry sauce. Bring to a boil and stir continuously until the eggs slightly set and the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency. Pour the thickened curry sauce evenly over the shrimp and serve. 把剩余的蛋液与最后的50毫升椰浆混合均匀。将蛋液倒入咖喱酱中。大火煮开，用锅铲不断翻炒，直到蛋液微微凝固，酱汁变得粘稠。最后将浓稠的咖喱酱均匀淋在大虾上即可。

    Voila! Bon appétit!

    Tips:

    • Since the flavor of Thai curry pastes and sauces can vary slightly by brand, you can adjust the main seasonings—yellow curry paste, tom yum paste, curry powder, and coconut milk—after adding them to suit your taste. 不同品牌的泰式酱料口味可能略有差异，因此黄咖喱、冬阴功酱、咖喱粉以及椰浆这些主要香料加入后可以根据口味适当调整。
    • Before serving, feel free to add some vegetables of your choice. Besides pairing with rice, you can also toast some bread slices and use them to soak up the sauce. 出锅前可以加入一些自己喜欢的蔬菜。除了搭配米饭，还可以烤些面包片蘸着酱汁一起吃。
    • If you enjoy more heat, add a bit of chili powder. 如果能吃辣，可以额外加入一些辣椒粉。

  • Garlic Vermicelli Shrimp 蒜蓉粉丝虾

    Garlic Vermicelli Shrimp 蒜蓉粉丝虾

    TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes

    YIELD: 2 servings

    CALORIES: 320 kcal per serving

    SPICINESS:

    A Cantonese favorite often served at family banquets and holiday feasts. Tender shrimp are steamed over vermicelli that soaks up all the garlicky, savory juices, creating a dish that’s aromatic, flavorful, and irresistibly satisfying.

    INGREDIENTS 备菜

    Item 配菜Amount 用量
    Shrimp 虾8 pieces
    Vermicelli 粉丝1 bundle
    Garlic 蒜2 heads
    Bird’s Eye Chilies 小米辣1 – 3
    Oyster Sauce 蚝油1 tbsp
    Light Soysauce 生抽2 tbsp
    Sugar 糖1 teaspoon
    Salt 盐1 teaspoon
    Cooking Oil 食用油45 g
    1. Recommend buying head-on shrimp from Costco, which is much fresher than the pre-packaged ones at regular supermarkets. The shrimp heads can also be used to make shrimp oil. Whole Foods usually doesn’t carry head-on shrimp.
    2. Remove the heads and shells of the shrimp, leaving only the last segment of the tail shell.
    3. Cut the chili and garlic into smaller pieces to make them easier to blend in a food processor.
    4. You can use the oyster sauce and light soy sauce shown in the picture as a reference for purchase.
    1. 虾推荐购买 Costco 的带头虾，比一般超市盒装的要新鲜很多，虾头还能用来煸虾油。Whole Foods 通常没有带头虾。
    2. 虾去头去壳，仅保留尾部最后一节虾壳。
    3. 将辣椒和蒜稍微切小一些，方便料理机打碎。
    4. 蚝油和生抽可以参考图片中的品牌购买。

    INSTRUCTIONS 做法

    1. Soak the vermicelli in warm water until softened; once ready, the noodles will turn from translucent to milky white with a springy texture. 粉丝用温水泡软，泡开后的粉丝由透明变成乳白色，并带有弹性。

    2. Devein the shrimp. 去除虾线。

    3. Make a slit along the back of each shrimp, cut a small hole in the middle, and thread the tail through to create a decorative shape. 在虾背部划一刀，在中间切一个小口，将虾尾从小口穿过，做出造型。

    4. Blend bird’s eye chili and garlic into a fine paste using a food processor. 小米辣与大蒜用料理机打碎成末。

    5. Heat oil until hot, then pour it over the mixture. 热油淋入蒜蓉末。

    6. Add 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, and a pinch of salt. Mix well to make the garlic sauce. 加入2勺生抽、1勺蚝油、1茶勺白糖和少许盐，搅拌均匀，制成蒜蓉酱。

    7. Wrap softened vermicelli around your fingers into small bundles and arrange neatly on a plate. 将泡好的粉丝在手指上绕几圈，整齐放入盘中。

    8. Place the shrimp on top of the vermicelli and spread the garlic sauce evenly over the shrimp. Any extra sauce can be refrigerated for later use. 把处理好的虾依次放在粉丝上，并将蒜蓉酱均匀铺在虾身上。剩余的蒜蓉酱可冷藏保存备用。

    9. Bring water to a boil in a steamer, steam the dish over high heat for 10 minutes, and serve hot. 水开后放入蒸锅，大火蒸10分钟即可出锅。

    Voila! Bon appétit!

    Tips:

    • The leftover garlic sauce can also be used to steam scallops for an equally delicious result, or served as a dipping sauce for grilled oysters. 剩余的蒜蓉酱还可以用来蒸扇贝，同样鲜美；或者当作烤生蚝的蘸料，也很好吃。
  • Baby Squid with Scallion Oil 葱油小管

    Baby Squid with Scallion Oil 葱油小管

    TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes

    YIELD: 2 servings

    CALORIES: 235 kcal per serving

    SPICINESS: Not Spicy

    A classic home-style dish from Fujian cuisine, known for its simplicity and speed. The dish retains the natural sweetness and springy texture of the baby squid, with the aroma of scallion oil infused throughout. Light and refreshing, it’s perfect for busy days when you want to get dinner on the table quickly. Baby squid is high in protein, and with the main seasoning being steamed fish soy sauce, this makes for a very healthy side dish.

    INGREDIENTS 备菜

    Item 配菜Amount 用量
    Squid Tubes & Tentacles 小管鱿鱼1 pound
    Scallions 葱20 g
    Garlic 蒜3 – 5 cloves
    Ginger 姜3 – 5 slices
    Shallot 红葱头1/2 (opt.)
    Red Chili 红辣椒1 (opt.)
    Thai Chili 小米辣1 (opt.)
    Sichuan Peppercorn 花椒10 g (opt.)
    Cooking Wine 料酒15 g
    Seasoned Soysauce (Seafood) 蒸鱼豉油10 ml
    1. I usually buy the squid from Whole Foods, using an even mix of squid tubes and tentacles.
    2. Cut the white part of the scallions into segments and slice the green part into thin strips (check this video and watch from 0:48 to learn slicing scallions into thin strips).
    3. Slice the ginger, mince the garlic and shallot, cut the red chili into thin strips, and finely chop the Thai chili. The chilies are optional and can be adjusted to taste.
    4. Shallots and Sichuan peppercorns are also optional – I personally enjoy the numbing aroma of Sichuan peppercorn, and fried shallots add extra fragrance to the scallion oil. That said, the only truly essential aromatics are scallions, ginger, and garlic.
    5. Cooking wine and seasoned soy sauce for seafood are common Chinese condiments, easily found in Asian supermarkets. Be sure to buy Shaoxing cooking wine, not Japanese cooking sake (or Mirin) – they are two different products. Shaoxing cooking wine has an amber to brown hue, while Japanese cooking sake is usually clear or pale yellow.
    1. 鱿鱼我一般是从 Whole Foods 购买，鱿鱼管和触须各占一半。
    2. 葱白切段，葱绿切细丝。可以参考这个视频学习如何切葱丝。
    3. 姜切片；蒜和红葱头切末；红辣椒切丝，小米辣切碎。辣椒可根据个人口味添加或省略。
    4. 红葱头和花椒同样是可选的。我个人喜欢花椒的麻香味，红葱头炸过后能让葱油更香。不过严格来说，必不可少的调料只有葱、姜、蒜。
    5. 料酒和蒸鱼豉油是常见的中式调味料，可以轻易在亚超找到。

    INSTRUCTIONS 做法

    1. Gently rub the squid with salt to remove surface mucus, then rinse thoroughly under cold water. In a pot of cold water, add ginger slices, scallion segments, and a splash of cooking wine. Once the water comes to a boil, add the squid and blanch for about 2 minutes, until it curls slightly and turns opaque white. Remove immediately. 鱿鱼轻轻用盐搓洗去除表面粘液，再用清水冲净。冷水锅中放入姜片、葱段和少许料酒，水沸后下入鱿鱼，烫煮约 2 分钟，见其微微卷曲、色泽转白时立刻捞出。

    2. Heat oil in a wok, add Sichuan peppercorns, and fry until aromatic and darkened. Remove and discard (optional). 锅中倒油，下花椒炸至香味溢出、颜色变黑后捞出（此步骤可跳过）。

    3.In the same oil, fry shallots until golden and crispy, then remove and set aside (optional). 用同一锅油炸红葱头，至干酥后捞出备用（可选）。

    4. Slice the blanched squid and arrange on a serving plate. Top with minced garlic, crispy fried shallots, scallion shreds, and red chili strips. 将焯好的鱿鱼切片摆盘，铺上蒜末、炸红葱头酥、葱丝和红辣椒丝。

    5.Heat the oil from step 3 until smoking hot, then pour it over the squid and scallions. 将第三步锅中的热油继续加热至冒烟，趁热淋在鱿鱼和葱丝上。

    6. Drizzle a ring of seasoned soy sauce for seafood around the plate and serve immediately. 沿盘边淋上一圈蒸鱼豉油，即可上桌。

    Voila! Bon appétit!

    Tips:

    • Scallions, ginger, and cooking wine are added to the water to help eliminate any fishy smell. 水中加入葱、姜和料酒，都是为了去除腥味。
    • If you skip the Sichuan peppercorns and shallots, you can simply pour hot oil directly over the scallions and squid.如果不加花椒和红葱头，可以直接将热油淋在葱丝和鱿鱼上。