When we know how to improvise, the food can be very nice.
I MUST thank readers who have not only been trying out my recipes but who have also been constantly e-mailing me their efforts and the verdict on the fruits of their labour.
I am happy to note that many are beginning to take up the challenge of planning their meals with more surprises in store for their family.
Before I go any further, I must thank all of you for your constant support and this has actually helped me to come up with more and easier fix-it fast meals for all of you.
A reader, who has been in contact with me ever since my column began in August, spoke of how she tore up the hundreds of recipes she had collected over the years and was discouraged to try because of the parts in the recipes that began to look like a spare parts catalogue.
I, too, feel the same way when looking through my own collection of recipe books and I always fall back on the golden rule my mother imparted to me: “There is always an easier way of getting things done. It’s not called cheating or doing away with tradition but it is improvising.”
Incidentally, sometime last year, when I decided to make my own Nasi Kerabu, I was following the recipe book to the letter and nothing turned out as it was photographed. I worked through the recipe, refusing to admit defeat. After a few improvisations, I managed not only to make Nasi Kerabu like the Kelantanese themselves but also got my Kelantanese husband proudly exclaiming that I made it like the original version. He has since been insisting that this is the main dish whenever he has friends over.
Likewise, all gulais that called for difficult and often impossible stuff have since been restructured and, thankfully, they all taste like the traditional version, minus the hours of toil in the kitchen.
This week, I am trying to change the fact the battered or breaded fish fillets must always come with chips and Tartar sauce.
For the tempura black-pepper fish fillet, I am pairing it with a nice mushroom sauce and a medley of colourful vegetables as a side accompaniment to the delicious white fish.
For the light-batter tempura fish fillet, I am going Western this week with the fish becoming the vehicle for a lovely mushroom and cheese topping. Something like a bruschetta with a mushroom topping but hyped up with a generous sprinkle of pizza cheese. Enjoy them!
Faridah Begum is passionate about cooking and stuffing family and friends with food, whether tasty or not.
Tempura Black-pepper Fish Fillet with Mushroom Sauce and the Summer Medley
Tempura Black-pepper Fish Fillet with Mushroom Sauce and the Summer Medley
Ingredients:
One packet of frozen tempura black- pepper fish fillets, deep-fried and drained
1 tablespoon of brown sauce mix, mixed with a little water
Fresh thinly sliced button mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste
Medley of vegetables – leeks, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, cauliflower, celery and carrot
A little olive oil or butter
Method:
Sauté the button mushrooms in some butter and when browned, add the brown sauce mixture and wait till it simmers.
In another saucepan, heat up a little olive oil, toss the vegetables in and stir-fry until slightly soft.
Season to taste and place a portion on individual plates. Put a piece of the fish fillet on the plate and smother with the mushroom sauce. Serve with garlic bread.
Baked Cheesy Fish Fillet
Baked Cheesy Fish Fillet
Ingredients:
A packet of frozen tempura fish fillets, deep-fried and drained
A little olive oil
A variety of mushrooms, cut up into bite pieces
Some pizza cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped parsley for garnishing
Method:
Heat the oven. Lightly oil an oven-safe dish and place the fish fillets at the bottom, take care not to overlap them. Sauté the mushrooms for about three minutes and pour it over the fish fillets. Sprinkle with cheese as generously as possible, season with pepper and add the parsley.
Grill the dish for about 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese bubbles and serve.
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