Chinese steamed Sea bass with Stir Fried Greens for Food Friday on BBC Leicester


One thing that I get asked a lot by people, especially Mums with children (Teenagers more) is how to create take away favourites at home.  If I am not mistaken, I do believe we are calling this a “Fake-away” .  I have always cooked Takeaway favourites at home particularly Chinese dishes for many reasons: 1, Healthier. 2, It’s being Frugal. 3, you know exactly what is in your food and 4, you can get the Children involved with you in preparing it.  I could go on. 
  So last Friday was my Slot for doing my regular Food Friday programme with Ben Jackson on BBC Radio Leicester.  I felt that I wanted to do a “Fake-away”dish that is super Healthy, Super quick and also fairly Cheap… Well it’s certainly cheaper than picking up the Phone and ordering a banquet! 
  It’s also January, you may want to loose a few pounds? Or just changing the way you eat? Get some more Fish into your Diet? It was Friday after all, so a healthier Fish Friday! 

   I felt I should share a dish I regularly cook for myself.  It has hardly any ingredients in it but is PACKED FULL of flavour. Plus this style of cooking is so easy to do and such a great interacting dish, by if you put this in the middle of the table, you can all get stuck in. It’s a great dish to do for an intimate dinner also where you just do not want to spend all night slaving over the stove, if you know what I mean! 
  Even though it may not look spectacular, it has been a real hit so far. Listen here to hear Myself showing Ben how to do this Quick, Simple, healthy dish.
  
By the way, Ben couldn’t wait to dive in as you can see by the pictures as I haven’t one with all the fish intact! Sorry! 

Chinese Steamed Sea bass with Stir fried Greens


Ingredients:

(For the Sea Bass)

–  1 whole Sea bass or Sea Bream
–  3 inch piece of Fresh Ginger Julienned (Sliced finely length ways)
–  5 spring Onions julienned (sliced Length ways)

(For the dressing)

–  2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce (I used one specifically for Seafood) (I buy all my sauces from my local Chinese Supermarket Wang Fung Hong in Leicester)
–  2 Tbsp Dry Sherry ( I used Pedro Ximenex )
–  Juice of 1 clementine or half an Orange
–  2 Tbsp of Water

(For the Sir Fry Veg)

–  2 tsp Raw Organic Coconut oil ( I use Lucy Bee )or another oil you have but Coconut will add extra flavour
–  5-6 Leaves of Pak Choi
–  3 inch piece of cucumber Sliced length ways 
–  approximately 10 sugar snap peas Sliced Length ways
–  2 cloves of Garlic sliced (Chopped Roughly)
–  1/2 Red chilli Diced finely 
–  2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce ( Wang fung Hong )
–  1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce ( Wang fung Hong)
–  2 Tbsp Water
– Pinch of caster Sugar

Method:

–  Preheat your Oven on a warming setting, about 100c

–  Take a Large Wok and fill with approximately 1/4 Litre of water and place a grid of some kind so you can place a plate on top or if you have a bamboo steamer…Even better! 

–  Turn the heat up high so your water will start to boil but not too Rapid.

–  Put in Half of your sliced Ginger and Spring onions into the cavity of the fish, score diagonal lines through the skin of the fish, about 4 but making sure you don’t go too deep.

–  Place the fish onto your Plate or Steamer and cover with a lid or in my case I used another Wok. Steam for about 10 minutes.

–  After 10 minutes place the rest of your Spring Onions and ginger on top and half of your dressing over the fish. Continue to stem for a further 5 minutes.

–  Once cooked and the flesh will just flake away, place into the oven on a large serving dish with the dressing, veg and juices to keep warm.

–  In the meantime Stir fry your veg in the Coconut oil and as the veg starts to cook down after a couple of minutes add your sauces, water and sugar.

–  Serve as it is on large dishes so people can dive in and you could also serve some Noodles and Boiled Rice if you wish.





A friday night supper change

When Friday nights come upon us, I always find it difficult to know what to cook?  Mainly because my Partner travels a fair way from work and also I know that He and I will want a little tipple or two, with it being Friday night.  So you begin to wonder, hmmm, I would like takeaway/Friday night food but also something that isn’t too heavy? Am I right or am I right?! 
 Well… This Friday, just gone…Oh did I accomplish this! Aarrghhh! I still get excited, still thinking about it now! I decided to go down the Carribean cuisine as Its a culture I have never cooked really before so Now is the time! And I have to say …Im hooked with Jonathan Phang’s show at the minute which encouraged me to try my own take at the lovely Fresh, Fruity, spicy amazing cuisine! 
 I decided to not be too adventurous at first and stick with something I thought could not fail, and it didnt …











Spiced Jerk Chicken with a Coconut infused rice and Sweet Pepper Sauce 

For 2 People, maybe a little more! 😉
For the Chicken Marinade:

2 Chicken Breasts ( or you could use Thighs or Drumsticks)
1 tbsp Jerk Seasoning 
Fresh Coriander (small handfull)
a good sprig of Fresh thyme taken off the twigs
Red and Green Chillies (half of each) diced finely.
Lime
Groundnut oil ( or Sunflower/Vegetable oil with be fine also)
Fresh Garlic 2-3 cloves roughly chopped
Salt and Pepper

Marinate the Chicken for at least two hours, the longer you can, the better.

Sweet Pepper Sauce:

Red, Yellow and Green peppers 1/4 -1/2 of each
2 White onions, could also use red
Chopped Pineapple, I used roughly a quarter of the pineapple
Chopped Tomatoes 1/4 of a tin
Olive oil
Garlic (use plenty, I used 3-4 cloves)

Coconut infused Rice:

I used Basmati rice for this recipe.  I tend to use my rice cooker as I then have more room in my kitchen so in rice cookers you don’t put in much water. With the right requirements of water I then added Coconut cream (half a packet).

I roasted the pepper sauce in the oven for just under 10 minutes and then placed the chicken on top with a good ‘ol stir!  

And all in all… a very light,  fresh,  healthy dish that In my eyes is good to eat all year around.  Cant wait to experiment more with this one in Summer! 😉

©Chez J9 2013