Steamed Tofu and Scallop with Fermented Black Bean

One of the dishes I prepared for dinner last night.

It is a very simple and easy to prepare dish.  Cooking time is very short so it's good for those who are always rushing for time.

Ingredients:

• I box Silken Tofu, cut into thick slices
• 6 small or 3 big Scallops, slice big scallops into halves

Seasoning:

• 2 teaspoon Fermented Black Bean, quick rinse and chopped
• 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Maggie Seasoning Sauce (optional)
• Some fresh diced chilli
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil.

How to do it:

1. Place scallops on tofu and set aside.
2. Add hot and garlic together into pan (so garlic will not brown too fast).
3. Stir fry till garlic is fragrant.
4. Add in the chopped fermented black bean and chilli if using.
5. Stir fry till fragrant; about half a minute.
6. Add in sugar and sauces.
7. Spoon seasoning mixture and place on scallops.
8. Steam for 4-5 mins or till scallops are thoroughly cooked.
9. Serve immediately.

Notes:

• As the seasoning is pre-cooked, you can adjust the sweetness and saltiness according to you liking.
• The seasoning can be preparing ahead and top just before steaming.
• You can replace scallops with small prawns.

Stir-fried Asparagus and Scallops with Belacan

This is one of my favourite dish. I will always cook this, with or without seafood, whenever I can get the thick asparagus.  I just can't get the same kick with the thin Thai asparagus. 

I wished that the price for these asparagus is more affordable though. It's such an expensive dish to cook.

Ingredients:

• 6 Asparagus, skinned and sliced
• 4 Scallops, sliced half
• 2 clove Garlic, minced
• 2 Shallot, sliced
• 1 Chilli, seed and julienned
• 1 teaspoon Belacan, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon Cooking Oil

How to do it:

1. Saute garlic and shallot in oil till fragrant.
2. Add in chilli, belacan and dried shrimp.
3. Stir fry for about a minute.
4. Add in scallops and stir-fry till almost cooked.
5. Dished the scallops and set aside.
6. In the same wok, add in asparagus and stir fry till the colour of the asparagus turned a dark shade of green or almost cooked. 
7. Add in the previously cooked scallops. 
8. Continue cooking till the scallops are cooked thoroughly.
9. Add a pinch of salt to taste if necessary.
10. Dish and serve immediately.

Note:
You may like to replace scallops with prawns or squids.

Steamed Tofu with Scallops 扇贝蒸豆腐

This is a very easy and fast dish to prepare.  You can replace the scallops with prawns if you like.

Everytime I cook this dish, it will be the first to be finished. It's one of my personal favourite dish but it like it more with scallops though.

Ingredients:

• 1 box Silken Tofu, cut into 8 thick blocks
• 1 tablespoon Chinese Cooking Wine
• 1 tablespoon Sesame Seed Oil
• 8 pieces Scallop, halve if thick
• 2 tablespoon Raw Chopped Garlic or Fried/Roasted Garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon Sugar
• 2 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon Cooking Oil

How to do it:

1. Place tofu top with scallop in a dish or you placed both items separately.
2. Sprinkle garlic on top.
3. Drizzle cooking wine and sesame seed oil over them.
4. Steam for 4 minutes or till scallops are cooked.
5. Remove and drain away the liquid.
6. Place scallops on tofu and set aside.
7. Heat cooking oil, sugar and light soy sauce together.
8. Pour the hot soy sauce and oil over the scallop.
9. Serve.

Note:
The water in drained away after steaming is to avovid diluting the sauce. If you prefer to keep it, please do so.

Seafood Treasure Pot 海鲜一品锅

This not to be confused with Pen Cai 盆菜 (Literal meaning "basin-vegetable") which has a lot more ingredients.

I'm experimenting with Chinese New Year and thought this would be a nice dish for the occassion.  Although there are some preparation work to be done, it's still relatively simple and easy to prepare this.

So, do you think this is good enough to serve on Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner?

Ingredients:

• 100g Broccoli, cut into florets
• 6 Fresh Shitake Mushroom, clean with damp cloth and stems removed
• 100g Fish Maw 鱼鳔, soak to soften
• 80g Bamboo Pith aka Bamboo Mushroom 竹笙, soak to soften
• 6 Large Prawns, shelled and deveined
• 4 Dried Large Scallops, soak for at least 30mins; retain water
• 4 Dried Oyster,, soak for 30 mins
• 10g Moss 发菜, soak to soften, drained and set aside
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• Cornflour Mixture as Thickener
• a dash of Sesame Oil

Seasonings:

• 1 tablespoon Abalone Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Oyster Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese Cooking Wine
• 600ml Water, including water used to soak Dried Scallops
• 1/3 teaspoon Sugar or to taste
• Salt to taste
• a few drops Dark Soy Sauce for colour

How to do it:

1. Clean prawn and add 1 teaspoon sugar.
2. Marinade and coat prawns well with sugar.
3. Refrigerate for 20 mins. Cover the prawns so it will not dry up.
4. Drain fish maw and bamboo pith from water.
5. Blanch for 1 min, drain and set aside.
6. Add fish maw, bamboo pith, dried scallop, dried oyster and mushroom into a pot.
7. Add seasonings except sugar, dark soy sauce and sesame oil.
8. Bring to as boil then reduce heat to a simmer for 30 mins.
9. Meanwhile, blanch Broccoli for 5 mins or till tender.
10. Drain and set aside.
11. Blanch prawn for 30 seconds or just cooked.
12. Drain and set aside.
13. Add the remaining seasonings to the simmering pot.
14. Add in dried moss, blanched broccoli and prawns.
15. Simmer for a min.
16. Gradually stir-in cornflour mixture to your desired consistency.
17. Serve immediately.

Note:

• You can replace prawns with fresh scallops if you like.
• When choosing fresh shitake mushrooms, look for those that dry and firm on touch.
• Add a bit more (hot) water if you find the sauce drying up during simmering.

Hotate Mentaiyaki 明太子焗扇贝

Those who has been to some Japanese Restaurants might be familiar with Hotate Mentaiyaki. It's scallop baked with fish roe in mayonnaise. Well, at least that's what it taste like to me.

I have attempted to replicate it and was a success!

I bought my half shell scallops from the supermarket. It came with scallop roe too. You can use regular scallops and baked them in a oven proof dish. It's so easy (& tasty), you got to try it yourself!

Ingredients:

• 4 Scallops, clean and pat dry with paper towel
• 1 slice Cheese, cut into 4 squares
• 3 tablespoon Tobiko aka Flying-fish Roe
• 4-5 tablespoon Japanese Mayonnaise
• Dried Parsley & Parmesan Cheese for toppings (optional)

How to do it:

1. Mix Mayonnaise with Tobiko together.
2. Place scallops in the shells or baking dish.
3. Top each scallops with a piece of cheese each.
4. Cover the scallops and cheese with Mayonnaise mixture.
5. Bake in preheated oven at 210C for 12 minutes.
6. Remove carefully and serve immediately.

Note:

• The amount of mayonnaise used depends on the size of scallops. The one I'm using is about 5cm in diameter.
• You can use Ebiko aka Shrimp Roe instead of Tobiko.
• Do not add seasoning as the mayo, cheese and tobiko already give the seasoning it needs.
• The amount of time needed to for baking depends on the size of the scallop. Shorter time for smaller scallops. It should be done when you see the mayo toppings bubbling gently.

Steamed Scallops with Garlic

It had been an extremely busy month for me.

My son fractured his arm end last month and needed help on almost everything. Then my daughter fell sick. All happened while my husband was on his business trip.

We sold our place and was busy hunting for a new place this month too. We almost gave up and wanted to rent a place instead. Thank goodness everything went well in the end; well almost everything. Now we are busy packing, while planning the interior design of our new place on our own.

I will be back to my normal schedule next week when school reopens and hopefully I'll have a breather then before the renovation work starts.

Before my life becomes chaotic again, here's a quick post on what I did today. A very quick and easy dish that I bet you will enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 6 - 8 Scallops (I use frozen ones)
• 1-2 tablespoon Roasted or Fried Garlic
• 30g Vermicelli, soaked to soften
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• A pinch of Sugar
• A dash of Ground Black Pepper
• A drizzle of Sesame Seed Oil

How to do it:

1. Dab scallops dry with kitchen paper.
2. Marinade scallops with salt, black pepper and sugar.
3. Place soften vermicelli in a dish.
4. Scatter 1/3 of the garlic on the vermicelli.
5. Place marinated scallops on the vermicelli.
6. Top the scallops with the remaining garlic.
7. Steam for 7 minutes or till done.
8. Drizzle sesame seed oil and serve.

Note:

• The vermicelli is not garnish. It will absorb all the sauce that comes from the steaming. So don't waste it, have it together with the scallops.
• If you don't have time to make the roasted garlic, you can use raw garlic. However, you might want to cut down the amount by half.

Scallops with Assorted Vegetables

My husband commented that my food having more and more western influence in them. And he wondered if I still can cook anything Chinese. -_-"

So, here's one Chinese dish with his favourite, Ginkgo Nut, in it. Brain food for you, dear. And in case you didn't notice, if I use the oven to cook, the food are usually more westernized and if I uses the wok more, then more Chinese. ^_-

I was trying to spend lesser cooking and washing time mah. So lots of cooking done using the oven. Now that the electrical bill has increased so much, you'll see me using gas more often.

Ingredients:

• 12 (Canned) Ginkgo Nuts
• 5 Fresh Shitake Mushroom, half,
• 1/2 Bell Pepper, sliced
• 6 Sweet Peas
• 12 Scallops
• 2 tablespoon Broth
• 1 teaspoon Cooking Wine
• Light Soy Sauce to taste
• Cornflour Mixture (Thickener)
• 2 tablespoon Oil

How to do it:

1. Heat wok with oil.
2. Add ginkgo nuts, bell pepper, sweet peas and mushroom.
3. Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add scallops and stir fry for 1/2 minutes.
5. Add in the broth and cooking wine.
6. Stir to mix well and add light soy sauce to taste
7. When sauce begins to bubbles, stir in the thickener.
8. Stir to coat well.
9. Dish and serve.

Note: You have to remove the stem in the ginkgo nut before cooking it otherwise it will be bitter. You can do so by inserting a toothpick in the middle.

Scallop Bacon Wraps 煎培根包扇贝

I have this (bad) habit of storing (more expensive) food during Chinese New Year. Stuff I usually buy once a while (if I have leftover marketing money). Maybe I get more marketing money during this period. hehehe. My hubby 'scolded' me, "Let you keep some pocket money, you do want. And buy so much food for what?" Hehehe .... I like to eat mah. Everyone can eat also mah. *bleh*

By the way, I had this idea from a Italian Food Stall/Kiosk at Bukit Panjang Plaza. It's no longer there. I really miss it! 3 huge scallops wrapped with thick bacon grilled to perfection for only $2. *drooling*

Ingredients:

• Bacon, sliced into 2 width-wise (My scallop is small lah ^_-)
• Scallops

How to do it:

1. Saute the bacon for about 1 minute.
2. Remove.
3. Take a scallop and use the bacon cooked earlier to wrap around the scallop.
4. Pierce a toothpick thru the bacon and scallop to hold them together.
5. Bring it to the pan you use to saute the bacon earlier.
6. Cook each side of the bacon for about 5 mins each (longer for bigger scallop)
7. Add a bit of oil if necessary.
8. Remove and serve. Remember to remove the toothpick.

Note:

• No seasoning required as bacon is already salty.
• Make sure the bacon is of the same height or lower than the scallop when wrapping them. That is when you need to slice them into half.
• Wet you toothpick first before you use them. This is to prevent your toothpick for getting burned or catching fire because oil is involved.