Home- cooked

The Anchovy Soup

I know I have said many times about anchovies.

These small fishes are potent in its function as a soup 'must have' for noodles. It adds flavour and sweetness to the plate; which otherwise would be flat in taste. So, I also believe my girls have got that planted in their heads whenever they attempt to prepare soupy meals.
One needs to get a handful of the anchovies and boil it for a good 30 minutes or so before prior to adding other complementary ingredients.

 So, I am impressed that Esther has attempted to prepare her vermicelli soup dish with an anchovy base. So, she told me that she now can cook as well as Allie. So, it's true that necessity is surely the mother of invention. You will long for home-cooked food after a while. So, when you are away from home and its culinary delights you will try to emulate the cooking too.

Unlike her sisters; perhaps because she is tired of home-cooked ones, Sara prefers to visit food outlets with her boyfriend. Well, it's normal. You only miss when you do not have.

Eldest sister, Grace is good too. But whenever I am with her it's "ma, you cook this, you cook that..." I have yet to taste of her skills in Chinese cooking. She takes advantage of me. So, she told me a couple of days ago she had prepared the "hock chew" mee suah soup dish. It's anchovy based too with chicken pieces, rice wine and wolf berry. In this preparation, it would also mean the chicken is preboiled with the anchovies.
You can be generous with the rice wine according to preference. Esther was invited for the meal and she told me it was out of the world.
So, it is comforting to know that the girls are handy at this type of dish and know how to prepare them well. It's a living skill.

While I was preparing my favourite fish porridge, I thought I would like to share with them how I do it just in case their crave for it comes.

 I know they always enjoy my version.

So, here it goes.

Again, with some anchovies, dried scallops (optional) and fish bones and head , boil it with water till soup turns milky. 

 My first preference is mackerel followed by red snapper or the more expensive 'ma yau' or senangin species. I would normally get the smaller sized mackerel as shown above which is enough for 4 people. The fish monger would obligingly 'debone ' and 'deskin' so I would have 2 strips all cleaned. However there may be some tiny bones here and there so you will need to remove them. Dad hates to consume fish porridge with bones attached to the meat.

Then you can now cut the fish according to preferred length for use later.

After a good 30 minutes or so of boiling, add rice to the fluid and let it boil to preferred softness. Some like it real starchy while others may like less starchy. If you want it starchy, stir as the mixture boils.

My style is different. When the rice in the fluid boils for about 10 minutes, I would normally switch off the fire and cover the pot till I use it later. 

You will see that the porridge is fully cooked, puffed up but not starchy. 

That's how I like it.

Anyway, boil the porridge to preferred consistency.

Girls, an additional ingredient that will add further punch is a scoop of minced pork or even chicken. This will surely add the final touch.

When I serve to more, I will transfer my porridge to a steam boat pot because I would add the final ingredients as I serve.

So, when my guests are ready, I will add ginger strips, chinese salted vegetable, to the fish and meat in the porridge.

The epitome must have are fish gravy sauce and garlic oil.

Sprinkle the fresh spring onion and add pepper if need to. 

Have a small sauce plate of chilli padi and you will have a never ending meal.

 You will want more and more.

For keeps.