Chinese New Year Baked Fish Recipe
Year of the Rat: A Fish Recipe To Ring In 2008
The New Year, 2008, marks a beginning for many people. And in February, the Chinese will celebrate the Year of the Rat with lots of great food, such as this fish recipe.
On February 7, the Year of the Rat will begin. The Rat is the first animal in the 12-year cycle. This year will be a time of hard work and renewal. There are opportunities for those who are resourceful and prepared.
Rat people are known to have a laid-back personality but are also active and seem to have a broad spectrum of interests. They are also shrewd, ambitious and logical.
The Rat is an enterprising person who is smart, sociable and able to adapt quickly to change. The Rat is also a determined person who can handle the most difficult situations. While they are fair-minded, they can be deeply insulted if they believe their trust has been abused or they've been deceived.
Famous Rat people include Alexander the Great, Truman Capote, George Washington, Charlotte Bronte, Antonio Banderas, Cameron Diaz, Claude Monet and Mozart.
When celebrating Chinese New Year's, consider cleaning the house prior to Feb. 7 (so as not to sweep away the good luck) and plan for some sumptuous meals: Pork Dumplings, Steamed Fish , Stir-Fried Pea Shoots and Filipino Fried Noodles.
During this festive time, often celebrated for a week in Asian countries, friends and family will drop by to provide little red packets of money to children and to partake in delicious foods – animals are prepared whole and oranges (representing good fortune) are exchanged.
Here's a lovely recipe for whole fish.
BAKED FISH
Ingredients
- 1/2 kilo of white fish, Pomfrei or any other fish suitable for steaming
- Ginger (thumb size) - cut into fine strips
- 1 clove garlic, sliced thinly
- 1 big onion, sliced thinly
- 4 medium size Chinese mushroom,(soak, clean & slice into strips)
- 1 small knob of Assam Jawa (Tamarind)
- 2 tbsp. oyster sauce
- 1 tsp salt ( according to taste)
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil
- Chillies, Celery & Spring Onions for garnishing
Directions
- Clean fish well and rub Assam jawa ( Tamarind) and leave for 10 minutes.
- Then wash and rub with salt both inside and outside. Leave it to season in the fridge.
- Saute ginger, garlic, big onion, and mushroom in enough oil until aromatic.
- Then turn off the heat and add oyster sauce.
- Meanwhile arrange the fish in a baking tray.
- Put half the fried ingredients in the fish stomach and the other half to be spread on top of the fish.
- Bake in the oven , 350 degrees F for half an hour.
- Turn off the oven & leave fish in the oven for another 10 minutes.
- When serving, garnish with sliced chillies, spring onions & celery.
