Three saucy dishes for family dinners by celebrity chef Amy Beh

Deep-fried Black Pomfret with Special Sauce.

(THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Three dishes using fish, chicken and prawns that do not take long to prepare and have tantalising flavours full of Malaysian spices.

DEEP-FRIED BLACK POMFRET WITH SPECIAL SAUCE

Spice paste (A)
6 shallots
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp chilli paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 stalks lemongrass, use only the white portion, sliced
2 slices galangal
1 tsp grated kaffir lime skin
3 dried chillies, soaked to soften
2 fresh red chillies, seeded
1 Tbsp sliced torch ginger (bunga kantan)
100ml oil

Ingredients (B)
2 tbsp chilli sauce
100ml water
2 Tbsp tomato sauce
1 tsp L&P sauce

Ingredients (C)
700g black pomfret
2 Tbsp tapioca flour

Seasoning (D)
1 tsp sugar or to taste
1/2 tsp anchovy stock powder
1 Tbsp fish sauce or to taste

Garnishing
Shredded torch ginger, shredded kaffir lime leaves and diced red chillies.

Method
1. Combine all ingredients for spice paste (A) in a food processor and blend into a fine paste.
2. Pour all the paste into a deep saucepan and saute till oil rises and is aromatic. Add ingredients (B) over low heat and continue to fry well to combine. Adjust with seasoning (D) to taste.
3. In the meantime, clean fish well and cut into 3 sections. Rub a little salt over the fish and sprinkle with tapioca flour to coat the fish.
4. Heat enough oil in a wok till hot and deep-fry pomfret till golden brown. Dish out and arrange fish on a serving plate.
5. Ladle some sauce over the dish and add garnishing.


THAI STYLE HONEY PRAWNS

350g medium large prawns
Adequate cornflour for dusting prawns

Honey sauce (A)
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp castor sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp light soya sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp pepper
3 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Pickle (B)
4 bird's eye chillies, diced finely
1/2 big purple onion, finely shredded
2 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
1 tsp finely shredded lemongrass
1 lime, squeeze for juice
1-2 Tbsp castor sugar or to taste
1/4 tsp salt or to taste

Method
1. Trim prawns well and drain in a plastic colander. Pat dry completely and dust with cornflour.
2. Deep-fry prawns in hot oil for 2-3 minutes or till crispy. Dish out and drain from oil.
3. Pour combined sauce (A) into a saucepan. Cook to a boil until sauce is quite thick. Add the pre-fried prawns and toss until prawns are coated with the sauce. Once done, dish out and serve with the pickle.
4. Mix all pickle ingredients well together and serve immediately.


DELIGHTFUL CHICKEN WINGS

10 pieces chicken wings
4 slices ginger
2 stalks spring onion, cut into 5cm lengths

Seasoning (A)
A pinch of salt
A dash of pepper
1 Tbsp sesame oil

Sauce ingredients (B)
2 stalks coriander, cut into small sections
1/2 tomato, seeds removed then diced
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 shallots, sliced thinly
3 bird's eye chillies, sliced or chopped

Seasoning (C)
2 Tbsp sugar or to taste
1 Tbsp fish sauce
2 limes, squeezed for juice
2 calamansi limes, squeezed for juice
1 Tbsp sesame oil

Method
1. Cut the tips off the chicken wings. Keep these for use in stocks.
2. Clean the main part of the wings well and marinate with seasoning (A). Place them in a nonstick pot. Add the ginger slices and spring onion. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes till cooked through. Dish out and arrange on a serving plate.
3. Combine sauce ingredients (B) and seasoning (C). Stir to mix well. Pour over the chicken wings and serve.

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