Chinese Syle Curry Fish Head with Candle Nut & Okra(without Santan, coconut milk)

The Chinese Style Curry Fish Head that are normally served at restaurants don't use spices like mixed halba and the amount of curry powder is lesser compared to Indian curries. I have created this version without using coconut milk. In order to make the gravy creamy and rich, I used Candle nuts (buah keras, kemiri, kukui tree nut, Aleurites moluccana). This hard candle nuts have very high oil content and can be used to make candle. The nut contain saponin and phorbol which is a little toxic in uncooked (raw) state. However, you can also use Macadamia nut in replacement of candle nut if you worry about the toxicity..

Ingredients

Fish Head, Garoupa Fish or Red snapper, 1 pc, cut into small chunks

Squid,5 pcs, cut in to bite sizes

Curry Powder, 3 tablespoons

Turmeric, 1 teaspoon

Chilly Powder,  3 tablespoon

Candle nut, 2 pcs

Garlic, 5 cloves

Onions, 2 pcs

Belachan, 1 teaspoon

Curry leaves, 3 sprigs

Salt to taste

Okra, 6 pcs

Vegetable oil 5 tablespoons

Blend candle nut, garlic and onions. Mix curry powder, chilly powder, turmeric, belachan & blended mixture with water to make a paste. Saute this paste in hot oil until fragrant. Add curry leaves and a little water. Put in the fish head and close the wok lid. Let it simmer for around 20 minutes or until the fish head is cooked. Add in salt, okra and squid. Don't cook the squid too long.

Serve with steamed rice.

Easy Shortcut Butter Cornflakes and Cereal Squid Recipe

Restaurants normally cook buttered cornflakes and cereal with prawns instead of squid. I have lots of 'sotong' (squid) in my freezer from my trip to Pantai Remis, so I gave this recipe a try using squid. I guess this dish would taste better if I deep fry the sotong with a little corn flour or with off the shelf deep frying flour. End result,.......mmmmm, not bad leh!

Ingredients
Squid,500gms cut onto wide rings
Corn flour or flour for deep frying, enough to cover the squid
Butter, 3 table spoons
Crispy Cereal, (from Nestum or off the shelf prepacked cereal for cooking), 1/2 cup or more
Crispy cornflakes, 1/2 cup Egg, 1 pc, slightly beaten
Oil for deep frying
Curry leaves, from 3 sprigs
Cili padi (birdeye chilli), 2 pcs, cut into small slices (optional)
Salt to taste (optional)

Coat squid with corn flour. Deep fry the squid in hot oil (not more than 2 minutes or else it would turned springy). Drain away excess oil and put the squid aside. Heat up wok and add in the butter. Put in the curry leaves and slowly pour in the eggs using a sieve to attain hair like texture. (alternatively you can use deep frying oil to make the eggs crispy). Put in the crispy cereal, cili padi (optional) and cornflakes. Add salt (optional) to taste. Put the mixture on the deep fried squid and serve.

Simple Deep Fried Squid with Flour Recipe

I have not been blogging for quite a while due to my hectic schedule. Anyway, I just realised that I never post any squid recipe. Since I am rather tied up right now, this recipe suits my busy schedule and it is very easy to cook. You can use any ready off the shelf Fried Chicken flour or mix your own flour. Do not over fry the squid or the texture would chewy and tough. If your deep frying oil is hot enough, they should not be fried for more than 2 minutes.

Ingredients
Squid, 10 pcs, cut into bite sizes
Rice flour, ½ cup
Wheat Flour, ¼ cup
Corn flour, ¼ cup
Soda Bicarbonate, ½ teaspoon
Pepper, to taste
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Mix rice flour, wheat flour, corn flour, pepper, salt and soda bicarbonate. Do not add any water. Dry the squid using a paper towel. Coat the squid evenly with the flour and deep fry until golden brown. Serve the deep fried squid while it is still hot and crispy.

Mei Gai Yuan Restaurant, Jalan Burung Pucung, Taman Bukit Maluri, KL – Simple Family Meal

The restaurant outdoor section and indoor airconditioned section directly opposite each other across the road.

Sea cucumber soup......................................................and Butter Squid

Stir fried French Beans and Braised tofu with chicken meat

All the dishes we had

I have passed by this restaurant many times but never try the food here before. One day, I decided to take my family to this restaurant to try out the dishes there. The Mei Gai Yuan restaurant in Tmn Bkt Maluri has two sections; one in the air conditioned shop lot and another section directly opposite it which housed an outdoor eating area and also the kitchen. Therefore, the air conditioned section is rather clean and not smoky at all! We ordered Butter Squid, stir fried French Beans and Braised Tofu. I saw there was a promotion for sea cucumber soup, so I ordered a single serving one just to try it out. The butter squid (RM12) is fried to perfection and is also very flavourful. Everyone loves it, especially my kids! There is nothing to shout about the stir fried French Beans but the serving is rather generous. It cost RM8 per plate. The Braised Tofu looks quite plain but then it actually tasted very nice. I like the fresh and crunchy spinach in this dish. The pre fried tofu has nice aroma and the sauce is savoury! They cooked the Sea Cucumber Soup like the usual starchy shark fin soup. Anyway, I find it very nice and I ate most of it! The total bill plus tea came up to be RM44.50. (4 adults, 1 child, 1 toddler)

 Address : Restaurant Mei Gai Yuan 38, Jalan Burung Pucung, Taman Bukit Maluri, Kepong, 52100, Kuala Lumpur (They have a Manjalara branch too, but I don’t have the address) Tel 012 3177946, 012 3335118
Business hours : 1 pm to 12 am
Map to Mei Gai Yuan