Fish Trip Cafe

Mushroom season.

This is a popular Japanese seasonal dish made of rice cooked with a variety of wild mushrooms and dashi stock.

Enjoy the aroma and flavour of autumn.

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— Mushroom Rice (serves 4) —

450g Japanese rice

250g mixed mushrooms (shiitake mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, oyster mushrooms)

450ml dashi stock (see how to make dashi stock)

3 tablespoons rice wine (sake)

3 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon butter

Some chives, finely chopped

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Wash the rice in a strainer under running water. Set aside.

Trim off the bottom of the mushroom stems. Broil the mushrooms until lightly browned. Make the mushrooms into bite sized pieces (slice the shiitake mushrooms, separate the shimeji mushrooms and tear the oyster mushrooms).

Place the rice wine and light soy sauce in a bowl and toss with the bite sized mushrooms.

Place the washed rice and dashi stock in a heavy sauce pan.

Pour the mushrooms and sauce in a bowl in a pan and put the butter on the top. Cover with tight-fitting lid.

Bring to the boil over hight heat and let cook for 2 minutes.

Reduce the heat to the lowest and simmer (always cover the pan with a lid) for 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat, still covered, and leave the pan for another 10 minutes.

Open the rid, mix gently with a wooden spoon. Garnish with finely chopped chives.

This crispy deep-fried cod warm salad has the perfect combination of flavour and texture.

Also the refreshing soy sauce dressing adds brightness to the dish.

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— Fried Fish Salad with Soy Sauce Dressing (serves 2)—

200g cod fillets

3 tablespoons corn flour

Salt and pepper

Oil for deep-frying

100g mooli (daikon) radish

1 carrot

1/4 red onion

40g wild rocket

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— for Soy Sauce Dressing —

3 tablespoons light soy sauce

3 tablespoons virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey

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To make the dressing: combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

Julienne the mooli and carrot. Slice the red onion very thinly.

Cut the cod fillets into bite sized pieces, season with salt and pepper. Coat them with the corn flour.

Heat the deep-fried oil to 350F/180C, and deep fry the cod until light golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper.

Place the rocket, mooli, carrot and red onion on a plate, arrange the deep-fried cod on the top and pour the dressing over the cod and salad.

I had a bad news today and I felt blue.

But, sometimes you realise some very important things when you are having a problem.

I had a nice coffee,

I heard a very funny Santa Claus story (maybe he does exist),

walked in the refreshing clean & crisp autumn air,

I’ve got some lovely sweets.

I’m fine now. A big hug.

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— Thai Banana Fritters —

3-4 unripe bananas

40g rice flour

30g plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

40g sugar

A pinch of salt

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

200ml coconut milk

Oil for deep-frying

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Sift the rice flour, plain flour and baking powder together in a bowl.

Add the sugar, salt, sesame seeds and coconut milk into the bowl and mix everything well.

Cut the banana half, and slice lengthwise into 4 slices.

Heat deep-frying oil.

Dip the banana slices in the batter, fry until golden and crispy. Drain excess oil on kitchen paper.

The weather is getting cold. Scallops need scarves.

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— Crispy Noodle Wrapped Scallops (6 fried scallops) —

6 scallops

50g cooked thin egg noodles

1 egg york

Salt and pepper

Oil for deep-frying

Some parsley leaves, finely chopped

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— for the Sweet Chille Dipping Sauce —

4 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons rice vinegar

A pinch of salt

1 small red chilli, finely chopped

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To make the sweet chilli sauce, Place all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan, heat gently and stirring until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

Beat the egg york in a shallow plate, mix with the cooked noodles.

Season the scallops with salt and pepper, wrap some noodles around them.

Heat the deep-frying oil to 320F/160C. Deep-fry the scallops until the noodles became just golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper.

Sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve the sweet chilli sauce in a dipping bowl on the side.

This is a popular Sichuan vegetable dish (suitable for vegan).

The spicy and bold flavour makes me feel vibrant.

Serve with plain boiled rice or noodles.

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— Sichuan Fried Aubergine (serves 2) —

400g aubergines

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoon chilli bean sauce (available at oriental grocery store)

100ml vegetable stock

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 tablespoon corn flour blended with 1 tablespoon water

Oil for deep-frying

Some spring onion for garnish, finely chopped

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Cut the aubergine lengthways into 2/3 inch wide by 2 inch long strips.

Heat the deep-frying oil to 375F/180C. Deep fry the aubergine for about 3 minutes until slightly golden. Drain excess oil on kitchen papers.

Heat the sesame oil in a frying-pan, add the garlic, ginger, chilli bean sauce and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Add the deep-fried aubergine and vegetable stock and then simmer over medium heat for 3 minutes.

Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar, then add the blended corn flour and stir to thicken the sauce.

Garnish with the spring onion.

What I like about Holland most is “FEBO” (fast-food vending machine). Open the drawer and there is a warm croquet anytime!  :)

I and my friend are very excited when we find it (well, we were a bit drunk…), and decided to eat all kind of FEBO croquettes while we are in Amsterdam.

Hanging around the town and eat FEBO, drink beers and get FEBO, give up the sightseeing and try to find FEBO… All I remember about Amsterdam is FEBO.

This blue cheese croquettes is not the FEBO style croquette, but I always remember the amazing vending machine ”FEBO” when I make croqueetes.

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— Blue Cheese Croquettes (10 croquettes) —

400g potatoes

1 tablespoon butter, melted

100ml milk

Salt and black pepper

80g blue cheese, crushed into small pieces

1 egg, beaten

140g plain flour

160g breadcrumbs

Oil for deep-flying

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Boil the potatoes with skin on until tender. Drain and let them cool down.

Peel the potatoes and place in a bowl and and mash. Add the butter, milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix them until evenly combined.

Add the crushed blue cheese in the potato mixture and mix gently.

Divide the mixture into 10 and form into chunky log shapes. Put them on a tray and refrigerate for about an hour.

Heat the deep-frying oil to 350F/180C.

Roll the croquettes in the flour first, then beaten egg and then the breadcrumbs.

Deer-fry the croquettes until golden brown all over.