Quick & Delish-Decorated Fish
Serves 4-6
1-1 1/2 lbs Boneless fish fillets salt, pepper flour 3 eggs 1/2 tsp crushed garlic vegetable oil Green Vegetable Decoration
Whiting, haddock or similar firm-fleshed ocean fish can be purchased frozen. With sharp knife, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces while still frozen. Slice horizontally to obtain uniform thickness (1/4 inch) if necessary.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper. Place on paper towels to thaw. Salt will draw out excess moisture. Pat dry.
In shallow bowl gently beat 3 eggs with crushed garlic and a bit of salt.
Dredge each piece in flour first, then in egg mixture until completely coated.
Vegetable decoration: You will need one leaf for each piece of fish. Use Korean SUK GAHD ( ) if available.* Or use celery leaf, sprigs of fresh dill or marjoram, curly or flat-leaf parsley, or cilantro.
Heat oil in frying pan. Fry pieces on one side until golden brown. Use egg mixture to glue leaf decoration on top side of each piece. Then turn and cook lightly on other side.
Serve decorated fish as a side dish with steamed rice.
Decorated Spam!**
For variety, used canned Spam instead of fish. Each slice should be very thin, 1/6 inch. Cut into tidy squares, which can be handled easily with chopsticks. Dredge in flour first, then egg mixture. Do not add salt, as Spam is very salty. Decorate with green leaf as before. Fry on both sides.
This makes an excellent dish for breakfast or picnic lunch.
*SUK GAHD is the leaf of Crown Daisy, and is purchased in bunches in Korean food stores. In English it is known as mugwort and grows as a weed. However, the leaves picked in the neighbor's yard were tough and awful-tasting! When used as decoration, each leaf looks like a tiny Christmas tree.
**Historical note: Spam was brought to Korea by American soldiers. Consequently, a G.I. often became known as "Spam-man" by the local residents.
From Young Me Hwang's Kitchen
Egg Flower Soup
Serves 4-6 1/2 carrot 3 eggs 1/3 onion (yellow or white) salt 2 green onions 3 eggs 1 tsp crushed garlic 1/2 tsp sesame oil
Bring 1 1/2 quarts water to boil. Cut carrot into 2-inch long, extra fine matchstick shreds. Cut an equal amount of onion into fine shreds (not rings). Add to the boiling water. Add crushed garlic. Add salt to taste and cook 20-30 minutes until vegetables are soft. Taste. Adjust seasoning if necessary. If too salty, add more water.
Slice green onions very thin. Set aside. In small bowl, whip 3 eggs with chopsticks, then add eggs to boiling vegetable broth, stirring constantly, while eggs cook, about 1 minute. Turn off heat. If temperature is too hot or if cooked too long, eggs will become hard like rubber. If you do not stir constantly, eggs become ugly lumps.
Eggs should resemble petals of chrysanthemum, giving the soup its name. Add 1 tsp sesame oil. Now add sliced green onions as garnish, and serve. Beautiful!
contributed by Jonatha A. Johnson