Kitchen trails - Salmon fish head noodle soup

Fish head noodle soup is a firm favourite here in Malaysia. It's a rich soup full of fish flavour and goodness, with soft tofu, tomatoes, salted pickled vegetable, and leafy green veggie. The noodle used for this dish is normally the thick Meehoon (vermicelli or rice noodle).

I had some salmon tail and bones and the head leftover from my filleted salmon, and there's lots of meat left on the head and the bones as well. 

I air fried the salmon head and bones, mmmm.... full of the good omega 3 fat. No need to add any oil!!

Use a big pot, and throw in a few slices of ginger and the air fried salmon, let it come to a boil and then let it simmer to bring out the yumminess into the broth. Normally many will use evaporated milk to get the milky whiteness for the soup, but the salmon full of omega 3 and this fat will cloud the soup naturally without the evaporated milk.

Add the salted veggies, tomatoes, preserved sour plum, and green veggies. Let it cook and lastly add the thick meehoon and the soft tofu.

Heaven!!

Kitchen Trails - Steamed salted chicken breast with ginger

Super simple healthy recipe.

Chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

Enough salt to flavour the chicken, I used about slightly less than 1 teaspoon himalayan salt

Grated ginger, up to you how spicy you want it

Few drops of sesame oil (optional)

Chinese cooking wine (optional)

Mix all together in a heatproof shallow flat bowl, or a plate with high sides. I used a stainless steel plate with high sides.

Steam over high flame for 20 mins

Done.

Kitchen Trails - healthy Brownies

gooey fudgy brownies.

What sounds better than that?? A healthier version, of course.

I substituted with wholemeal flour, olive oil, yoghurt, and honey. So, no butter and no sugar.

I used a brownie recipe I found and I tweaked and substituted with my own proportions and ingredients.

DRY INGREDIENTS

1.5 cup organic whole wheat/whole grain flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon himalayan salt

1/2 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened

WET INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup honey, I used raw honey

200g low fat greek yoghurt

1/2 cup olive oil

3 eggs

splashes of vanilla extract, about 1.5 - 2 teaspoon

OTHER MUST HAVEs

200g dark choccolate, broken into chunks. I used 70% cacao Belgian ones

1/2 cup nuts of choice. I normally soak overnight and airfry the nuts and then chop them up into small chunks

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180 C

I use a 9 X 12 inch tray, lined with baking paper, basically for easier removal later

Whisk or sift the dry ingredients into a bowl or plate or whatever receptacle you fancy

In a mixing bowl, combine all the wet ingredients thoroughly

Then, add half the dry ingredients into the wet ones, and mix. Add the other half and mix to combine

Dump in the nuts and choc chunks and mix well

Spoon the mix into the baking tray and make sure that it's spread into the sides and corners

Bake for 30-35 mins

Let cool in the tray for 2 hours and cut into desired size

Notes: 

I've used both normal whole grain flour and whole grain hi protein flour (bought the wrong one by accident), and it's really no biggie. Either one works. I didn't bother with whole grain pastry flour as it's super expensive

I find that if I don't break the chocolate pieces into small teensy chunks, it's way chocolatey-ier and gooeyier and fudgier

Kitchen Trails - Peach Resin Dessert

Peach resin is the sap/gum from the peach tree. It is said to be collagen packed so obviously that would be great for me!!

There are some precautions as well, pregnant women, women on their period, and those who are breastfeeding are to stay away from this. There could be other interactions or precautions, so it's always good to do research before taking any kind of food or whatever.

The peach resin comes dried in crystal-like pebbles, and it's to be soaked in water at least 8 hours or overnight. It does expand A LOT!! Like maybe 5 times its size *insert goggled eyed emoji*

It would have to be thoroughly cleaned after soaking. There will be tiny bits of tree bark and dirt, and it's a bit of a pain to pick those out. TBH, I don't do a very thorough job in cleaning, I leave the tiny, microscopic specks that I can't be arsed to pick out.

After cleaning, give it a good rinse using a fine netted strainer.

I boil mine with dried Longan fruit pulp, dried red dates, and dried honey dates. There are many variations of items that can be used, just go google peach resin recipe.

I fill up a big pot with water and dump all those washed dried goodies in, let it come to a boil and then turn down the flame and let it simmer for about 30 mins, then I add in the peach resin and boil for a further 10-15 mins or so. Don't boil the peach resin for too long, it will melt down completely, after all, it is the sap of a plant.

Leave it to cool in the pot and then chill in the fridge. It's lovely on a hot hot day

Kitchen Trails - Chicken Salad Sandwich

Many of the food that I cook or prepare, I use them in different ways. It's actually more expensive to eat healthier, so I tend to cook in bulk and stretch them in a variety of dishes and meals.

Today's recipe includes roast chicken breast, spinach pesto as a spread (or I could use sundried tomato pesto), avocado, pea shoots/sprouts, onion, sundried tomatoes (I would omit this if I am using the sundried tomato pesto), dried cranberries and lemon juice.

The chicken breast could be substituted with tuna. Works deliciously as well.

I buy avocados from TMC in Bangsar as they are much cheaper than the Hass Avocados found in supermarkets and grocers. They are just as creamy and delicious! If only I have a green thumb, I would grow my own avocados, but alas, that knack for plants is only with my Mum.

I prepared today's lunch with:

Chicken breast, cut into small cubes

Avocados, cut into chunks, and squeeze some lemon juice on it to prevent it from oxidising and also for a zingy taste to the salad

1 small onion/big shallot, diced small

4 sundried tomato slices, chopped finely (I use the dried type, not the ones in olive oil)

A handful of peashoots, washed and chopped

A small handful of dried cranberries, each cut into halves

A pinch of salt to taste

Spinach pesto for the spread

Mix all the ingredients together (except for the pesto). Spread some pesto on one side of a slice of wholegrain bread, put the salad on the other side, fold the slice of bread together and eat!

Bon appetit!!

Kitchen Trails - Dried Red Dates Tea

I have been having some problems with my red blood count, the doctor has been saying that I am borderline anaemic and my condition has not been improving. This is probably due to me almost totally cutting out red meat from my diet due to my cholesterol levels. I have been eating beans and soy products and eating so much leafy green veggies until I almost have those veggies coming out of my ears!

The Chinese in me has always known about red dates being good for the blood. So I turned to Google and did some research. Turns out that this tea might help my insomnia and anxiety as well. So I am giving it a try.

Today I made some red dates tea with goji berries and dried longan pulp. Now, though some things have plenty of nutrients and all the goodness, everything should be in moderation. And for the Goji berries, please do take note and do research, as it has some side effects as well, especially on those with blood pressure problems and those on warfarin as Goji berries has a blood thinning effect. So, do more research on red dates, goji berries and the longan fruit.

For this tea, I used just dried red dates, dried goji berries and dried longan pulp.

4 red dates, washed and make a slit into the fruit to take out the seed

8 goji berries, washed

a small handful of dried longan, washed

1 litre of water

Put all the ingredients into a pot and bring to boil. Once it's boiling, turn down the heat to just let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. 

I would not eat the dates or goji berries, though I might eat the longan. You could use a strainer to strain out all the liquid. Could be consumed warm or cold.

Kitchen Trails - Pita Pizza

Pita Pizza. I made a healthier version of my kids' normal fav -ham and cheese- pizza.

Today I used wholemeal Pita bread for the crust instead of a pizza crust (which I spread a very thin layer of olive oil to let to brown), and for the base I used a mix of roasted tomato pesto and spinach pesto plus a small dollop of tomato paste and a dash of dried oregano herb. 

Just a single meat topping of shredded roasted chicken breast plus some low fat cheese.

Plonk it in the pre-heated oven of 180C for about 10-12 minutes, just enough to let the cheeses melt and bubble.

Kitchen Trails - Grilled Salmon, Stir fried Chinese Broccoli and Colourful Flavourful Rice

I put together a meal made up of some of my recipes.

I have Air Fryer Grilled Salmon, Stir fried Chinese broccoli, and Colourful Flavourful Rice.