Deep Fried Ikan Bilis

Ingredients:

150g of ikan bilis
Cooking oil for deep frying

Methods:

1. Wash the ikan bilis till the water turns clear. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat the oil in the wok.

3. Once the oil is hot, add the ikan bilis into the wok. Stir well. Make sure the oil is enough to cover the ikan bilis.

4. Deep fry the ikan bilis till they are brown and crispy.

5. Remove the ikan bilis and place them on the kitchen towel. Once cool down, put the ikan bilis into an air tight container.

Macaroni In Yong Tau Foo Soup

Assorted Yong Tau Foo

Choy Sum, Macaroni, Ginger

I have been craving for this macaroni soup since last week. This is a simple one pot meal for a family. Apparently I spent less than $10 to get the ingredients and served 5 person! I got the Yong Tau Foo and fishballs at the wet market. Ginger, vegetables and macaroni from NTUC.

Assorted Yong Tau Foo - $4.00
10 fishballs - $1.00
Macaroni - $1.50
Ginger - $1.05
Vegetables (choy sum) - $1.45

Total cost: $9

We often cook macaroni soup this way at home. Sometime I will add hotdogs, crabmeat and meatballs for my family members. For me, I just prefer YTF, fishballs and lots of vegetables.

Serves 5

Ingredients:
6 tsp homemade ikan bilis powder
10 slices of ginger
Assorted Yong Tau Foo
10 fish balls
Salt
1 tablespoon oil
3 litres Water
400g Macaroni
1 packet of Leafy vegetables (choy sum)

Optional:
A dash of pepper
Spring onions
Cut chillies

1. Heat a big pot.

2. Add in a tablespoon of oil.

3. Sauté the ginger till fragrant.

4. Add water (3 litres)

5. Boil the soup and add the ikan bilis powder. Let it simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the salt as desired.

6. Using another small pot and the ikan bilis soup base to cook the macaroni for about 10-15 minutes.

7. Remove the macaroni. Remember to pour the soup that was used for macaroni back into the soup base (big pot). Definitely make the soup thicker and tastier!

8. Using a small pot. Add soup base (about 400ml) to boil. Add in the macaroni, Yong Tau Foo, and fishballs (to cook for individual).

9. After all ingredients are cooked, add in the vegetables. Cook for another 30 seconds and ready to serve.

10. You may serve with the optional ingredients. Or condiments (cut chili with soya sauce).

You may cook all the Yong Tau Foo, fishballs and vegetables in the soup base (big pot). Separate the macaroni into 5 bowls. After the ingredients and vegetables are cooked, divide and ladle into the 5 bowls. This is a easier method, however I think it's tasted better if cooked individually.

Fried Fish Bee Hoon Soup

I had Fried Fish Bee Hoon soup few days ago. The fish was badly fried. Too much of flour I guess... I used to love Fish Bee Hoon but my favorite stall is quite far from my place. Maxwell market. I used to patron the stall when I was working there few years ago.

Today, I have the craving for this piping hot Thick Bee Hoon Soup. So I decided to make this for dinner. Hehehe... As it was too late to go wet market to buy fresh fish, I bought all the ingredients from NTUC. And I added additional 'Liao'. Prawns and squids!!!
Serve 6

Ingredients:

2 Toman Fish fillets (sliced)
12 prawns (deveined and cooked)
1 small squid (cut into bite sizes)
2 packets of thick bee hoon (blanched)
Choy Sum
1/2 Bitter gourd (sliced thinly)
Ginger (sliced thinly)
2 tomatoes (quartered)
3 liters chicken stock
2 tsp ikan bilis powder
Sesame oil
Hua Diao wine
Pepper
Cooking oil

Garnish:
Spring onions
Fried shallots

Methods:

1. Rub 1 tbsp of salt with the bitter gourd for a minute and soak with water for 30 minutes. Rinse off the salt with water and set aside.

2. Cut the fish into thick slices and marinate with a little salt.

3. Boil the chicken stock in a big pot and add 2 tsp of ikan bilis powder. Let it boil for another 10 minutes and turn off the heat.

4. Deep fry the fish slices until golden. Set aside.

5. Divide the blanched bee boon into 6 bowls.

To cook individually:

1. Heat a small pot (for 1 pax). Add few drops of sesame oil and 1 tsp cooking oil. Sauté 5 slices of ginger.

2. Add the stock (about 400ml) into the pot and let it boil.

3. Toss in a quartered tomato, bitter gourd and squid rings. Cook for 2 minutes.

4. Toss in the fried fish and prawns.

5. Add 3 tbsp of evaporated milk and let it boil.

6. Toss in a handful of Choy Sum and add a dash of sesame oil, Hua Diao wine and salt to taste. Turn off the heat. Pour into the bowl of thick bee hoon. Sprinkle pepper.

7. Garnish with fried shallots and spring onions.

Ikan Bilis Powder

What I like using this ikan bilis powder is to make soup, especially Yong Tau Foo soup. I know that most of the people boil the soup base with ikan bilis and yellow beans. I do not know why in my family (from my late grandmother), we use a different method to make Yong Tau Foo soup. We use a little oil to fry the ikan bilis and slices of ginger till fragrance then add water. We boil the soup for about 30 minutes and then add the ingredients. Until today, we still make this soup base for Yong Tau Foo or tofu. Recently I learnt to make the powder from Noobcook's blog. By using ikan bilis powder, the soup tastes the same or even better. Of course it also save a lot of hassles throwing the ikan bilis away.

Idea for soup, porridge and stir fry.

Mainly adapted from Noobcook.

Ingredient:
Ikan Bilis

Methods:

1. Wash the ikan bilis to remove the dirt and salt.

2. Pad them dry with kitchen towels.

3. Pan fried them evenly on the non stick pan (no oil!).

4. When the ikan bilis turn brown and crispy, turn off the heat and let it cool.

5. Grind the ikan bilis into powder.

6. Store in refrigerator.