Fish, Olive Kernels, and Mushrooms

Fish and Seafood

Fish, Olive Kernels, and Mushrooms
Ingredients:
1/2 pound any firm-fleshed white fish
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 egg white
2 teaspoons water chestnut or lotus root flour
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3 ounces olive kernels
1/2 cup angle-sliced Chinese celery
6 slices fresh ginger, peeled and slivered
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
6 black mushrooms, soaked in one cup water, stems removed, mushrooms quartered, the liquid reserved
1/2 carrot, peeled and angle-sliced thinly
2 scallions, angle-sliced thinly
1 Tablespoon Chinese rice wine
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon thin soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch mixed with two tablespoons reserved mushroom water
Preparation:
1. Mince fish, then add salt, pepper, egg white, water chestnut flour, and one tablespoon mushroom water. Stir until very sticky.
2. Brush a small amount of the oil on a steam-proof plate. Put the minced fish mixture on it making it into a rectangle no more than one-inch thick. Then steam this over boiling water for ten minutes. Remove, discarding any liquid on the plate. When cool, cut into three pieces across the width. Then make two slashes in each fish piece, lengthwise not cutting all the way to each end. Next twist each fish section as if it were dough making it into a twisted piece of fish.
3. Heat the oil in a wok or pan and fry the olive kernels until they turn golden. Remove them to drain on a paper towel, and leave oil in the wok or pan.
4. Heat half of the remaining oil, setting the other half aside, and fry the celery until it just begins to soften. Set the celery on a strainer over a bowl.
5. Heat the remaining oil in the wok and fry the ginger and garlic for one minute, then add the mushrooms and fry for another minute. Add the twisted fish pieces, carrot and scallion slivers, and stir once before adding the rice wine, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and olive kernels. When that comes to the boil, add the cornstarch-mushroom water mixture and stir for one minute until thickened. Serve.

Flavor and Fortune is a magazine of: