I miss “ikan” (fish). Like fishballs. The Malaysian kind, of course. The kind sold by that Chinese aunty or uncle in the fresh markets. These fish-white and marble-sized fish balls were the freshest ever! They were springy, meaty, and the kind that’s to die for especially when added to piquant tom yum broth or fiery seafood curry laksa. When I studied Home Science in lower secondary school, I learned how to make fish balls. The perpetually stern-faced Ms. Chan was so particular about using only the unfrozen, fresh-off-the-boat ‘kurau’ or ‘parang’ fish fillets sold in the local markets. First of all, she cautioned, the fish must smell like the sea. If it smells fishy, run. The gills of the fish must be deep, bloody red in color, the eyes must be bright and clear. If it’s brownish red, run. When gently poked with the finger, the fish must feel firm to the touch, and it should spring back. If the fish fillet breaks apart or it does not spring to the touch, run. Here in the Great Plains, there’s an abundance of cat fish. Frozen solid salmon, halibut, cod, and trout are always available, too. But that’s not going to work.
I desperately went on a hunting spree for —guess what? The unfrozen kind. Like the ones below. The firm marble-like, soft tender pearls of the sea I gathered from a God-sent grocery store. Hunting for scallops is not a piece of cake here where we live. A 2-hour round trip via Route 66 was warranted to pick up these nice, firm, unfrozen cuties. So worth it though.
These scallops looked so fresh I decided to make a quick stir fry for lunch. I’m thinking of one that’s kind of kung-pao-ed extra hot and spicy. Here’s what I did on a whim.
First, I dry-fried a handful of dried chillies.
Then, I toasted some raw peanuts.
Next, I concocted a savory home-made sauce blend. Let’s call it the ‘magic’ sauce.
A hot, smoking wok is imperative to make this dish. Hot smoking oil is necessary to get that nice “wok hei” (smoky flavor). I let the scallops sit for a minute or so in the fat. Allow the pearls to feel the burn.
It’s getting there, so I gave it a swift toss or two.
Oh yeaaa… Nice caramelization just like I wanted. It’s time to remove the scallops from the wok.
In the same wok, I added the mean ‘magic’ sauce and whatever aromatics and veggies I had in the fridge. I gave it another toss or two.
I blended it like T! I tossed in the caramelized scallops, the ‘magic’ sauce blend, and the rest of the good stuff.
Meet the happy family!
So what’s the star ingredient in this Dust Bowl Scallops recipe? As it Cooks says sambal oelek. And the star utensil? My precious wok. Mr. Chi-Town got it for me while we were holiday-shopping at a really really great store in San Francisco Chinatown called “The Wok Store.” The owner was personable, friendly (like Martin Yan-friendly ‘n funny), and incredibly knowledgeable. He’s passionate about cooking, and he schooled me on the usage of each and every cooking utensil in his store like nobody’s business. Walking down aisles and aisles of unseasoned claypots, cleavers of all shapes and sizes, wooden steamers, hot pots, rice cookers, and carbon steel woks made me feel as if I was taking a trip down a sensory memory lane. I felt so at home.
In case you’re wondering, I served the Dust Bowl Scallops with a side of steaming hot brown rice cooked with quinoa and sliced avocados, (my favorite organic green butter!) drizzled with a touch of lime juice.
Well, what do you know? I finally got my fish ball fix. And the moral of the story? Scallops are Tee’s new fish balls.
So what’s your ‘ikan’ story?
Love,
Tee