Norwegian salmon and fjord trout for a Prosperous Chinese New Year

“Nin Nin Yau Yue” is on the lips of everyone during the Chinese New Year when tossing Yee Sang. It’s a call out for abundance (of prosperity) every year and this is joyfully done with Yee Sang which has “yue” or fish in it.

Norwegian salmon is the fish of choice for Yee Sang as it can be safely served raw. A recent workshop organised by the Norwegian Seafood Council on “Cooking Healthy and Prosperous Chinese New Year Dishes with Norwegian Salmon and Fjord Trout” had media participants getting hands on with making Yee Sang. The event was held at the KDU University College in Shah Alam.

Norwegian Ambassador to Malaysia Gun Jorid Roset, together with Jon Erik Steenslid, the Norwegian Seafood Council Director for South-East Asia, joined in the fun of assembling  Norwegian Salmon Yee Sang in the most creative way.

Jimmy Chok, chef ambassador with the Norwegian Seafood Council, showed how this is done, as well as demonstrating Chinese New Year dishes for the reunion dinner, as well as other festive gatherings, with Norwegian salmon and fjord trout. These include: Sweet Sour Soup with Norwegian Fjord Trout, Steamed Norwegian Salmon Head ith Fermented and Salted Garlic Chilli Sauce, Deepfried Norwegian Salmon Cubes with Szechuan Pepper Salt and 41C Norwegian Fjord Trout with Japanese Mushroom Black Pepper Salt.

While local fishermen take a break and markets close for the festive holidays, Norwegian salmon and fjord trout are easily available in the supermarkets and food stores throughout Chinese New Year. Besides they are such versatile fish for Asian cooking.

Norwegian salmon and fjord trout are harvested from the cold, clean waters of the Norway and within hours are sent for export to more than 100 countries around the world.  Norwegian salmon is  popular fish for sashimi and sushi in Japanese restaurants, attesting to its food safety factor as a fish that can be served raw.

“It’s the most tested food product in Norway. In Europe any seafood eaten raw must be frozen first to kill any parasites. The only exception is Norwegian salmon and fjord trout,” said Jon Erik Steenslid. Norwegian salmon is one of the richest sources of Omega 3 fatty acids. It’s also rich in iodine, selenium and other key nutrients.  Just eating 150g of salmon covers your weekl y need of Omega 3, according to the European Food Safety Authority.

In the last six years Chef Jimmy has been creating Asian dishes with Norwegian salmon and fjord trout.  He’s proudest of his Asam Pedas Salmon.  It’s a marriage made in heaven. When the oil comes out of the fish it blends well with asam.” The chef has also cooked the fish salt and pepper style, in a percik sauce and Indian curry. “Both fish can be used for these, but if it’s eaten raw, I prefer salmon.

“Never over cook salmon or trout. Always fry it without oil in a pan over medium heat and never flip it over and over again. Fry till the white layer appears – this is the protein.”

Here are the chef’s recipes for the Chinese New Year dishes with Norwegian salmon and fjord trout.

NORWEGIAN SALMON YU SHENG (serves 10)

–          Slices of raw Norwegian salmon

–          Carrot, white radish and green radish, julienned

–          Enoki mushroom – 1 pkt

–          Roasted salted peanuts – 100 gms

–          White sesame seeds – 1 tsp, roasted

Slice into thin strips:

–          Japanese pickled red ginger – 80 gms

–          Japanese pickled yellow daikon – 80 gms

–          Dried mango – 80 gms

–          Dried figs – 80 gms

–          Dried apricot – 80 gms

–          Dried cranberry –  80 gms

–          Dried pineapple – 80 gms

–          Kaffir lime leaf – 3 pcs, cut into fine threads

–          Ginger flower, cut finely

–          Pomelo – 200 gms, peeled fruit

–          Pomegranate – 80 gms, peeled

–          Thai crackers – 1pkt

–          Olive oil – 150 ml

–          Lime juice – 80ml

Combine:

–          Lee Kum Kee plum sauce – 1 jar of 260 gms

–          Honey –  1 ½  tbsp

–          Rice vinegar – 3 tbsp

Method

–          Arrange all the vegetables, fruits and dried fruits attractively on a large plate.  Top with kaffir lime leaf shreds, ginger flower.

–          When ready to toss, add crackers, salmon, lime juice, oil and plum sauce mixture.  (You can add less of the liquid ingredients according to your preference)

SWEET SOUR SOUP WITH NORWEGIAN FJORD TROUT – serves  5

–          fish stock –1  litre

–          Chinkiang black vinegar – 150 ml

–          fresh wood ear mushroom  – 100 gms thinly sliced

–          oyster mushroom – 100 gms – thinly sliced

–          soft tofu – 1 pkt cut into cubes

–          shiitake mushroom – 100 gms thinly sliced

–          potato starch flour – as needed to thicken soup

–          Norwegian fjord trout – 600gm sliced

–          Chicken stock cube – ½

–          Salt/pepper/sugar to taste

–          Coriander to garnish

–          Chilli oil

Method

–          Bring stock to a boil and adjust sourness of soup with black vinegar

–          Season to taste

–          Add all the ingredients into the soup except for fish

–          Bring soup to a boil and adjust thickness of soup with potato starch

–          Place sliced trout in bowl and top with a piece of coriander

–          Pour hot soup over and add chilli oil as needed.

STEAMED NORWEGIAN SALMON HEAD WITH FERMENTED AND SALTED SOYA BEAN GARLIC CHILLI SAUCE

–          1 whole salmon head – cut into 2

–          salted fermented soya bean – 2 tbsp wash and soak

–          black fermented soya bean – 1 tsp soak

–          red chillies– 2 pcs chopped

–          garlic – 10 cloves chopped

–          spring onion – 200 gms chopped

–          oyster sauce – 2 tbsp

–          sesame oil – 1 tbsp

–          ginger – 100 gms chopped

–          3 tbsp oil

–          sugar/salt /pepper to taste

–          chicken stock – 500 ml

–          potato starch – 1 tbsp

Method

–          In a pan or wok sauté garlic, ginger until fragrant

–          Add black and salted soya beans, cook till soft and then oyster sauce, sesame oil and stock. Bring to a simmer

–          Adjust seasoning and add chopped chili

–          Thicken with potato starch

–          Cut salmon head into half and steamed with some ginger for 10 minutes

–          Remove and pour away water

–          Spoon sauce over fish and garnish with spring onions

DEEP FRIED NORWEGIAN SALMON CUBES, SZECHUAN PEPPER SALT – serves 5

–          salmon belly and top loin – 1 kg

–          peanut oil for deep frying

–          corn flour – 150 gms to coat fish

–          Szechuan pepper – 2 tsp

–          Salt – 1/2 tsp

–          White pepper – pinch

–          Togarashi chilli  – 1 tbsp

–          5 spice powder – pinch

Method

–          Season salmon cubes with salt and pepper and then coat with corn flour

–          Heat oil and fry salmon to golden brown and set aside

–          Lightly toast Szechuan pepper till fragrant then pound

–          Mix Szechuan pepper with salt, 5 spice, togarashi and white pepper

–          Serve on the side to fried salmon cubes

41C NORWEGIAN FJORD TROUT WITH JAPANESE MUSHROOM BLACK PEPPER SAUCE

–          fjord trout top loin only – 2 whole fillets

–          shimeji mushrooms– 2 pkt

–          Lee Kum Kee black pepper sauce – 3 tbsp

–          green bell pepper – 1 nos

–          garlic – 5 cloves chopped

–          ginger 100 gms chopped

–          salt/pepper/sugar to taste

–          chicken stock 300ml

Method

–          Salt trout for 20 minutes and wash away salt after that. Dab dry with paper towels.

–          Wrap trout loin tight with cling film

–          Bake in oven at 41C for 1.5 hours. Once done, remove and allow to cool in fridge

–          In pan sweat garlic and ginger, then stir fry mushroom and green peppers

–          Add black pepper sauce, stock and adjust seasoning

–          Cut trout to portion and place on plate

–          Pour sauce over and garnish

SLOW COOKED NORWEGIAN SALMON WITH CHILLI BEAN TOMATO SAUCE

–          salmon fillet – 1 whole fillet

–          Lee Kum Kee toban sauce [ chilli beans ] – 3 tbsp

–          roma tomatoes – 500 gms – cut diced

–          red onion large – 1 nos – chopped

–          garlic 5 cloves – chopped

–          ginger 100 gms – chopped

–          spring onion 1 sprig – chopped

–          chicken stock 300 ml

–          oil 2 tbsp

–          salt/pepper/sugar to taste

–          red chilli 2 nos – sliced

Method

–          Put salmon on tray and baked whole fillet in oven at 55c for about 45 minutes

–          Once done remove from oven

–          In pan heat oil and fry garlic, ginger and onion until fragrant

–          Add chilli bean sauce and stock, adjust seasoning

–          Add tomatoes and sliced chillies, bring to a boil

–          Pour over fish and garnish with spring onion