The Tangy-licious Baked Fish

Photo captured with iphone.

I was lost at Sheng Siong supermarket again one morning. Didn't know what to cook for dinner. Got tired with the chicken stews and stir-fried brocollis. Then I saw this fresh piece of white snapper fish tail and decided to get it for about S$10, which my mom says its worth it. 

"I shall bake this fish!" I declared victoriously... in my mind. Ok drama there, no relevance to this post.

The fish turned out very successful in taste and not at all dry as I thought it would. I was extremely surprised that it tasted like tom yum without the spiciness which my son had nothing but praises for this dish. Although the hubs only complaint was not enough sauce to have it with his rice - which is actually rather flavorful.

Here's how I cooked the fish :

Preparation

- pre-heat your oven to about 160 degrees celsius

- marinate the fish with the basic salt and pepper

- mince some ginger and chilli, quantity to your preference

- half a lemon

- 1/2 tbsp butter for pan frying fish

- 1 cup water (or more if necessary)

- 3/4 packet of instant noodle seasoning powder as stock base. (you can use your own chicken or ikan bilis stock cubes as substitute. 1/2 the cube would suffice or use it at your discretion. I have some extra packets of noodle seasoning so I decided to use them instead.)

How it's cooked

- Heat up your pan on medium heat and melt 1/2 tbsp of butter

- pan fry fish as my aim was just to get the skin a little charred. This takes about 3 mins on each side.

- squeeze half the lemon on the fish, the seasoning and throw in the ginger and chilli. Add water.
  (I don't know why but at this point, I felt like I was doing a Jamie Oliver!)

-  turn off fire and place the pan into the oven (my pan is able to be used on the stove and oven)

- Bake for about 12-15 minutes or as long as you can poke through the fish meat with ease, it's indication
   that it's cooked.

- In between, if the stock seems to be drying up, add some water into the pan to keep it moist. But not too
   much lest it loses flavor.

Definitely an easy dish to cook. With preparation time, it didn't even take 30 minutes! Try it!

Till the next post, have a blessed week!

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