Quick and Dirty Fish Head Soup
Quick and Dirty Fish Head Soup
I made this fish head soup on the spur of the moment, which is essentially the way all fish head soups should be prepared and cooked. I had already bought the fish head way in advance and it is just sitting there in the fridge waiting for the moment to be unleashed.
That in a nutshell should be how we prepare dinner. The decision process is completed the moment I opened the door to the freezer and I decided there and then that I would make fish head soup. Quick and dirty is just the expression that I like to use for dinner that is prepared under half an hour.
It’s not that far fetched considering that it is also about that kind of waiting time when you visit the fish head steamboat stall at the hawker centre, they are already all pre-prepared waiting for you to come and it is usually delivered in about that same amount of time as well.
Once you know the basics to a great fish head soup broth, the rest is as they say, clock-work. The machinery is so well oiled that you know exactly how the soup would taste like the moment you decided to cook the dish.
Recipe
Ingredients
Fish Head – Just one fish head will do for a small family. (that’s $5 bucks if you think about it compared to the $20 bucks if you ate outside)
Tit Poe – this is the key ingredient for making a great soup base, you can usually get it from the Chinese provision shop selling dried seafoods like cuttlefish, scallops, etc. Not sure what is the name of the item, but the Teocheows call it Tit Poe. Since you’re cooking for the family, make sure you get good quality ones.
Salted Sour Mustards – these days I much prefer the sour version of the salted mustard as compared to the salted version. The salted mustard here is also know as Kiam Chye in Hokkien. But the sour version is much better for fish soups. I realised this when we went to Guang Zhou about two years ago and the sour mustard also known as 酸菜 was just amazing with soup.
Leeks – or scallions as some others would call them, are great for soups, you can get them quite easily anywhere, and I like the Malaysian version as they tend to be more fragrant. Cooked in soup, they are just awesome.
Tomatoes – the simplest basic vegetable that I simply must have in my fridge, they add a variety of textures, colours and flavour to any dish I cook. With soups, they stand out really well.
Salted Sour Plums – the key to a great tasting soup if the salted sour plums (whole). These are usually soaked in brine and they really add a lot of flavour to fish dishes and especially fish head soups. I use some Chinese brand, but you could also opt to use Woh Hup brand.
Ginger, Garlic – these are you usual suspects for this dish, a must have. The garlic you can just peel them clean and drop them in, and the ginger, you can julienne them into tiny slivers. Great for getting rid of the fishy smells.
Himalayan Rock Salt – or any Sea Salt alternative will also do fine. I have been using pink Himalayan rock salt in my cooking just because it’s pink and cute, and at the same time, they say it is healthy – but that’s subjective in my opinion. I like it because I know how it would taste in my cooking and it features really well so far.
Method
- Boil water. Hot water must be used for cooking anything, and it’s essential. And of course, the water must cook fast for you to execute your cooking.
- Defrost the frozen fish heads in a large bowl or basin of water, but no need to wait until it is very softened at room temperature. Once the fish is sort of defrosted (5 minutes?) can just throw it into the pan or pot. I use a shallow pan and it works.
- Arrange all the vegetables, salted plums, sour mustards, condiments etc and the salt in the pan and pour the hot water in. Boil at high heat until bubbling and then turn it down. The soup should have the flavours of the tit poe, rock salt and sour mustards with the mild flavours of the fish.
- Once the fish head’s eye balls pop out, it is ready. Maybe about 15 minutes of cooking. Serve with rice (or porridge if you like).
Bon Appetit!
