There
is an old Thai saying that suggests that all is well
when "there is fish in the water and rice in the
field" The main source of protein in the Thai diet
is fish, which is hardly surprising when you take a
look at the map and see the immense coastline in
addition to the rivers, canals, lakes and flooded
paddy fields. Along these waterways local people
catch their daily supply of fish using simple
fishing poles or nets. The fish is steamed, grilled
with local spices or herbs, served in soups or
curries, or added to salads or omelet's.
The Cantonese word
for fish is "yu"
which sounds the same as the word for abundance or
bounty. A whole fish is traditionally served at the
Chinese New year banquet as a symbol of hope that
the family will enjoy a plentiful supply of food
during the coming year. Serving a fish whole, as
opposed to cutting it into portions, has great
appeal in Asia, as the fish is aesthetically
pleasing and complete. Also, by cooking the fish
whole the juices are retained and the prized morsel
that is the fish cheek can be served to the guest of
honor.
Fish - nature's bounty - is exploited
and enjoyed all over the East. With a coastline of
over three thousand miles China has an abundant and
varied supply of saltwater fish, some of which are
familiar to Westerners, such as bass and sea bass,
halibut, mackerel, sea bream, sole, plaice, tuna,
cod, salmon, sardines and herring. China also has
majestic rivers and lakes, which are a source of
freshwater fish, including the ubiquitous carp.
Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan
are all island nations, so it is not surprising that
fish plays an important role in their cuisines. This
is especially so in Japan, where an early moratorium
on meat eating was one of the factors that led to
the Japanese expertise preparing this popular food.
Sashimi - very fresh fish that is finely sliced and
served raw - is a delectable treat that is now
appreciated well beyond the shores of the country
that invented it. Trout, mackerel, tuna, salmon and
herring are popular in Japan, as well as more exotic
varieties, such as parrot fish or Pomfret.
Asian cooks have access to a
wonderful assortment of shellfish, not only from the
ocean, but also - in the case of crabs and shrimps -
from freshwater lakes, rivers and canals. In Asia it
is considered essential that shellfish be as fresh
as possible when cooked. This isn't always possible
for the Western cook, who often has no option but to
resort to using good quality frozen shellfish. In
this case, the shellfish should be thawed slowly,
and dried before being cooked. The cooking period
should be kept to a minimum to preserve the delicate
flavor and texture of the shellfish. In Asia,
favored cooking methods for shellfish are steaming,
deep-frying and stir-frying, but they are also used
in soups, and made into dishes used in soups, and
made into dishes such as crab cakes.
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