I love yong tau foo, stuffed fu chuk, stuffed tau foo poks with fish paste filling. Making the fish paste is the most daunting task, it leaves your hand with slimy sticky fish paste and the smell doesn't go off unless you scrape your nail beds really clean. Disgusting as it may be but that's what I did !!
Anyway, here goes.
1 ikan tenggiri (spanish mackerel), choose the freshest you can find. Ask the fishmonger for help.
1tsp salt mixed with half bowl water
dash of pepper
1tsp cornflour
dash of sesame oil
Wash and gut fish, use a sharp knife, slice out the fillet , scrape the flesh of skin and bones
Use the back of a chopper, mince the meat, in the process, add pepper and sesame oil.
Smash the minced meat using hands, add in salt water, little by little.
Form to portions of your convenience and then for the finale, throw the portion to a bowl, lift and throw again, you'll see the fish paste has a springy like texture. I don't know the reason for this but that's what my mom taught me
Keep the portions in freezer and defrost when needed.
I used to love mom's stuffed fu chuk and although I did not make it today, the recipe goes on like this :
mince 3 pips of garlic, fry in 1 tbsp oil with a slice of ginger, add in leftover bones, skins,head and tail. Fry till fragrant, add 1 large bowl of water, simmer for 15 minutes and you'll have a lovely fish stock to simmer the fried fu chuk.
