Fw: Fw: [Sca-cooks] plea for help-- Soup for the Qan

[drakey at webone.com.au]

Gene's about right on this one...

I've done this recipe only once a while back which worked ok but I wasn't
over enarmoured with the flavour.

I did use European Crap as the fish flesh and the consistency does come out
right.  I don't think the carp had been rested long enough as the final
product tasted muddy and weedy.  Even buying fillets at the fish market, it
had to be extensively picked over for bones... Pain in the b*m.

I found the the dried peel is another pain in the b*m to deal with as
well.. You dont want to grind it but it does require some patience to get a
fine dice.  I could only find the dried mandarin peel with the wierd white
fungus blooms (at least I think that's what it is) the chinese like to let
grow on it.  It's too bitter so next time I'm going to dry my own peel in a
dehydrator.

I also can only get the compounded Asafoetida but the tiny amount used
(whether resin or powder) I don't think has any binding properties.

I used a reasonable amount of onion and chopped it so fine it was almost a
paste.  and then I mixed the lot up and blended/beat (not in a blender) it
for a bit until it was pretty much a gelatinous paste with a reasonable
amount of suction (if that makes sense). I suspect the finer and stickier
the paste you get the better the recipe would work...

I was able to get 'bullet' shaped fish cakes that stayed together
reasonably well.  Having more lamb fat (an inch deep)in the pan and keeping
the fat hot helped I think too.

Cheers,

Drake.

ps.  I've made Euryale flour by grinding and sifting fox nuts
     but it's completely unsuited to making noodles?  Advice
     anyone?

     How do I get the brown bit off the outside of the nuts so
     I can get the flour white? Advice anyone?

Cheers,

Drake.

>OK, here's Gene Anderson's response to your question. Thought it might be
>something like this, but figured it might make moree sense to ask.
>
>Phlip
>
>
>From: "Gene Anderson"
>Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2003 11:46 AM
>Subject: Re: Fw: [Sca-cooks] plea for help-- Soup for the Qan
>
>
>> Ah, yes, substitutions....
>> This is actually a good recipe.
>> Carp is sort of gooey and firm and holds together when made into a fish
>> cake.  Pollock is flaky and can't possibly hold together.  That's
problem
>> #1 here.
>> Problem #2 is using orange peel.  The peel has to be DRIED and it really
>> should be mandarin orange peel.  Go find a Chinese grocery and ask for
>> ch'un pei ("ancient skin," i.e. dried peel).  Fresh peel not only tastes
>> bitter, but supplies moisture and oil that help make the cakes fall
apart.
>> Asafoetida can be found in any Indian or Iranian market.  Use only a
tiny
>> bit!  You want to bring out the flavor but not taste the asafoetida
(which
>> is also known as "devil's dung"--enough said).
>> Try using only a quite small amount of onions.
>> Making rather flat cakes that can be pressed onto the pan and turned
over
>> with a spatula is a good idea for flaky fish cakes.  Don't worry if they
>> don't look like a crossbow bolt.
>> Lamb chops are expensive, but great for producing a lot of fat.  Lamb
>> shoulder is cheaper.  You can sometimes find untrimmed New Zealand leg
of
>> lamb, frozen--lots of fat on it.
>>   Good luck with it!!
>> best--Gene
>
>
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