Stewed Chinese White Radish with Grass Carp Jerky

I went home last week to have body examination with parents and mum gave me some of these special grass carp jerkies, which are made from one of the best breed. Grass carp is a very common fish that Chinese have often. No, they weren’t made by my mum. Mum hardly cooks. Dad does most of the cooking home but, well, for surviving mostly. It says you are good at cooking either because your parents cook well or they don’t at all. I think I have been inspired mostly by my aunt, mum’s younger sister.

These dry grass carps are a little salty. Adding salt can preserve food longer. And mum gave them some more sunbake in the balcony. My dog, Bear, had the first try when no one noticed. I guess since it’s salty, it must be tastier than his unseasoned beef jerky.

Anyway, since I have such unique and delicious food product, I would spend a bit more time to make better food with them. It has been very cold recently and when it’s very cold, radish would be particularly sweet. A stew with these two would be lovely. The radish would absorb all the good flavours from the fish.

Ingredients –
Grass carp jerky, 100g;
Dry pork belly, 50g, sliced;
Ginger, 30g, peeled and sliced;
Dry tofu skin, 70g;
White radish, 1, 700g, peeled and chopped into big chunks;
Light soy sauce, 3tbsp;
Chinese cooking wine, 3tbsp.

How to do –
1. Prepare the ingredients. Soak dry tofu skin in water till turning soft, cut into big chunks, same size as radish. Radish cut into big chunks as well; ginger and dry pork belly sliced. If you can’t obtain dry pork belly, pork belly would be good enough;

2. In a cast iron casserole, add 1 tbsp of oil, and fry the dry belly slices till golden and fat released;
3. Put in ginger slices and fry till fragrant;

4. Then put in all other ingredients, radish, dry tofu skin and grass carp jerky. Add in 1 cup of water. Dry grass carp and pork belly are flavourful enough so don’t over season. Some light soy sauce and cooking wine would be enough;
5. Now bring to boil and lid covered. Simmer in low heat for 40 minutes;

6. Serve in the pot and garnish with chopped spring onion and coriander.

Fish would be tender but still firm after cooking. These dry fish was filleted and boned properly so even my clumsy pal likes to eat. The radish and tofu skin would be so tasty after absorbing all lovely flavours.