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About The Asian reporter. (Portland, Or.) 1991-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2016)
Lunar New Year Page 18 n THE ASIAN REPORTER Year of the Monkey forecasts Continued from page 16 n Fire Monkey: Your relationships will go much more smoothly if you stop coming on so strong, Fire Monkey. Try to relax and be yourself; others will find you far more appealing if you are genuine and not so overbearing. n Earth Monkey: There will be some tricky hurdles in your professional life this year. Maintain focus, trust your instincts, and you will be able to navigate your way through. The experience you gain will lead you to exciting new prospects. w The Rooster The year looks to be a mixed bag for Rooster. Making ill-informed decisions will lead to woe, therefore proceed with caution when big decisions are to be made, and consult with trusted advisors. Though it may seem like a waste of precious time, it will make for a prosperous year. n Metal Rooster: Be sure to manage your finances carefully this year, Metal Rooster, and be cautious about new opportunities. Steering clear of both borrow- ing and lending money will also help maintain your bottom line. n Water Rooster: Acting impulsively in relationships is a surefire road to disaster this Monkey Year. Let wisdom guide you and allow relationships to progress at their own pace for lasting love or friendship. n Wood Rooster: Fly off your comfortable perch, Wood Rooster, and show some initiative. Those around you will take notice and your efforts will be rewarded. Lazy birds who maintain the status quo will be overlooked when opportunities arise. n Fire Rooster: Do your research before backing a cause, Fire Rooster. Your great energy and motivation need to be carefully aimed at a worthy goal, lest your efforts go to waste. n Earth Rooster: Things are looking positive for you during the Year of the Monkey. While exploring your opportunities, remember to take time to check in with loved ones. Someone close to you may be suffering silently and could use your support. w The Dog After a rocky start to the year, Dogs should have smooth sailing in 2016. Fortune will smile extra brightly on those canines who stay true to their principles and focus on their goals. n Metal Dog: What’s that you smell, Metal Dog? Romance is in the air! Single dogs who roam outside their comfort zone may find new love, while partnered dogs who Continued on page 20 February 1, 2016 Steamed whole fish? No. Baking it in foil is easier, tastier By Sara Moulton The Associated Press he Chinese like to feature whole steamed fish on the menu of New Year’s feasts. Said to signify togetherness, abundance, and long life, it’s a dish with symbolism that is as important as taste. Indeed, you’re supposed to leave the bones, head, and tail intact, a way to help ensure the new year will be a winner from beginning to end. When buying fish, many of us tend to opt for the ease of fillets. The prospect of buying, prepping, and deboning a whole fish might seem not just novel, but daunting. Ditto for the prospect of steaming a whole fish, a precarious project for even experienced cooks. So here I propose baking your whole fish rather than steaming it, and wrapping it in foil to keep it moist. It’s much easier to cook it this way. It also has the added benefit of creating an instant sauce. But let’s start at the beginning. You’re at the store checking out the fish on display. How can you tell if a whole fish is fresh? Its eyes should be clear, not cloudy, and its gills should be brightly colored, red or pink. Once you’ve picked your winner, ask the fishmonger to clean it for you. He’ll clip off the gills, scrape off the scales and remove the guts. If you don’t plan to head home right away, ask for a bag of ice to place next to the fish, which will keep it cold until you return to the nest. You begin prepping your fish by scoring it, slicing deeply into the flesh. This will allow the marinade to penetrate to the core and for the fish T NO-FUSS FISH. Whole steamed fish on a menu for Lunar New Year’s feasts are said to signify togetherness, abundance, and long life. The dish has symbolism that is as important as taste. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead) to cook evenly. I’ve called for savory liquid on the bottom of the traditional Chinese flavorings here, pan. Carving the fish isn’t a big deal. but you’re welcome to adjust them to your tastes. If, for example, you’re not Begin by gently scraping off the skin a fan of chilies, leave them out. If you from the top of the fish with a knife. hate cilantro, swap in another fresh Then, using a spoon and starting at herb. The soy sauce is key because it the backbone edge, lift the flesh off in contributes salt as well as flavor, chunks and transfer it to plates. After which helps to season the bland-ish you have removed the top fillet, you fish. Then after just 20 minutes in the can lift off the bone easily in one piece marinade, the fish is ready for the to expose the bottom fillet. Once cooked, the fillets will come off the oven. How will you know when it is done? bone without a struggle. After you have filleted the fish, Pull the pan out of the oven, open up ladle some of the cooking liquid over the foil carefully (it will be steamy each portion and dig in. It’s a treat inside) and poke the fish with a small, any day of the year. sharp knife. If the knife slides in Editor’s note: Sara Moulton was executive easily all the way to the bone, the fish chef at Gourmet magazine for nearly 25 years is done. If there’s some resistance, and spent a decade hosting several Food cook it a little longer. When the fish Network shows. She currently stars in public has indeed finished cooking, you’ll be television’s “Sara’s Weeknight Meals” and has rewarded not only with beautifully written three cookbooks, including Sara Moulton’s Everyday Family Dinners. fragrant flesh, but with a store of Baked Whole Fish for Lunar New Year Start to finish: 1 hour (30 minutes active) Servings: 4 Two 1- to 1 1/2-pound whole striped bass, branzino, or trout, gutted, scaled, and gills removed 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 2-inch chunk fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil 2 to 4 tablespoons serrano or jalapeno chilies, with seeds and ribs 4 scallions, white and green parts, cut into thin strips 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and stems Heat the oven to 400º Fahrenheit. Line a shallow baking dish large enough to hold both fish with foil. Lay both fish on the counter. Working in one- to two-inch intervals, use a sharp knife to slash both sides of each fish perpendicular to the backbone (a 20º angle down the rib cage). For a video demonstrating this, go to <https://youtu.be/KnseUnTFF0g>. Transfer the fish to the prepared baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, chilies, scallions, and cilantro. Stuff some of the mixture into each slash on both fish, as well as into the cavity (most of the seasoning should go in the slashes). Cover the pan with foil and let the fish sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, bake the fish on the oven’s middle shelf for 20 to 24 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through (when you can pierce it easily with a knife). To serve, use a small knife to gently scrape off the skin, then use a spoon to lift off the fillets (they will come up in chunks), and transfer one to each of four serving plates. Pour some of the juices from the pan over each portion. Note: Unable to find 1- to 1 1/2-pound whole fish? Buy three smaller ones (about 2/3 to 3/4 pound each) and reduce the cooking time to about 15 minutes. Nutrition information per serving: 270 calories (110 calories from fat, 41 percent of total calories); 13 g fat (3 g saturated, 0 g trans fats); 165 mg cholesterol; 550 mg sodium; 4 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 35 g protein. Celebrate the Year of the Monkey! February 8, 2016 to January 27, 2017