Getting The Best Out Of Fishy Treat

The fish maw is an uncommon ingredient even in the best of Chinese restaurants. Properly identified and handled, it can be used in many premium dishes. Chef Bong Jung Choi of Lai Poh Heen restaurant shares cooking tips and recipes.

Known in Cantonese as fa kau, the fish maw refers to the fish’s stomach that has been extracted, cleaned and sun-dried whole. However, the term “fish maw” is often erroneously used to refer to the fish bladder (or swim bladder), or yue piu in Cantonese.

The dried fish bladder looks similar to the fish maw in terms of colour, texture and shape, hence the identity mix-up, explains Margaret Hiah of dried seafood suppliers, Kwang Yeow Heng (Tel: 03-2078 0969).

Maw expert: Bong Jun Choi, executive chef of Lai Poh Heen restaurant, Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur.

The uninitiated may not be able to tell the two apart in their dried forms, but luckily, fish bladder is often sold deep fried and the golden puffs look quite distinctive. Fish maw is never deep fried while fish bladder has to be deep fried (and often soaked) before cooking.

When reconstituted, the fish maw is white with a silky smooth texture; after cooking, the texture is akin to a puffy marshmallow. The taste is mildly fishy, but otherwise bland, so it is often braised or double-boiled in soups and stocks to infuse it with flavour.

It is expensive, and considered a premium delicacy valued for its curative properties and slippery, gelatinous texture not unlike the sea cucumber.

Fish maw is harvested from various kinds of fish species from the seas around Myanmar, Thailand, India, New Zealand and the United States of America. The most prized fish maw is said to be extracted from the croaker fish due to its large size and thick stomach walls.

Generally, fish maw extracted from larger fishes are more valuable, although most dried seafood shops in Kuala Lumpur are unable to identify what fish species the maw is extracted from as they are sold based on their origins.

Health benefits

The collagen-rich fish maw is popular among beauty-conscious Chinese women as it has a reputation of being able to enhance the facial complexion. “Some of my customers choose fish maw over bird’s nest – another complexion food – as the fish maw is relatively cheaper,” says Hiah.

“The fish maw is believed to be highly nutritive and especially good for the lungs, and curing persistent coughs and asthma. In the days when tuberculosis did not have a cure, fish maw was boiled and drank as a cure,” she adds.

Some purists boil the fish maw on its own until it melts and drink it neat, but for others who can’t swallow the fishy aftertaste, Hiah recommends boiling it with a few red dates and rock sugar to sweeten it.

It is also said to be beneficial in the treatment of gout and arthritis, and as an overall health tonic for those recovering from illnesses.

Choosing fish maw

Dried fish maw comes in various shapes and sizes, ranging from elongated, curved pieces to large, flat pieces. “Look for thick ones with smooth sides,” Hiah advises.

Chef Bong Jun Choi of Mandarin Oriental hotel’s Lai Poh Heen restaurant concurs: “The thickness is important as it means the fish maw will expand after it is soaked. Thinner varieties can expand up to two times their size, while thicker pieces can expand up to five times their size.”

Colour is another indicator of the value of the fish maw, with bigger price tags attached to the deeper hues; Hiah recommends those with a deep yellow or golden hue. Some fish maw pieces have dark colour patches. “This is the dried fish blood, which some customers actually prefer even though it gives a fishy taste to the fish maw,” she says.

She notes that fish maw from Asian countries like Myanmar is generally priced one third lower than those sourced from the oceans around New Zealand as their size is smaller and the colour is lighter.

Another price determiner is the sex of the fish: fish maw from a male fish fetches a higher price than its female counterpart due to its thickness.

Storage tips

Like other prized dried Chinese delicacies such as scallops, shark’s fin and bird’s nest, dried fish maw gets better with age. For instance, a piece of dried fish maw kept for more than 40 years is estimated to be worth RM3,000 per kg at Kwang Yeow Heng.

“With time, the dried fish maw’s colour will darken and deepen, making the flavour more concentrated and less fishy,” Hiah explains. She recommends storing dried fish maw in a dry container.

Once reconstituted, the fish maw can be stored in the refrigerator for a week, but “you need to keep it cool or it will become fishy and slimy, so place it in a container with ice cubes,” Bong advises. Storing in the freezer is not advisable, as the reconstituted fish maw will shrink in size.

Reconstituting fish maw

Fish maw is only sold in the dried form and needs to be reconstituted before cooking. Chef Bong recommends covering the dried fish maw in boiling water and leaving it to soak, covered, for at least two days, repeating the process if the fish maw is not soft enough.

Stir-fried Shredded Fish Maw with Eggs in Crispy Golden Cup

(10 servings)

Crispy golden cup

20 pieces square wonton skins
Oil for deep frying

5 eggs
300g reconstituted fish maw, cut into fine strips
50g reconstituted sea cucumber, cut into fine strips
20g canned abalone, cut into fine strips
10g carrot, cut into fine strips
10g spring onion, cut into fine strips
20g fresh shiitake mushroom, cut into fine strips
20g fresh button mushroom, cut into fine strips
50g cooked crab meat, flaked
50g dried scallops, soaked, steamed and flaked

Seasoning

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon fish stock powder
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon white pepper powder
1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons cooking oil

To prepare crispy golden cup: Heat the oil for deep frying. Overlap two wonton skins to form star shape and sandwich between two mini tartlet tins. Lower into hot oil and deep fry until golden brown. Remove and drain excess oil.

To stir-fry eggs: Crack eggs into a mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and seasoning; mix well. Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. When hot, pour in egg mixture and lower heat. Stir-fry the egg mixture continuously, stirring with a pair of chopsticks, until egg is set, fragrant and golden brown. Dish out.

To serve: Arrange crispy golden cups on a plate. Scoop stir-fried eggs into cups. Serve immedia tely.

Fish Maw with Shredded Sea Treasures & Spinach in Broth

(10 servings)

2 litres fish stock*
100g reconstituted fish maw, cut into fine strips
50g canned abalone, cut into fine strips
50g reconstituted sea cucumber, cut into fine strips
50g dried scallops, soaked, steamed and flaked
50g cooked crabmeat, flaked

Seasoning

1 tablespoon fish stock powder
½ tablespoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon pepper

100g spinach, sliced finely
50g cornflour, mixed with 500ml water

In a large pot, combine all the ingredients, except the spinach and cornflour mixture; bring to a boil. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Add spinach and cornflour mixture to thicken broth. When it returns to a boil, remove from heat and serve immediately.

*Fish stock (makes 2 litres)

You can use any white fish except mackerel to make the stock.

3 litres water
1kg garoupa or snapper fish bones
150g celery, diced
150g carrot, diced
50g onion, diced

Place all the ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered, for 1 to 1½ hours. Remove from heat and strain. Cool before using.

Double-boiled Fish Maw with Cordyceps Flower in Chicken Consomme

(10 servings)

1.2kg chicken fillet, cut into 20 pieces
2 litres chicken consommé*
150g reconstituted fish maw, cut into
2cm square pieces
10 Chinese mushrooms, soaked until softened
10g cordyceps flower (tong chong ho fa), washed and drained

Seasoning

1 tablespoon chicken stock powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper powder

A handful of boxthorn berries (kei chi), rinsed, soaked for 5 minutes

Poach chicken pieces in boiling water for 2 minutes; drain and place in a double-boiler pot.

Add chicken consommé, fish maw, mushrooms, tong chong cho fa and seasoning.

Season to taste and double-boil over low heat for 45 minutes.

Remove from heat, add the kei chi and serve hot.

*Chicken consomme (makes 3 litres) and drained

3kg chicken meat, minced
600g Chinese cabbage, chopped
600g carrot, chopped
5 litres water

Place all ingredients in a large pot; bring to a boil. The minced meat will float to the top.

Lower heat and simmer for 5 hours. Remove from heat and strain. Cool stock before using.

Stewed Fish Maw with Abalone and Asparagus

(10 servings)

2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon dried sole fish powder (chor hau yue)
1 litre fish stock
300g reconstituted fish maw, cut into ten 2cm square pieces
10 pieces whole canned abalone

Seasoning

5 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon dark soy sauce
¼ teaspoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon salt

600g large green asparagus,woody stems removed
200g Shimeiji mushrooms

In a wok, heat the oil over medium heat. Add dried fish powder. Stir-fry until fragrant.

Add fish stock, fish maw and abalone. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Add seasoning to taste. Remove from heat.

In a clean wok, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté asparagus and mushrooms for one minute. Remove from heat.

Plate the fish maw and abalone, with the asparagus and mushrooms arranged on the side. Pour in enough sauce to cover. Serve im mediately.

Source: The Star