Fish serves up a chockful of healthy nutrients that are essential for growing bubbas. Rich in proteins, DNA, good fatty acids like Omega-3, what’s not to love about these fishy?
Well, some adults (and gourmand babies..haha!) shy away from fish because of its… well, fishyness! Fish like salmon and cod tend to have stronger flavours which may not sit too well with some palates and noses. In this case, pan fried salmon is usually better accepted, and since this fish is full of fatty acids, you can skip adding extra oil too.
Some folks may feel that fried stuff is too “heaty”, and it’s not too good for the little ones. Here’s where steaming makes a healthier option, even for adults.
Using simple ingredients, we can cleverly and purposefully mask that “odour” and make fish more yums! And the best way to eat fish and find out if they are really fresh? Sorry, not tempura style – but steaming it in a simple manner will allow the food taster to determine if that was a indeed good catch.
Ginger, sesame oil, tomatoes and mushrooms are commonly used to mask the fish’s smell for babies. For adults, we’ve got Teochew, Cantonese, Thai style and more! Cut chilli definitely helps too!
Let’s have the little ones enjoy an au naturel steamed fish that’s easy to prepare!
Steamed Fish with Ginger and Wolfberries
~serves one
Ingredients:
A portion of fresh fish fillet – deboned and cleaned. we used Threadfin here.
Small piece of ginger – cut into thin strips or slices. Go easy on ginger though as they are spicy.
Few pieces of Wolfberries – depending on the size of fish, as adding too much may result oversweetness.
Half tsp sesame oil – you may skip this if preferred.
Method:
1) Place ingredients and fish on plate and put over stove with boiling water. You may wish to add a tablespoon of water to get more essence after steaming (refer to TIPS below), but this is optional. Steam for 10 minutes with medium fire or until fish is fully cooked, depending on size of fish. Avoid over steaming as meat may become dry
2) Ensure fish is fully cooked. Switch off flame and prepare to serve. Take extra care not to scald the little one.
We served the steamed fish with plain porridge and stir fried kale with carrots and red capsicum for baby V. Glad to say, save for the red capsicum (which she recently learnt to pick out) everything else was wiped out! :D
Tips:
– Feel free to experiment with other fish and condiments although stronger smelling ones (like salmon) may be better off pan fried
– Great steamed fish options: Sea bass, red/golden garoupa, white/golden pomfret, threadfin, cod.
– See those natural juice essence that ooze from the fish (and other ingredients)? Don’t pour it away! Add them into your bubba’s porridge or rice for extra flavour!
– Wolfberries (aka Goji berries) are gentle herbs that are acceptable for babies diet. We sometimes add them to her soup-based food such as porridge for some natural sweetness. Don’t belittle these tiny Goji berries as they are rich in antioxidants and are believed to enhance vision and strengthens the liver and kidney, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
Hope this simple healthy dish is a favourite among your bubbas. Best of all, adults can enjoy the same dish too, and simply have it as it is, or add a touch of light soy sauce before tucking in :)
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