When it comes to Hong Kong street foods, one of the most beloved delights is "fried stuffed three treasures". The colourful veggie snacks filled with fish paste stand out on the city's streets.
These bite-sized munchies are made of vegetables, such as aubergine and capsicum, stuffed with dace fish paste. They are usually deep-fried and served piping hot, with soy sauce and oyster sauce poured on top. The sweetness of the vegetables goes well with the savoury fish paste.
This snack was probably invented in Guangzhou. The dish is good for people who want some vegetables with their usual snacks.
They're called "three treasures", but there are more than three to choose from. In Hong Kong, the ingredients include capsicum, aubergine, bean curd puff, tofu and smoked sausages.
Vitamins and minerals
The veggies in this dish are good compared to other fried street food. But Kathy Ng, a nutrition expert, says we shouldn't eat it every day.
She says that vendors usually choose the easy method of deep-frying instead of pan-frying.
"Vegetables like aubergines take a longer time to cook, and they are often deep-fried as a quick way to prepare food," she explains. "Compared to other cooking methods, deep-frying adds a lot of calories."
Pan-frying uses much less oil, and it's healthier.
Fried stuffed treasures have plenty of vitamins and minerals. Kathy says dace fish paste is low in fat and high in protein, which is great for building muscle. Tofu is also a good source of protein.
Aubergine is rich in fibre and vitamins. Green and red capsicums contain lots of vitamin A and vitamin C. Both these vitamins boost our immune system.
In fact, fried stuffed three treasures can be part of your everyday diet if you eat it with rice and more vegetables. For a home-cooked version of this dish, here's a recipe!
Recipe
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 1 large aubergine
- 1 green capsicum
- 1 red capsicum
- 1 packet of firm tofu
- 500 grams of dace fish paste
- 1/2 cup of low-fat chicken stock (or water)
- 1 tablespoon of oil (for pan frying)
Directions
- Cut tofu into large cubes, and pat them dry with a towel. Place ½ tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan, and heat it over medium heat. Add the tofu cubes and cook for five minutes, until one side is brown. Flip the tofu, and cook for another five minutes. Put the pan-fried cubes on a plate with a paper towel to soak up any oil.
- Wash and cut aubergine and capsicums into thick slices, about 3cm each.
- Add the fish paste into the tofu cubes and onto the sliced vegetables.
- Add the rest of the oil to the pan, and heat it over low heat. Add the stuffed ingredients with the fish paste side down. Pan-fry for five minutes, until golden brown.
- Add chicken stock or water, and bring the ingredients to a boil. Turn off the heat, and simmer the ingredients for another five minutes. Remove the pan-fried vegetables and tofu, and serve hot.
