Friday, May 23, 2008

Food from the Water

Let's talk fish and shellfish. Fish and shellfish are ruled by the element of water, of course, and like other foods that are ruled by this element, are used to promote love, psychic awareness, peace and happiness, purification, healing, sleep and friendships.

Water is life. We need it to live. In fact, we, like our Mother Earth, are about 70% water. What do you think of when you think of water? Rivers? Streams? Oceans? What about fertility? When I think about water, I think about the ocean, which turns my mind to the waters of the womb. These waters cushion us, nurture us, keep us safe until we are ready to breathe air. So, are fish and shellfish sacred to the Goddess? I believe so. Coming from the oceans and rivers, they are the fruits of Her womb.

Unfortunately, we are poisoning these waters, and many fish have high levels of mercury. Because of this, we need to limit our intake of certain fish, such as tuna, King mackerel, shark and swordfish. Nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury, but those have some of the highest.

This entry is going to focus on one of my favorites, shrimp. Some people avoid shrimp because of its cholesterol, but consumed in moderation, it has not been known to adversely affect cholesterol in the body. Some people are allergic go shrimp, and I am so very, very sorry. My heart goes out to those who cannot enjoy this tasty crustacean. Some people do not eat shrimp for other reasons as well, such as religion.

Do try to buy shrimp that have been fished, as opposed to farmed.


The following recipe is a recipe that can be used to celebrate life and fertility, or to promote it. It includes eggs, which are a symbol of fertility here on the land, but which also have strong ties to the womb. They are also a symbol of transformation, of nurturing, and of creativity. Eggs contain the essence of life and have been revered for their mysterious energies, as well as used as a high-protein food source, for hundreds of centuries. Eggs are ruled by the moon, which rules the tides.

So, here we combine the symbol of creation and life itself, the egg, with a fruit of the ocean, a creature that swims in the Mother's waters, the shrimp.

Prawn Omelette with Oyster Sauce

Ingredients for the omelette

2 dried Chinese mushrooms (You can sometimes find these in or around the produce section of the grocery store. If not, just chop up some canned straw mushrooms)
12 oz raw prawns or shrimp
3 Tbsp oil
2-inch piece of ginger, finely grated
1/2 cup drained, canned bamboo shoots, roughly chopped
6 green onions, chopped
5 eggs
2 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground white pepper

Sauce

2 Tbsp oyster sauce (this can be purchased in the Asian section of a grocery store, as well as from specialty markets)
1 Tbsp Chinese rice wine (if you can't find this, you can omit it)
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp corn starch
1 Tbsp water
finely sliced green onion, for garnish

1. Soak the mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes or until softened; drain and slice, discarding the hard stem.

2. Peel and devein the prawns and roughly chop the meat.

3. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a wok and stir-fry the ginger and the prawn meat over very high heat for 2 minutes. Transfer to a place. Add the bamboo shoots, green onion and mushrooms to the wok and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate and wipe the wok clean with paper towels.

4. Beat the eggs, water, salt and pepper in a bowl until foamy. Add the remaining oil to the woke, swirling it around to coat the base and sides. Heat the wok until it is extremely hot and the oil is slightly smoking. Give the egg mixture another quick whisk and pour it into the very hot wok, swirling the wok a little so the egg mixture coats the side to 1/4 inch thickness. Cook for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon to drain away any juices, carefully and quickly spoon the prawn and bamboo shoot mixture over the omelette. Gently lift the edge of the omelette with a spatula and tilt the wok so some of the uncooked egg from the center runs underneath. Cook for about 2 minutes until the base is a crisp brown and has set. Divide the omelette into 4 or 5 sections, cutting it with the spatula, and turn each section over to cook the other side. When each section is lightly set underneath, transfer it to a platter, arranging the slices as they were in the wok.

5. Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce and rice wine to the woke. Mix the corn starch and water and add to the woke, stirring constantly until the sauce boils and thickens slightly. Spoon over the omelette, garnish with the green onion and serve.

Notes: You can eat it without the sauce too, if you prefer.

I will write more about the egg in a future entry. There is much to say!

Recipe source: The Essential Asian Cookbook

1 comment:

Heather M. said...

The mention of limiting the intake of tuna due to mercury content definitely hits home with me. You know how they are trying to link autism with high mercury levels? Well, I ate tuna several times a month while I was pregnant. Rowan was diagnosed on the autism spectrum when he was 18 months old. I don't allow him to eat tuna from a can, and I don't eat it anymore either. I hope to find a good fish market that I can trust, because I like fish, and so does he. I'll definitely try the recipe though - it sounds really delish!