Seafood Pie / Chicken Pie

Have I been missed?  Maybe not but I just wanted to document this painful period for my memory sake.  Good or bad, it is still precious moments to me.

From now on, I have to pray each day that I am in good health. In the month of May, I was bedridden with a bad back. A "twist" while unpacking resulted in that. It was bad but bearable. I recovered subsequently after seeking  treatment from a sinseh. Apparently because of my slipped disc and pressed nerve, the blood flow was restricted and thus resulted in the pain.


After three courses of medication, I was well! Yes I was totally delighted because suddenly I felt so much lighter with no pain on the leg. Freedom!

Then I acted hero, I went on to do something that I shouldn't. I lifted flower pots, hoping to do up my hubby’s dream garden.  After 3 trips of few flight of stairs up, I realised that something was wrong. The next day, I totally was bed ridden once again.


I thought maybe I rested like the last time, and make my way to see my sinseh, I will get okay but I got a bad news. This time, it was no longer blood flow. This time I hurt my back!!!!!!!!!

Went home, more bed rest .... things didn't look promising, in fact, it was going down hill.  With no hubby around, I endured the duties of cooking for the kids, bringing my girl to and fro school and tuition visits. Those days were totally like hell for me. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t really eat because I can’t sit!  I tried to function and grit the pain.  I had to do it, there isn’t anyone that can relief me!  I also didn’t want to trouble my aged parents.

(this seafood pie was done just before I fell ill)

What you need:

Potato Topping

500g potatoes
50g butter
2 ½ tbsp fresh or evaporated milk
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp white pepper powder

Filling

500g fish fillet (use sole, red snapper or any other white –fleshed fish)
1 cup milk
1 tbsp lemon OR lime juice
1 tbsp butter

Sauce

100g prawns, peeled and de-veined
50g butter
2 tbsp plain flour
1 cup milk
2 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and sliced
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp capers, drained, optional
¼ tsp salt

Method

To make topping, boil unpeeled potatoes in saucepan of water for 20 -30 mins till very very soft; peel. Mash peeled potatoes with butter, milk, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Cut fish into 4 to 5 pieces and place in a shallow dish with the 1 cup milk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Dot top of fish with butter and bake in a pre-heated 180ºC for 15 to 20 minutes till cooked. (to test if the fish is cooked, insert a fork in the centre – the flesh should break easily.) Break fish into bite size pieces and retain juices.

To make Sauce, melt butter over Medium Heat, add flour and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add milk, the fish juices, salt and prawns; stir-fry till prawns are cooked and sauce is thick. Add caper (but I love to have this to balance the seafood taste), hard-boiled eggs and parsley.

Add fish and stir so that seafood mixture is well mixed.

Cool seafood mixture in a medium-sized pie dish, then place in the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm up texture. (This makes it easier to spread the potato topping over it)

Remove seafood mixture and spread mashed potato over it. Smooth potato topping with the back of a spoon and using a fork, form patterns on it. 

Bake in a pre-heated oven 180ºC for about 20 minutes till potato topping is golden brown.  

********************************************************************************************

My GP only prescribed stronger painkiller, saying that if my bowel stopped then I really need to be admitted.  I can see my son, my daughter and my helper were really worried for me. Actually I myself too, I was so worried that I will need to go A&E again. But with the last operation I had, I know my problem will never go away.

I wanted to seek alternative treatment.  While I limped to the wet market to get some meat, I asked the butcher where I can seek acupuncture treatment. Seriously I don't know whether that will work but it just came to my mind. Went home and consulted my sister and she too gave me the same clinic.

My parents came to know that I was ill and mom actually cooked some dishes to last me for the week. They also brought me to the sinseh for acupuncture.  (I was heart pain to hear that after all the cooking, my mom fell ill – now you see why I didn’t want to trouble them?)

After one session, I was beginning to feel some improvement.  I started having some hope that I can be well again.  Though I still needed alot of bed rest as standing up actually cause pain but I am feeling upbeat.  At least I don’t have to go under the knives again.  Phew.   Things were looking good especially now that hubby is back, he took over the ferrying of the kid.  That gave me more time to rest as well.

Now I am into my fifth treatment and am well enough to sit here for a short while to type this post and even well enough to cook Chicken Pie for dinner.

Hahaha… I needed two days to type this out … but hey it is an achievement. 

Though this painful experience, I was very comforted to find out that my son is such a filial child.  He actually took "leave" from his soccer training so that he can be home early to watch over me.  Somedays, he didn't even bother to open the gate, just jumped over it to come home to see me.

Thank God for blessing two wonderful kids who loves me!   
Thank you 王远医师 for helping me to stand up again.

Source: Frozen Wings, Yum Yum magazine

What you need:

Pastry:

250g plain flour, sifted
150g cold butter
1 tbsp sugar
a pinch of salt
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp cold water

Filling:

2tbsp oil
100g mixed vegetables
140ml water
2 medium onion, diced

300g chicken breast meat, diced
260g potatoes, boiled, peeled and diced

Seasoning:

2 tsp salt to taste
some black pepper
2 tbsp cornstarch + 4 tbsp water for thickening (I didn’t put this and finds it dry)

Glazing:

1/2 egg + a little salt, lightly beaten

Method:

Pastry:

Put all ingredients ( except egg yolk and water) into a mixing bowl and mix to a crumble.

Add in egg yolk, water and mix into a soft dough.

 

Keep dough in the fridge and rest for 30 minutes.

Filling:

 
Heat up oil in wok, fry the onion until soft. Add chicken meat, mixed veggies, fry for a while to break up chicken. Add in potatoes, water and cook for about 5 minutes. Add in sugar, salt and black pepper. Add in the cornstarch and stir to thicken mixture. Taste and leave to cool for later use.

Take some dough and press into pie or tart cases. Poke hole on the base using a fork, place filling on top and press firmly. Cut another piece of dough to cover the top. Using fork, poke a few more times on the cover of the pie and glaze with beaten egg.

Bake in a preheatd oven at 180 ºC for 30 minutes.