1STEP 1 | Dice fresh squid and chop lightly with the tip of the knife to retain texture and gel consistency.
Pan-Fried Three Stuffed Treasures
Fresh diced squid blended into dace fish paste creates unbeatable bounce and nostalgic street-food taste.
Pan-Fried Three Stuffed Treasures is a quintessential Hong Kong nostalgic dish. This version elevates traditional dace fish paste by mixing in diced fresh squid and dried shrimp for extra umami and springy texture. Stuffed into sweet mini peppers, eggplant, and tender tofu, then pan-fried until golden and fragrant.
Time40min
SuitableHome-cooking fans
MethodPan-fry
OccasionHome dinner
SeasonAll seasons
The Ahistoric Grandpa Cooking Show (Sr.2)
Full Episode Video
Ingredients（Serves 2-3）
Quick Method
2STEP 2 | Mix diced squid and dried shrimp into dace fish paste. Add cooked oil first, then sugar, salt, cornstarch, pepper, and water. Mix and beat until sticky.
3STEP 3 | Prepare mini peppers: cut off top third, remove seeds, but retain inner ridges to help the fish paste stick.
4STEP 4 | Prepare eggplant: slice into thick flat pieces, make a slit in the middle (do not cut through) for stuffing.
5STEP 5 | Prepare tofu: cut into thick slices, gently scoop out a small hollow in the center for stuffing.
6STEP 6 | Dust the cavities with cornstarch, stuff with the fish paste mixture, and smooth the edges.
7STEP 7 | Lightly dust stuffed surfaces with cornstarch. Fry stuffed tofu and peppers first until golden. Fry eggplant fish-side first, then eggplant side, and rest on side of pan to drain oil.
Tips and Pitfalls
Add Squid for Elasticity
Dice squid finely without pureeing it. When beaten into paste, it provides superior bounce and crunch.
Keep Inner Pepper Ridges
Do not scrape away inner pepper ridges completely; they help latch the fish paste firmly.
Dusting Cornstarch
Dust cavities with cornstarch for grip, and dust top surfaces before frying for extra crispness.
Draining Oil from Eggplant
Eggplants absorb oil easily; drag them up the sides of the tilted pan to cook through while draining oil.
Overview
Pan-Fried Three Stuffed Treasures is a quintessential Hong Kong nostalgic dish. This version elevates traditional dace fish paste by mixing in diced fresh squid and dried shrimp for extra umami and springy texture. Stuffed into sweet mini peppers, eggplant, and tender tofu, then pan-fried until golden and fragrant.
