Hello Everyone! I’m back with another recipe that I created last year for the King Chef Challenge 2021 that I was invited to participate in by a foodie friend of mine who I met on Instagram. For the challenge, I decided to use King Chef’s mantou buns, Lee Kum Kee’s premium soy sauce and hoisin sauce, as well as Tabasco sauce from the kit provided to make these Mantou Sliders.

For those who are unfamiliar with the term sliders, it is essentially a mini version of a hamburger, but sometimes used to describe any small sandwich made with a slider roll. Sliders can be served as hors d’oeuvres, snacks, or even as a main.

The recipe has three main components to it: first you have the fried mantou buns. This gives them a golden and crispy exterior with a soft and pillow-y interior – the best way to enjoy a mantou bun in my opinion! Next you have a simple hoisin-glazed fish that is pan-grilled, with a sweet and slightly tangy flavour to it. Lastly, we have the soy-marinated quail eggs to add a salty-spicy flavour, and creamy texture to the overall slider. The other minor components include carrots and red onions pickled in a simple solution, a mix of tabasco sauce and mayonnaise, and some shredded green scallions for some freshness.

Now you may be thinking, why did I need 12 quail eggs for just 3 sliders? Well, I didn’t just want to make 3 quail eggs so I decided to make them in a batch. You can have the rest of the eggs with ramen, plain rice, or make more sliders! For the purpose of the challenge, and to get as many recipes as I can with the provided products, I had to use the mantou buns sparsely. I can’t remember how many buns there were in the pack I was given, but I did use them for 4 out of the 6 recipes I created for the challenge, and of course, had to keep some on reserve incase I mucked up a recipe, which actually did happen, so thank goodness for my advanced thinking!

Before I move on to the recipe, I just want to add that though boiling quail eggs may seem like a walk in the park, it’s so much more technical than it appears. To get the perfect soft boiled quail egg, you need to get the timing right for its size. According to Pants Down Aprons On, you need exactly 2 minutes and 20 seconds for quail eggs that weigh 12 grams each. The cooking time for soft boiled quail eggs will differ depending on the size. In addition, make sure that all the eggs go into the pot of boiling water at the same time. Check out the write up for a detailed know-how on making the perfect soft boiled quail egg.

PREP TIME 15 MINS* | COOKING TIME 10 MINS | SERVES 3

INGREDIENTS

For the quail eggs

• 12 quail eggs
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup Lee Kum Kee’s premium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1-2 red chillies, chopped
• Scallions, chopped
• Sesame seeds, toasted

• 3 pcs King Chef’s mantou buns, fried
• Oil for frying

For the fish

• Tilapia fillets
• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp white pepper powder
• Salt, to taste
• Sesame oil

To garnish

• Pickled carrots
• Pickled onions
• Scallions (green part), shredded
• Mayonnaise and Tabasco sauce mixture

METHOD

*Prepare your soy-marinated quail eggs in advance (4 to 6 hours before, or overnight).

1. Soy-marinated Quail Eggs: In a small sauce pot, heat the water, Lee Kum Kee’s premium soy sauce, and rice vinegar until simmering. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool down.
2. Meanwhile, bring another small pot of water to a boil. Carefully place the quail eggs onto a slotted spoon and gently lower them into the boiling water. Cook for exactly 2 minutes and 20 seconds. Once done, remove and place into a prepared ice bath before peeling.
3. Combine the soy sauce mixture and the peeled quail eggs in a small bowl. Mix the chopped chillies, scallion, and toasted sesame seeds, into the marinade.
4. Place a paper towel on top to submerge the quail eggs into the marinade. Set aside in the fridge for at least 4 to 6 hours or ideally overnight for maximum flavour absorption.
5. Hoisin-glazed Fish: Combine Lee Kum Kee’s hoisin sauce, lemon juice, salt, and white pepper powder in a small bowl. Coat the tilapia fillets in the hoisin mixture and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.
6. Heat a grill pan over medium high and grill the tilapia fillets for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
7. Assemble: Cut into the fried mantou buns vertically, about 3/4 of the way though. Smear some of the mayonnaise and Tabasco sauce mixture into the bun, and fill with the grilled fish and pickled vegetables.
8. Top with some shredded scallions and top with half a soy-marinated quail egg. Serve immediately and enjoy!

These sliders are completely customisable to your liking. You can marinate and cook your fish the way you like it, use other kinds of seafood or meat, or leave it out altogether if you want something vegetarian. You can also use fresh vegetables instead of pickled ones – whatever floats your boat!

BON APPÉTIT

– Ally xx

Follow me on my social media accounts:
Facebook: Amcarmen’s Kitchen
Instagram: @amcarmenskitchen
TikTok: @amcarmenskitchen