Squaretail Fish Nigiri Sushi

The Sushi

The Fish – Squaretail Fish (ドクウロコイボダイ)

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Thai Green Curry Fish Balls

Ingredients

1/2 lb skinless, boneless tilapia fillets, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
4 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp ground white pepper

Curry Sauce

1/2 cup green curry paste
1/2 cup coconut cream
1½ cups coconut milk
4 small Thai eggplants, quartered, or 1 small Japanese eggplant, cut into 1½” pieces
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp grated palm sugar
12 fresh or frozen Kaffir lime leaves, roughly torn
3–4 fresh green Thai chili, stemmed and halved
1/2 cup packed Thai basil leaves
2 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, and quartered

Method

1. Pulse fish and salt in a food processor. With the motor running, slowly add 2 tbsp water; process into a smooth paste. Add cornstarch, sugar, and white pepper. Process until combined. Transfer paste to a bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Using wet hands, roll fish paste into 16 balls about 1″ thick. Cook, partially covered, until tender, 6–7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer balls to a plate. Let cool completely.
3. Heat coconut cream in a wok over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until oil is separated, 8–10 minutes.
4. Add the curry paste. Cook, stirring, until fragrant and slightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add coconut milk and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil.
5. Add fish balls and eggplant. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in fish sauce, palm sugar, lime leaves, and chili. Remove from heat and stir in basil. Serve with eggs and jasmine rice on the side.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: Hong Kong magazine

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To Reap the Brain Benefits of Physical Activity, Just Get Moving!

Everyone knows that exercise makes you feel more mentally alert at any age. But do you need to follow a specific training program to improve your cognitive function? Science has shown that the important thing is to just get moving. It’s that simple. In fact, this was the finding of a study conducted at the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (IUGM), an institution affiliated with Université de Montréal, by Dr. Nicolas Berryman, PhD, Exercise Physiologist, under the supervision of Dr. Louis Bherer, PhD, and Dr. Laurent Bosquet, PhD, that was published in the journal AGE (American Aging Association) in October.

The study compared the effects of different training methods on the cognitive functions of people aged 62 to 84 years. Two groups were assigned a high-intensity aerobic and strength-training program, whereas the third group performed tasks that targeted gross motor activities (coordination, balance, ball games, locomotive tasks, and flexibility). While the aerobics and strength-training were the only exercises that led to physical fitness improvements after 10 weeks (in terms of body composition, VO2 max, and maximum strength), all three groups showed equivalent improvement in cognitive performance.

The subjects in the third group performed activities that can easily be done at home, which is excellent news for sedentary people who can’t see themselves suddenly going to a gym to work out. To improve your cognitive health, you can simply start by doing any activity you like.

“Our study targeted executive functions, or the functions that allow us to continue reacting effectively to a changing environment. We use these functions to plan, organize, develop strategies, pay attention to and remember details, and manage time and space,” explained Dr. Louis Bherer, PhD.

“For a long time, it was believed that only aerobic exercise could improve executive functions. More recently, science has shown that strength-training also leads to positive results. Our new findings suggest that structured activities that aim to improve gross motor skills can also improve executive functions, which decline as we age. I would like seniors to remember that they have the power to improve their physical and cognitive health at any age and that they have many avenues to reach this goal,” concluded Dr. Nicolas Berryman, PhD.

Source: University of Montreal

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