The last two meals I cooked for girlfriends of mine were (to me) lackluster. So I did what I always do in these situations: I called mom.
The secret to cooking prawns, my mom taught me, is rinsing them under cold tap water for at least 5 minutes. This produces prawns that are crunchy to the bite, rather than mealy. I tested out that theory this week for The Boy, and it was astonishingly true!
The second secret to cooking prawns, my mom taught me, is using a little ginger to dispel the "fishy" smell and taste of seafood. Again, the theory tested well.
So I incorporated these two cooking tips into my stir-fry dish, Tomato Prawns, this week. This dish is yummy and despairingly easy - great for new moms with only two hands!
TOMATO PRAWNS
A - Meat and Marinade
10-15 tiger prawns, shell peeled and deveined
1/2 tsp salt
B - Aromatics
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 slices fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, sliced finely into thin sections
3 stalks scallions, sliced finely into 1/2 cm sections - separate white and green parts
2 tomatoes, diced
C - Sauce
2 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soya sauce) *
1 tbsp potato flour mixed with 3 tbsp water
* Note: This can be substituted with 2 tbsp light soya sauce and 1 tbsp sugar.
*****
A - Run the shelled and deveined prawns under a cold tap for at least 5 minutes. While the prawns are under the tap, you can prepare your aromatics (B). Afterwards, dry the prawns thoroughly with a paper towel and sprinkle both sides with salt. Set aside for 15 minutes.
B - Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a wok, high heat. Fry the slices of ginger for a while until fragrant. Lower heat to medium, fry the white parts of the scallions and the garlic. Do not burn the garlic - if it browns, it will taste bitter!
Add the marinated prawns. Stir fry on both sides until the prawns turn red and are cooked.
C - Add the chopped tomatoes and green parts of the scallions, flipping the prawns as you do. Then add the kecap manis. Stir fry for a few seconds until the sauce bubbles. Then add the potato starch mixture. Take the wok off the heat once the sauce starts to thicken.
Serve immediately with steamed white rice and some green leafy vegetables.
Previously at artisanedibles dot blogspot dot com.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Fish Curry
I love this curry. It's flavorful, healthful, and it reminds me of home (Singapore) - the place where Fish Head Curry was invented! Our family loves it, particularly because it meets our maximin principle when it comes to food: Maximum flavor for minimum calories!
Note: Tamarind concentrate can be found in most Asian grocery stores. You can substitute the tamarind with 1 can of peeled tomatoes. This lends a more intense flavor. In which case, skip the fresh tomatoes.
FISH CURRY
Cooking time: 20 minutes
A - Meat
1 Fish fillet - use a fatty fish like Chilean sea bass or cod
B - Aromatics
2 medium onions
1 tbsp Chilli powder (or more if you like it spicy)
2 tbsp curry powder (fish curry powder, if you can find it, or mix your own), mixed with a small amount of water to form a paste
1 tbsp tamarind concentrate, diluted according to instructions
3 tomatoes, chopped into big chunks
C - Accompaniments
Green beans or Okra, cleaned and the tips cut off
*****
A - Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a skillet. When the oil is smoking, slide in the fish fillet and sear both sides. Do not overcook the fish at this stage. Just 1-2 minutes on each side until it just starts to brown will do. Set aside.
B - In a food processor, chop finely the onions with the chilli powder.
Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a claypot or shallow braising pot. Fry the onion-chilli mixture until all the water from the onions has evaporated and the mixture slightly glistens with oil. Add the curry paste and fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Slide in the fish fillet. Add enough water to barely cover the fish (not too much). Add in the tamarind and chopped tomatoes (or can of peeled tomatoes). Cover and bring to a boil.
C - When the gravy is boiling, add in the vegetables. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
At the end, taste and add salt accordingly. Most times, I find that the sweetness of the vegetables and the spiciness of the curry powder have been coaxed out and co-mingled so lovingly during the cooking process that further addition of salt is unnecessary.
Serve immediately with steamed white rice.
Note: Tamarind concentrate can be found in most Asian grocery stores. You can substitute the tamarind with 1 can of peeled tomatoes. This lends a more intense flavor. In which case, skip the fresh tomatoes.
FISH CURRY
Cooking time: 20 minutes
A - Meat
1 Fish fillet - use a fatty fish like Chilean sea bass or cod
B - Aromatics
2 medium onions
1 tbsp Chilli powder (or more if you like it spicy)
2 tbsp curry powder (fish curry powder, if you can find it, or mix your own), mixed with a small amount of water to form a paste
1 tbsp tamarind concentrate, diluted according to instructions
3 tomatoes, chopped into big chunks
C - Accompaniments
Green beans or Okra, cleaned and the tips cut off
*****
A - Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a skillet. When the oil is smoking, slide in the fish fillet and sear both sides. Do not overcook the fish at this stage. Just 1-2 minutes on each side until it just starts to brown will do. Set aside.
B - In a food processor, chop finely the onions with the chilli powder.
Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a claypot or shallow braising pot. Fry the onion-chilli mixture until all the water from the onions has evaporated and the mixture slightly glistens with oil. Add the curry paste and fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Slide in the fish fillet. Add enough water to barely cover the fish (not too much). Add in the tamarind and chopped tomatoes (or can of peeled tomatoes). Cover and bring to a boil.
C - When the gravy is boiling, add in the vegetables. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
At the end, taste and add salt accordingly. Most times, I find that the sweetness of the vegetables and the spiciness of the curry powder have been coaxed out and co-mingled so lovingly during the cooking process that further addition of salt is unnecessary.
Serve immediately with steamed white rice.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Tangerine Beef
American Chinese cuisine is a category of its own. It looks nothing like what I would consider "Chinese" food. So when an American Vietnamese friend of mine declared that he disliked Chinese food because it was "overcooked" and "sugary", I decided that my mission would be change minds, one by one - through cooking authentically!
Tangerine Beef (Orange Beef as it is usually listed on the menu) is a great example of how the fresh ingredients can sing for themselves - without the help of sugar or cornstarch or MSG. So there, PF Chang!
Dried tangerine peel can be found at most Asian grocery stores. It was once considered so precious that my great-grandmother would hide her stash in a tin under the bed. It lends a citrus intensity and depth to the dish, but can be left out if you really must.
TANGERINE BEEF
A - Meat and Marinade
1.5 lbs beef fillet, cut into thin slices
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar (ok, just a little sugar)
2 tsp light soya sauce
2 tsp dark soya sauce
2 tsp Shaohsing wine / Vermouth
1 dried chilli (optional)
1 tbsp hot chilli oil (optional)
B - Aromatics
3 pcs dried tangerine peel - soaked in cold water for 1/2 hour or until soft, drained, and julienned
1/2 small orange - rind peeled and blanched in boiling water for 5 minutes, drained, rinsed in cold water, and julienned
1" fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
6 scallions, cut into 2" sections (separate green and white parts)
Shaohsing wine / Vermouth
Chilli sauce (optional)
C - Sauce
1/2 tsp potato starch
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp dark soya sauce
*****
A - Marinade the meat in all the marinade ingredients except the dried chilli and chilli oil for 1 hour. If you like it hot, crinkle in the dried chilli and blend in the chilli oil after 1 hour.
B - Heat 4 tbsp of vegetable oil in wok over high heat until smoke rises. Sizzle first the ginger, then the white sections of the scallions - to make the oil fragrant. Then add the tangerine and orange peels and stir-fry for a few seconds.
Add the beef slices, cooking on both sides. Splash the Shaohsing wine around the side of the wok while the beef is cooking and continue to stir-fry, adding the chilli sauce if you like it hot. When the beef is almost cooked, lower the heat and let it sit for 2 minutes so that the citrus flavors can permeate the beef.
C - Prepare the sauce by mixing the ingredients together. Add the sauce into the wok and stir as it thickens. Throw in the green sections of the scallions, give it a few more flips with your spatula, and voila! Tangerine beef.
Serve immediately with steamed white rice.
Tangerine Beef (Orange Beef as it is usually listed on the menu) is a great example of how the fresh ingredients can sing for themselves - without the help of sugar or cornstarch or MSG. So there, PF Chang!
Dried tangerine peel can be found at most Asian grocery stores. It was once considered so precious that my great-grandmother would hide her stash in a tin under the bed. It lends a citrus intensity and depth to the dish, but can be left out if you really must.
TANGERINE BEEF
A - Meat and Marinade
1.5 lbs beef fillet, cut into thin slices
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar (ok, just a little sugar)
2 tsp light soya sauce
2 tsp dark soya sauce
2 tsp Shaohsing wine / Vermouth
1 dried chilli (optional)
1 tbsp hot chilli oil (optional)
B - Aromatics
3 pcs dried tangerine peel - soaked in cold water for 1/2 hour or until soft, drained, and julienned
1/2 small orange - rind peeled and blanched in boiling water for 5 minutes, drained, rinsed in cold water, and julienned
1" fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
6 scallions, cut into 2" sections (separate green and white parts)
Shaohsing wine / Vermouth
Chilli sauce (optional)
C - Sauce
1/2 tsp potato starch
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp dark soya sauce
*****
A - Marinade the meat in all the marinade ingredients except the dried chilli and chilli oil for 1 hour. If you like it hot, crinkle in the dried chilli and blend in the chilli oil after 1 hour.
B - Heat 4 tbsp of vegetable oil in wok over high heat until smoke rises. Sizzle first the ginger, then the white sections of the scallions - to make the oil fragrant. Then add the tangerine and orange peels and stir-fry for a few seconds.
Add the beef slices, cooking on both sides. Splash the Shaohsing wine around the side of the wok while the beef is cooking and continue to stir-fry, adding the chilli sauce if you like it hot. When the beef is almost cooked, lower the heat and let it sit for 2 minutes so that the citrus flavors can permeate the beef.
C - Prepare the sauce by mixing the ingredients together. Add the sauce into the wok and stir as it thickens. Throw in the green sections of the scallions, give it a few more flips with your spatula, and voila! Tangerine beef.
Serve immediately with steamed white rice.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
American Chocolate Pie
The Boy's mom makes a fantastic chocolate pie every time we go home to Olathe, KS. It's one of those quintessential American recipes - easy, delicious, and chocolaty. In a moment of culinary history epiphany, The Boy professed the American way: just add peanut butter, chocolate, cheese or bacon, and it will be tasty. It's more true than you think!
Adapted from the Betty Crocker Cookbook. This recipe produces a slightly gelatinous chocolate pie filling, as opposed to a custard-based filling e.g. in a Lemon Sabayon tart.
AMERICAN CHOCOLATE PIE
A - Base
1 pie crust (either homemade or prepared)
B - Filling
1.5 cups white sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups whole milk
2 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
C - Thickening agent
4 large egg yolks, beaten with a whisk
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla
*****
A - Bake tart pastry.
B - In a saucepan, mix the sugar, cornstarch, salt and milk. Mix well and then add the chocolate. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spoon, until the mixture starts bubbling. Boil until the mixture thickens and leaves a trail on the surface when you lift your spoon.
C - Lower the heat. Bit by bit, stir in the beaten egg yolks slowly. The trick here is not to cook the egg yolks, but to control the temperature such that it acts as a thickening agent instead. If you see bits of cooked egg yolk forming, just cheat and take them out with a spoon. =)
Stir in the butter and vanilla. Turn off heat and set aside. When the filling has cooled slightly, pour the warm filling into the tart pastry. Press a plastic wrap over the filling to prevent a film forming on the top.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours until the filling has set.
Adapted from the Betty Crocker Cookbook. This recipe produces a slightly gelatinous chocolate pie filling, as opposed to a custard-based filling e.g. in a Lemon Sabayon tart.
AMERICAN CHOCOLATE PIE
A - Base
1 pie crust (either homemade or prepared)
B - Filling
1.5 cups white sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups whole milk
2 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
C - Thickening agent
4 large egg yolks, beaten with a whisk
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla
*****
A - Bake tart pastry.
B - In a saucepan, mix the sugar, cornstarch, salt and milk. Mix well and then add the chocolate. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spoon, until the mixture starts bubbling. Boil until the mixture thickens and leaves a trail on the surface when you lift your spoon.
C - Lower the heat. Bit by bit, stir in the beaten egg yolks slowly. The trick here is not to cook the egg yolks, but to control the temperature such that it acts as a thickening agent instead. If you see bits of cooked egg yolk forming, just cheat and take them out with a spoon. =)
Stir in the butter and vanilla. Turn off heat and set aside. When the filling has cooled slightly, pour the warm filling into the tart pastry. Press a plastic wrap over the filling to prevent a film forming on the top.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours until the filling has set.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Cream of Sweet Potato Soup
The Boy had all his wisdom teeth taken out yesterday, and can only eat soft foods for a little while. On the first day, he survived on chocolate milkshakes. When day 2 came around, he wanted chocolate milkshakes again. This time, I put my foot down. You cannot survive on sugar alone, I said. I will make something sweet but ever so slightly more nutritious, and you will eat it.
Note: This highhandedness is really only possible when he's drugged up.
This dish is a wonderful way to welcome the Fall season. I love the layers of flavors it offers - sweet, spicy, salty, creamy. They play on your tongue. Soups always warm the heart, particularly now that the weather has got a bit more nippy. And isn't it a great feeling when you watch all those vegetable trimmings go down the disposal, knowing that your family is being fed and kept healthy?
CREAM OF SWEET POTATO SOUP
Cooking time: 20 minutes
A - Base
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
B - Aromatics
1 large onion, chopped finely
1 clove of garlic, chopped finely
2 sticks of celery, washed and cut into 1cm thick slices
1 leek, washed and cut into 1cm thick slices
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
C - Spices
1 stick of cinnamon
0.25 tsp nutmeg
2 cloves
1 tsp ginger powder (optional - gives a kick)
D - Liquids
4 cups vegetable/chicken stock
1.5 cups Half&Half
2 tbsp maple syrup
*****
A - Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the olive oil.
B - Saute the onions and garlic in the oils until soft and glistening. Add the celery and leek and saute for few minutes. Add the sweet potatoes last.
C - Add the spices into the mix and turn the mixture around a few times.
D - Add the stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes.
Take out the cinnamon stick and cloves. Using a hand blender, puree the cooked mixture until smooth.
Add the half&half and maple syrup, and stir on the stove for a few more minutes until the soup is heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Note for next time: Experiment with curry powder.
Note: This highhandedness is really only possible when he's drugged up.
This dish is a wonderful way to welcome the Fall season. I love the layers of flavors it offers - sweet, spicy, salty, creamy. They play on your tongue. Soups always warm the heart, particularly now that the weather has got a bit more nippy. And isn't it a great feeling when you watch all those vegetable trimmings go down the disposal, knowing that your family is being fed and kept healthy?
CREAM OF SWEET POTATO SOUP
Cooking time: 20 minutes
A - Base
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
B - Aromatics
1 large onion, chopped finely
1 clove of garlic, chopped finely
2 sticks of celery, washed and cut into 1cm thick slices
1 leek, washed and cut into 1cm thick slices
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
C - Spices
1 stick of cinnamon
0.25 tsp nutmeg
2 cloves
1 tsp ginger powder (optional - gives a kick)
D - Liquids
4 cups vegetable/chicken stock
1.5 cups Half&Half
2 tbsp maple syrup
*****
A - Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the olive oil.
B - Saute the onions and garlic in the oils until soft and glistening. Add the celery and leek and saute for few minutes. Add the sweet potatoes last.
C - Add the spices into the mix and turn the mixture around a few times.
D - Add the stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes.
Take out the cinnamon stick and cloves. Using a hand blender, puree the cooked mixture until smooth.
Add the half&half and maple syrup, and stir on the stove for a few more minutes until the soup is heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Note for next time: Experiment with curry powder.
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