Chili Crab for Pak Mat

A crab feast for the man from Bachok.

Dear Pak Mat,
We have never met in real life but our relationship has blossomed in blogosphere. My cat instinct could sense a sadness in you. A sadness that only comfort eating may cure, in my humble opinion.
So, today, Masterchef Angelina went to the markets and picked some delectable crustaceans - the blue swimmer crabs. Combined with some herbs from our garden and lovely home made chili paste, I humbly present to you a crab recipe that I hope will comfort you.

Should we invite Mrs Mat as well, you said? I'll leave that entirely to you. I'm guessing that she won't be jealous of a spiffy three-year old cat.

Here it is, Chili Crab a la Angelina.

Ingredients: (to serve 2)
2 large crabs, cleaned and cut into two

The bigger the crab, the better. I usually pick the female ones, hoping that there'll be crab roe as well.

3 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, sliced finely
2 shallots, sliced finely

The prepared garlic, ginger and shallots.

1 large brown onion, sliced into rings

Brown onion rings.

1 bunch fresh coriander, cleaned and cut into 2-inch length
1 bunch spring onions, cleaned and cut into 2-inch length

The spring onions and fresh coriander are from our garden.

4 tablespoonful chili paste, from about 20 dry chilies
2 tablespoonful cooking oil
1 tablespoonful tamarind paste
1 teaspoonful salt
1 tablespoonful brown sugar
1 egg
1 small can of tomato paste

Tomato paste is the secret ingredient in my "sambal".

OK, now that we've prepared all the ingredients, let's start cooking.

1. Heat a large wok, pour cooking oil once it's heated through.
2. Saute garlic, ginger and shallot in hot oil.
3. Add in chili paste, mix and cook through.
4. Add tamarind paste, tomato paste, salt and sugar. Mix and cook through.

Tomato paste helps me achieve the red and menacing look of the gravy without adding too much heat if more chili paste had been used.

5. Add in the crabs and brown onion.

Brown onion has a natural sweet taste that adds to the yumminess of the dish.

6. Mix thoroughly. I had to use two spatulas for the job.

Each piece of crab should be coated with the gravy.

7. Let the gravy simmer for a bit and check if crabs are cooked through.
8. Break an egg into the gravy, mix through. The egg helps thicken the gravy.
9. Plonk in the fresh coriander and spring onion, remove wok from heat.

Add egg, coriander and spring onion just before serving.

Phew! That was a good exercise in the kitchen for me. But it's a labour of love for you, Pak Mat. Let's have dinner now.

Hmmm....best served with white rice.

I've also cooked some mix vege as the side dish.

Peaches and plums for dessert.

After dinner, a breath of fresh air at the balcony. Too bad there's no full moon tonight......or else it will be purrrfect for us.

It's a pleasure having you over for dinner, Pak Mat. Happy memories to bring home to Bachok, I hope. purrr....meow!

Asam Pedas for Uncle Lee

My dear Uncle Lee,
This one's for you. I was sad when I read your heart-wrenching story about Yvonne. Of trust broken and love shattered. So, I've decided to cook a special dish for you. As I'm a cat, it has to be something "fishy" too. Thus, we can kill two birds with one stone, OK?
I hope you'll like my version of Asam Pedas Ikan Tenggiri with Belimbing. Please tell Mrs Lee to set the table, she's invited for dinner too. Though, can she stand seeing me being cuddly cuddly with you? I'm not just a cat but a very sexy puttytat....an SYT (in your books). teeheehee...

What do you think? I managed to get the largest piece of Spanish Mackerel at the market for you. Yummy?

Ingredients: (to serve 2)
2 pieces Spanish Mackerel cutlets
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3 pcs of Spanish onion, peeled and sliced thinly

Spanish onions for Spanish Mackerel...get it? Anyway, the red onions are tastier than the brown or white variety.

3 cloves garlic, peeled
2.5cm piece of ginger, peeled
2.5cm piece galangal
0.5cm piece turmeric root
1 bunch of daun kesum (laksa leaves or Vietnamese mint)

We got this bunch of Vietnamese mint from Aunty H's garden. Ours died last winter and we haven't replanted.

10 pcs dried red chilli (I use Kashmiri chili), cut and soaked in hot water
2.5cm piece of belacan (shrimp paste)
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
1 lemongrass, green part discarded
2 pcs coriander root (from 2 bunches of fresh coriander)
5 bilimbi (belimbing buluh)

I couldn't get fresh bilimbi but these frozen ones (right - light green) should do fine. Oh, they're imported from the Philippines. Those are coriander roots (middle), widely used in Thai cooking too.

3 small eggplants, peeled, cut into pieces and soak in water (room temperature)
10 okra (ladies' fingers), cut off heads and tails
7 cherry tomatoes

I love to put heaps of vegetables in my Asam Pedas. Saves the trouble of preparing another vege dish actually.

salt and palm sugar to taste

Methods:
1. Put the garlic, ginger, galangal, turmeric root, coriander root and dry chili in food processor. Press the button and make sure everything binds into a smooth paste.

Don't you love the food processor? It makes kitchen work a breeze.

2. Heat the cooking vessel, I prefer to use a claypot for this dish. Pour oil once pot is heated through.
3. Fry onion in hot oil, until caramelised, then put in the shrimp paste. Fry for about 1 minute.
4. Next, pour the paste from the food processor into the pot. Mix and stir fry until fragrant.
5. When the mixture is somewhat dry and cooked (the Malaysian term is "pecah minyak"), put in the fish cutlets.
6. Mix tamarind paste with a cup of water and pour mixture on fish. Crush lemongrass with mortar and throw into pot too. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes, add a bit more water if the gravy dries up.
7. When fish is almost cooked (tender but not flaky), throw in the accompanying vegetables.
8. Put in about 1 tsp salt and 3 tsp brown or palm sugar.
9. Let simmer until vegetables are soft and fish is fully cooked. Remove from heat and serve.

Best served with rice. Bon appetit!

Unfortunately, the Canadian customs confiscated the parcel containing this dish that we couriered to you, Uncle Lee. So, you going to have to buy that ticket and come here.

We'll have dinner at my place. It's OK, Prince William has gone back to England. purrr.....meow!