Spicy, Sweet and Sour Flower Crabs

I am a seafood lover. Whenever I patronise restaurants offering Western menu, I will always opt for the seafood platter. If I have to make a choice between the various seafood dishes, I will go for the lobsters, shrimps, crabs, squids, clams, octopus, fish and oysters (in that order). However, out of these, the most common and which are eaten almost daily are the shrimps and the fishes. The rest are eaten sparingly due to cost, availability and health reasons.

I love crabs after lobsters and shrimps. But I seldom eat crabs outside; it can take quite a bit of time to eat them and it can also be quite messy even if we are provided with mallets and crab forks.  For mud crabs, I will usually buy home the cooked ones from the restaurants and eat them in the comfort of my home. But for the Flower Crabs, I will usually buy and cook them myself. One of my styles is to cook them in sweet and sour sauce.

Ingredients:

• 3 pieces of flowery crabs (about 600 g)
• 2 inches ginger, julienned
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 4 chili padi, chopped
• 2 tbsp minced bean paste
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 cup water

Method:

• Wash and remove the hard outer covering. Once the covering has been removed, then remove the grey gills. Cut the tips of the claws and legs. Use the pestle to crack the claws for easy removal during eating.

• Half each crab or quarter it if it is a big one.

• Heat up the wok with cooking oil.

• Add the ginger and fry till fragrant.

• Add the chopped garlic and fry till you can smell the aroma.

• Add the tomato wedges. Fry till they are soft. Press them to let the juice come out.

• Add the chili padi.

• Add the minced bean paste and stir till it is combined with the other ingredients.

• Add the flower crabs.

• Stir and add 1 cup of water.

• Cover the wok and let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes.

• Remove the cover and give the crabs a few stir.

• Dish them out.

White Sauce Pasta

When there are only two persons having a meal at home, cooking pasta is one of the best options available as pasta is not only delicious but very little work is involved in cooking - just boiling the pasta, cutting the vegetables and cooking in one pan. One of the easiest pasta meal is the White Sauce Pasta, the sauce made from butter, flour and milk. One can add any meat for protein. Vegetables used are usually broccoli, carrots and capsicum.


Ingredients:

• 150 g spiral pasta (for 2 persons)
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 piece of chicken breast
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 8 pieces of white round mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup of cut carrots 
• 1/2 cup of cut broccoli florets 
• 1/4 cup of cut yellow capsicum
• 1/4 cup of cut red capsicum
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 cup milk
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes

Method:

• Boil pasta according to instructions on the packaging. Drain and set aside.

• Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper.

• Add cooking oil into a non-stick pan and pan-fry the chicken breast till golden brown.

• Once the chicken breast is cooked, remove it from the pan and let it cool down.

• Shred the chicken breast and set aside.

• Add 1 tbsp of butter into the same pan.

• Saute the garlic.

• Add the mushrooms and fry till brown.

• Add the carrots, broccoli, yellow and red capsicum. Stir-fry them for a short time. Dish them up.

• Add the remaining butter into the pan. When it has bubbled and turned brownish, add in the flour, stirring to prevent clumps.

• Add in the milk. Keep on stirring till the sauce slightly thickens.

• Add salt and pepper to taste.

• Add the pasta into the sauce, stirring to ensure all the pasta is coated with the sauce.

• Add the cooked chicken breast, mushrooms, carrot, broccoli and yellow and red capsicum.

• Mix them up well with the pasta.

• Dish out to serve.

Braided Poppy Seed Bread

Poppy seeds (kas kas in Malay) are the seeds of the opium poppy which is the source of opium, heroin, morphine and codeine. They are edible and are mainly used usually in baked goods like cakes, breads, bagels, etc. for their crunchy texture. These seeds themselves do not contain opiates but they are frequently contaminated with morphine residue during harvesting. Some health benefits can be derived from consuming these seeds like, to name a few, they support bone maintenance and development due to their iron and phosphorous content, they assist in red blood cell production (again due to their iron content) and they prevent constipation (due to their high amount of fiber). You can read up for more benefits.

Many Malaysians commonly use poppy seeds or kas kas in nasi kandar and curry dishes. However, in one year it was questioned whether they will cause addiction in persons consuming them. It was clarified that the amount of opiate derivatives in poppy seeds was too low to cause any harm to those who consume it.

Ingredients:

• The dough
• 225 g bread flour
• 25 g cake flour
• 3 tbsp milk powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp castor sugar
• 1 tsp yeast
• 160 - 170 ml lukewarm water
• 2 tbsp corn oil or butter
• 5 tbsp poppy seeds
• The topping
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp poppy seed

Method:

• Activate the yeast - add castor sugar to the lukewarm water, stir to dissolve the sugar and sprinkle the yeast on top. Set aside for 5-10 minutes.

• Once the yeast has been activated (there are bubbles in the yeast mixture), pour it into the bowl of the stand mixer.

• Add the bread flour, cake flour and salt into the yeast mixture.

• Start the mixture on a low speed until all the ingredients are incorporated. Then increase the speed to medium high.

• When the dough has formed into a ball, add the corn oil / butter.

• Add the poppy seed.

• When the dough is smooth and elastic, transfer it to an oiled bowl.

• Cover the bowl with cling wrap and put a damp towel over it.

• Let the dough proof in a warm place for 1 hour or till it has doubled in size.

• Lightly flour your table top.

• Remove the dough from the bowl onto the floured surface.

• Punch out the air from the dough and knead it for about 5 minutes.

• Weigh the dough.

• Divide the dough into 3 portions of equal weight.

• Roll each dough lengthwise of same diameter.

• Place the 3 rolls side by side.

• Press one end of the 3 rolls together.

• Start braiding the dough either from left to right or right to left. When you have completed this, pinch the ends together and then tuck it underneath the braid.

• Place the braid onto a greased baking tray.

• Let the braid proof for about 30 minutes or until it has doubled in size.

• Pre-heat the oven at 175 degrees C.

• For the topping, mix the egg yolk, water and poppy seeds. Brush the braid with the topping when it is ready for baking.

• Bake the braid for 30 minutes until it is golden brown.

• Let it cool down completely before cutting it.

Brown Butter Mushroom Spaghetti with Crunchy Homemade Breadcrumbs

The way of cooking pasta has evolved and has been adapted to local culture of cooking. However, more often than not, I like to cook pasta the way it was originally cooked i.e. with lots of butter, cream, milk and cheese and with different herbs. And yes, also with white round mushrooms (specifically).

As I love my pasta to be buttery, creamy and garlicky, I find this dish - Brown Butter Mushroom Spaghetti with Crunchy Homemade Breadcrumbs - to be another yummy one. The taste of the pasta is enhanced by the creamy sauce, sweet mushrooms and fresh parsley. The crunchy toasted breadcrumbs brings the taste to another level. (I never knew that I can add toasted breadcrumbs to a pasta dish until a friend told me so.) Topped with a dash of grated Cheddar cheese, this plate of pasta is simply delicious.

Ingredients:

• 150 g pasta (spaghetti or linguine) (for 2 persons)
• 1 slice of bread (any kind)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 5 gloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon wheat flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup of cream
• 8 pieces white round mushrooms, sliced
• 3 sprigs of parsley, chopped
• Some finely chopped red capsicum
• Salt and pepper (according to taste)
• Some Cheddar cheese

Method:

• Boil the pasta as per instruction on the packaging. Drain and set aside.

• Bake 1 slice of bread and grind it using a food processor. Set aside the breadcrumbs.

• Heat up a non-stick pan with a tablespoon of olive oil or cooking oil.

• When the oil is hot, add the breadcrumbs. Fry them until they are crunchy. Dish out and set aside.

• Add the butter into the pan.

• Add the chopped garlic and saute them till they are fragrant.

• Add the mushrooms and fry them till they are brown.

• Add the wheat flour. Stir so that they do not form lumps in the pan.

• Add the milk and stir.

• Add the cream.

• Add salt and black pepper (according to taste).

• When the sauce has thickened, add the pasta and stir to coat them with the sauce.

• Add the chopped red capsicum and fresh parsley. Stir to mix them up with the pasta.

• Add the breadcrumbs. Mix them up with the pasta. (However, you need not add the breadcrumbs now. You may add them when you are about to eat the pasta so that the breadcrumbs will be very crunchy.)

• Dish the pasta onto a serving plate.

• Sprinkle some grated Cheddar cheese on top.

Fried Seafood Spirals

Pasta originated from Italy and they can be categoried into dried pasta, fresh pasta, egg pasta, filled pasta like ravioli and soft dough dumplings. They are either boiled and dressed with sauces or they can be baked or they can be cooked in broth. For the sauces, basically there are two types - red sauces with tomatoes and white sauces.

The way of cooking pasta has evolved when it spread to other parts of the world and the types of sauces and ingredients used in cooking them have also changed significantly from the original. Sometimes I boiled pasta and dressed it with red or white sauces. At other times I boiled them and fry them using my own way like how I fry our rice noodles, glass noodles or yellow noodles.

Ingredients:

• 80 g spiral pasta (2 persons)
• 2 pieces of Shiitake mushroom, soaked and sliced.
• 4 pieces of large prawns
• 4 pieces of squids, bodies and tentacles
• 1 small slice of Kerapu fillet
• 1 inch carrot, sliced cylindrically
• 6 small broccoli florets
• 6 small cauliflower florets
• 4 small pieces of cubed red capsicum
• 4 small pieces of cubed yellow capsicum
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 pieces of chili padi, chopped
• Cooking oil and sesame oil
• Seasonings - light soy sauce, salt and pepper (according to taste)

Method:

• Boil pasta according to instructions on the packaging. Drain and set aside.
• In a kuali, heat up 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil.
• Add the garlic and saute till it is fragrant.
• Add the Shiitake mushrooms. Saute till they are fragrant.
• Add the prawns, followed by the squids and, lastly, the fish fillet.
• Add broccoli and cauliflower. Stir fry.
• When the broccoli and cauliflower are almost cooked add the red and yellow capsicum.
• Add some water.
• Add seasonings.
• Add the pasta. Stir to mix the pasta with the seafood and vegetables.
• Dish up and serve hot.

Chicken Linguine Alfredo

We love pasta - all sorts whether it is spaghetti, fettuccine, linguine, lasagne, macaroni or others and cook it often, whether Chinese style or Western style. Of the many sauces, I love the Alfredo sauce most, followed by carbonara sauce (I replace the pancetta with chicken), tomato sauce with various seafood and spinach basil presto.

Alfredo is delicious. Sauteed garlic and onion, chicken, white round mushrooms, fresh parsley and the cream add much flavor to the pasta.

Ingredients:

• 150 g linguine
• 1 pc of chicken breast (small) (may add more)
• 10 pcs white button mushroom (may add more)
• 1 onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 3 sprigs fresh parsley (may add more)
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 190 ml milk + 190 ml cream
• Seasonings - salt and pepper

Method:

• Boil the linguine according to instructions on the packaging. Drain and set aside.

• Wash and cut chicken breast into strips. Season with salt and pepper.

• Wash and slice the white button mushrooms.

• Peel, wash and chop the onion.

• Peel, wash and chop the garlic.

• Remove the roots, wash and chop the parsley.

• Heat up 1 tablespoon oil in a pan. Add the chicken and fry till they are just cooked. Remove and set aside.

• Using the same pan with remaining oil, add 1 tablespoon of butter and saute the garlic and onion till they are fragrant and the onion are soft.

• Add the mushrooms and saute till they are brown.

• Add the milk and cream. Let it boil.

• Add back the chicken into the pan.

• Season with salt and pepper according to taste.

• Add the linguine and stir so that they are coated well with the sauce.

• Add 90% of the parsley and stir.

• Scoop up the linguine onto a serving plate. Sprinkle the remaining parsley on top.

• Serve. 

Chocolate Cake - the Traditional Way

Most people love chocolate - chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, chocolate chip cookies, hot or cold cocoa etc. This is because the taste of chocolate is awesome. Besides, chocolate is full of nutrients that have positive impact on our health. However, as usual, we should not take anything in abundance. Overindulgence is definitely not good for our health.

My son loves the Chocolate Cake and used to pester me to bake him one every now and turn. I have been using this recipe of mine for as long as I can remember. The cake always turned up moist and was very tasty.

Ingredients:

• 250 g butter
• 200 g castor sugar (sometimes I use brown sugar)
• 4 grade A eggs
• 150 g self-raising flour
• 70 g cocoa powder
• 50 ml milk

Method:

• Sieve flour and cocoa powder twice. Set aside.

• Cream butter and sugar till the batter is light and creamy.

• Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Make sure that you beat each egg well before adding  the next.

• Add the sifted dry ingredients, a third at a time, until they are well combined.

• Add in the milk. Mix well.

• Line and grease an 8-inch round tin.

• Pour the batter into the tin and bake it at 175 deg C for about 50 minutes or until the skewer comes out clean.

• Unmould immediately after the cake is done and let it cool down on a metal rack.