I cook - Spicy prawns with garlicky bread crumbs

I first tried this dish at Yauatcha, spicy soft shell crab (避風塘軟殼蟹). It was delicious, very moreish. For such a visually complex dish, it must be quite complex to make, I thought. Until one of my favorite bloggers showed that it is possible to make it at home, without sweating your rear end off. I've bookmarked her recipe since.

This is my first practice, adapting her recipe to what I have in the pantry. I left out one key ingredient she used, fermented black beans. I also added bread crumb and almond flakes because that's what they did in Yauatcha (and I like it very much). I like my adaptation, but I think I will try the black bean version next time, to see which one I prefer.

Spicy prawns with garlicky breadcrumbs

- 3 tbsps vegetable oil (I fried the prawn heads in the oil and used that for cooking)
- 1lb of prawns, shelled and deveined (a mixture of cod and prawns are nice too)
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 3 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 3 green onions, white parts minced and green parts chopped
- 2 slices of ginger, in the size of matchsticks
- 1 red chilli, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsps bread crumbs
- 2 tbsps almond flakes
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 1/2 salt
- ground black pepper

Dry the prawns with paper towels. Coat the prawns in corn starch. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the prawns until they are 80-90% done. Remove the prawns from the pan and keep them warm.

In the same pan, add in the garlic, white parts of the green onions, ginger and red chilli. Fry for 5 minutes on medium heat. You don't want to burn the garlic so keep stirring at a low-medium flame. After that, add in bread crumbs and almond flakes. Season the crumb mixture with black/white pepper, salt and sugar. Keep stirring when all oil is absorbed by the bread crumbs and almond flakes seem toasted/crunchy.

Put the prawns back to the pan. Be careful not to include any liquid coming out from the prawns. This dish should be quite dry, not soggy. Stir the prawns until each one of them is coated with the golden crispy bread crumbs. Taste and season to your liking. Serve in a big plate and dot it with the green parts of the green onions.

To be enjoyed with a plate of steamed rice.

I cook - Day-After Soup

You know how it is. Every time after a dinner party is over, invariably there are always awkward number of morsels left, like one and half boiled potatoes, five carrot coins, three half moon roasted onions, you get the idea. I sometimes pack them in my lunch box but I just discovered a much better way to use it. Oh my, I think I have stumbled over something wonderful here. I don't know whether it's the Harissa (different from the original recipe) or the roasted ingredients I used which makes this brown looking soup taste so divine. It makes me want to make roast more often, just for the day-after soup.

Very Tasty Day-After Soup

- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3-4 cups vegetable/chicken stock
- 2 tbsps Harissa paste
- salt and pepper to taste
--the ingredients below vary depend on what you have left from the roast--
- 6 mushrooms, halved
- 2 cooked potatoes
- 6 brussels sprouts
- 2 roasted shallots
- 1/2 cup roasted pork, shredded

In a soup pot, fry the onion in olive oil for 5 minutes. Stir in Harissa paste and mushroom. Keep stirring until the fragrance of Harissa comes out. Add in the rest of the ingredients, including the stock. Although the ingredients will vary depending on the occasions, I would say that the only essential ingredient is potato to thicken the soup.

Bring the pot to boil and turn the heat to low. Simmer the soup for at least 30 minutes, up to 1 hour. Before serving, use a stick blender to purée the soup. Remove the meat chunks out first, if using, before blitzing. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper.

Serve plain or with lemon juice or yogurt.

2011 Boxing day for two

Brunch

(Humble) Toast with butter and jam

Suffolk black ham

Madeleines

Coffee in copious quantity

Afternoon digestive activities

Walking and sales (just checking)

Dinner

Confit de canard with flageolet beans

Potatoes roasted in duck fat

Blanched broccoli florets

Yogurt

2011 Christmas day for two

Brunch

Smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and mashed potato pancakes

Madeleines

Coffee, lots of !

A Long Afternoon Walk

Tea, rest and write (a little)

Dinner

Charcuterie with Pheasant pâté with foie gras, 

Italian black truffle ham, Lyonnaise ham slices and gerkins

Christmas leftover soup

Brie and Stilton

Bûche de Noël 

(of course!)

2011 Christmas eve for two

Apple, beetroot and grapefruit salad with honey mustard balsamic dressing 

Cuban Roast Pork

Sautéed potatoes with lemon and rosemary

Roasted chestnuts, Brussels sprouts and chorizo

Bûche de Noël

Merry Christmas, everyone.

How to make your salad appeal to a carnivore

Thanks to Lorraine Pascale, this is one of the easiest, tastiest and visually stunning salads I have ever made. Balsamic and honey glazed pear slices, gorgonzola cubes, Serrano ham sitting pretty on top of mixed leaves. Both me and the carnivore loved it. Be sure to have loads of crusty baguette on the side!

ps. I used Serrano ham and grainy mustard instead of the pancetta and Dijon mustard called for in the recipe. I also omitted (and forgot about) the pine nuts. Delicious nonetheless.

I cook - Saag paneer

Saag (or palak) paneer is my favorite Indian dish. I order it in every Indian restaurant or takeaway I go. Saag means spinach or any dark leafy greens. Paneer is the fresh white cheese from India, made in a similar way as cottage cheese. It's a brilliant combo with soft earthy dark green leaves and a tad chewy paneer, all wrapped up by lightly spiced cream. I can eat this with basmati as a meal, any time.

Of course, being culinarily curious as I am, I have tried to make it at home. In my previous unsatisfactory attempts, I could never get the taste close to what I order from my favorite takeaway place. It's not that the recipes are not authentic but India is a big and diverse country and saag paneer can be made in many different ways. But this week, I think I am close (or closer). I finally found a recipe and tweaked it to give me saag paneer which I enjoy. The secret is to go very light handed in spices and, a ha, be quite generous with the cream. I hope you like it too.

Saag paneer

- 225g paneer (a typical pack size from UK, more or less won't hurt)
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp butter or vegetable oil
- 500-750g spinach (or mixture of spinach and collard greens or kale), blanched, water squeezed dry and roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsps minced onion (optional)
- 1 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 whole green chili, pierced a few times with a pointed knife
- 1 tomato, roughly chopped
- 1/2 to 1 cup of cream-milk (with a ratio adjusted to your liking but I like to start with 2/3 cream and 1/3 milk)

Cut the paneer block into roughly half-inch cubes. In a plate or a wide-bottom bowl, combine the cumin and turmeric powder. Coat the paneer cubes with the mixed powder.

In a non-stick pan, heat the oil. Sear all sides of the paneer cubes lightly. Remove paneer from the pan.

In the same pan, sauté the garlic, onion for a few minutes. Add in the fenugreek seeds and green chili. Stir to mix with the onion mixture. If the mixture seems dry, add a little bit more oil. When the aroma from the fenugreek seeds comes through, add in chopped tomato.

When the liquid in the pan seems all gone, add in the chopped spinach. Stir thoroughly the spiced mixture into the spinach. Add in the cream-milk mixture. Stir the cream in and allow the pan to come to a slight boil. Once small bubbles start to rise from the edge of the pan, turn the heat to low and let it cook for 10 minutes. If your saag paneer looks still quite liquidy after 10 minutes, you could thicken it with some cornstarch (or let it cook longer).

Enjoy it with plenty of basmati rice.

Three important things: 2011 reflections

Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. 

Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. 

Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, 
but with what it is still possible for you to do.

Pope John XXIII

How should I describe my 2011 and where should I begin? I think I can sum my 2011 as a very slow first half followed by a very hectic second half. Starting from June, I have had a few months high on hopes and euphoria but alas my wish did not come through. It did not materialise in the end because something under neither of our control took over, loudly and harshly. And that sealed my fate. If that's not called a bad timing (or bad luck?!), then I don't know what it is. I know that we both felt like a perfect match for each other. Calling it a kindred spirit would not be an over statement. Yes, that's how close fit we feel about both parties. Of course I was apologised over profusely, several times, over an extended period, open and in private. I am not angry about this, nor disappointed. Of course I allow myself to vent the emotions, but once it's gone, I pack up and move on. Anger is a waste of energy and time. We all have our lives to get on. I am sure that they have tried their best.

Time to move on.

Just when this event drew to an end, good news kept flowing from other directions. Having my work being praised and confirmed, and seeing my contributions being relied upon and my opinions being sought, this reassured me professionally and mentally. Although it is not the first time to witness this, it's the frequency during the last two months of 2011 that surprised me just a bit. Nevertheless, this small achievement of mine did leave a bitter-sweet after-taste in my mouth.

Overall, I have felt that I have gained much more than I set out at the beginning of this year. Particularly on the personal growth front, I am glad that I made the decision to walk through some thorny patches of life. This made me think hard about myself and realize what I am capable of. I am also very fortunate to experience human kindness from the known and the unfamiliar, directly administered on me. This has greatly motivated and prepared me for the onward journey. This post is dedicated to you, who happened or chose to accompany me at times when seemed unsurmountable. I don't know how I could continue without all of your support.

I don't know what may come in 2012. I am not worried. I know I am now mentally stronger than ever before and I can handle surprises, good or bad, in a constructive way. Life is a journey which we all have to make on our own. I am just pleased to find interesting travellers along the way. Thank you for coming along.

I wish you a warm, contented and serene December. If you don't come back before the Big Ben bang, a productive 2012 too.

Dîner chez moi - 17-23 December

How should one eat before the official holiday feast begins in a week's time? Hard one, I don't want to be de-sensitised for the ultimate treat week but at the same time I would feel deprived if I just eat like a rabbit. Here is what I come up and I hope that would please everyone.

Saturday: Vodka tomato cream tagliatelle, baked lemon sole and blanched green beans (sautéed in browned butter).

Sunday: Spanish chicken with chorizo and potatoes. I really enjoy cooking from this book by Nigella Lawson. The recipes are very practical, sufficiently easy and always turn out delicious for me. This is one of the few books where I have tried almost 10 dishes (I've had it for a year) and keeps me coming back for more ideas every time.

Monday: Prawn curry, steamed rice and spiced spinach.

Tuesday: Quesadilla with Spanish chicken with chorizo (as suggested by Nigella to finish up the Sunday dish). No leftover from Sunday. The dish did not disappoint me. Pasta tonight!

Wednesday: Prawn curry and rice.

Thursday: Lemon sole with crushed potatoes. Steamed vegetables.

Friday: Pan-fried balsamic pear salad with Serrano ham with crusty bread. Can I pull it off for the carnivore in the house? Watch this space!

Your Song

"My gift is my song and this one's for you"

Me time of the year started today

Started at 0430 yesterday and finished at midnight last night. That was my last day of work for 2011. The meeting finished nicely and everyone was in a good mood the whole time.

Can't think of a better way of winding down. Brilliant.

Just ordered a Bûche de Noël for next week. Looking forward to tomorrow's exhibit in London.

Happy, happy, happy

Three pretty good things: December 12

1. Catch-up with a long-lost friend. 

In fact, it's me who got "caught" up with him. Funny, once we started to talk, it's as if we've been in contact all these years. The familiarity, the openness and the depth of the conversation, and the humour are just like in the old days.

Thank you, R, for catching up with me. I will not let this friendship slip again.

2. People sharing pretty things.

by Werner Getzmann

3. David Attenborough and BBC. 

Two of my favorite things. Simply wonderful.

Three pretty good things: December 5

1. Friends visiting from far away. 

I feel blessed this year that two of my college friends visited me on separate occasions. They are the few connections I have with my birth country. Without them, I am not sure where I belong.

2. A small cheque from Her Majesty. 

Apparently I overpaid my taxes Six years ago. Well, it's better late than never. Thank you, Elizabeth.

3. TGID. 

D is for December. Two more weeks and I am free...

I cook - Gammon Stew

Gammon refers to the cured hind legs of a pig. It is raw meat. Once it is cooked, it becomes ham. It is a very common ingredient found in every pub or restaurant which serves traditional British meals. One way I like to cook it is to boil it with lots of vegetables. This is a great one-pot dish and winter-day warmer.

This is the recipe which I use for Gammon stew. The ingredients going into the pot are really flexible. As I always prefer shallots over yellow onions, I prepare the stew with shallots. A couple of ribs of celery are nice too to flavor the broth. Since pork and apple are a natural match, I use apple juice in place of the called for vegetable/chicken stock (I just realized, while typing this, that by using apple juice, it's become the Nigel Slater's way).

And the mustard sauce is a must. Creamy with a little pungency is all you need to lift the flavor to another dimension. I used grainy mustard in the picture but any form of mustard will do. We mostly have the dish with steamed rice. Of course, boiled potatoes would be great too.

For any leftover, lift the cooked gammon out of the broth, unsliced and covered with cling film. I find the flavor of gammon slices going away very quickly if sitting in the broth for more than 30 minutes.

2011 Fitness Achievement

Together with hubby, we joined the gym in April 2010. Since we both need some exercise to maintain the weight, we may as well as exercise buddies to each other. I have to say that having a gym buddy is a great way to push yourself (of course, it also makes the occasional escape-together quite guiltless). I know I can't and don't want to exercise to lose weight. As long as I maintain my weight and still can enjoy what I like to eat, I am happy.

Here is what I did on the last day of the gym for 2011.

Treadmill - 2.85 miles @ 40 minutes

Sit-ups - 3 x 20

Upper back - 4 x 10 @ 10kg

Chest press - 4 x 10 @ 10 kg

Vertical traction -  2 x 10 @ 17.5kg + 2 x 10 @ 20 kg

Leg curl - 4 x 5 @ 10 kg

Leg extension - 4 x 5 @ 10 kg

I actually feel quite proud of myself that I am able to keep it going for so long. For a person who avoids exercise like plague, it's rather remarkable. I like to see this as a small achievement of mine, something I stick to and improves (albeit slowly). I look forward to 2012, to pick up my routine and to extend further.

You did good, Calla.