Technorati Tags: recipe, fusion food, spicy squid, seafood recipe

Labels: fusion, Seafood, Spicy, Squid

Yesterday evening we were invited by a close friend to a BBQ at his place to celebrate his birthday and he asked me to bring a dish. I thought long and hard when I was at the market earlier that morning on what is suitable to cook as I wanted to do something unusual.

After a nice chat with the seafood lady seller, she gave me the idea of Grilled Stuffed Cencaru. I quickly bought the ingredients which she advised and modified a little as well. This dish is very famous amongst the Malay community especially during lunch as they would use their hands to eat this with rice and various vegetables. If I do not have any appointments for the day I would also join them.

I decided to make 24 pcs for the event and wrapped it in banana leaf to be grilled over the BBQ pit. During the evening itself, by the time I finished chit-chatting with everyone and greeting old friends, all the fishes was gone. Luckily my better half kept one which we had to share but we had a blast of a time.


Ingredients
6 Torpedo Scad Fish (Ikan Cencaru)
Banana Leaf for wrapping

Stuffing Ingredients
5 Dried ChilliesDried Chillies
- soaked and remove seeds
5 Red ChilliesRed Chillies

2 OnionsOnions

1 GarlicGarlic

1 thumb size Tumeric
3 Candlenuts
3 Lemon GrassLemon Grass

1 piece Belacan
Generous amount of Tamarind paste mixed with water
Salt and Sugar to taste


Directions
1. Remove fish scales, clean and cut a small pocket along both sides (away from the stomach) of the fish.
2. Grind all the stuffing ingredients above till fine.
3. Stir fry until fragrant.
4. Then, add the tamarind juice, salt and sugar.
5. Keep stirring until the paste is very dry.
6. Stuff paste into the side of fish.
7. Wrap the fish body in Banana Leaf.
7. Grill the fish.
8. Serve with Steamed Rice.



Technorati Tags: recipe, malay food, fish, seafood, spicy, grill

Labels: grill, Malay, Seafood, Spicy, stuffed fish

Today I shall feature another of my mother's speciality which is the Asam Prawns. She usually cook this dish to accompany her Nasi Lemak. Everytime I think of her cooking brings back happy thoughts of relative gatherings and catching up with one another when I was much younger.

Now with my life at what I would consider the half way mark, I ponder upon those good old days when the world was not as complicated and daily lives is simpler. So much has happened for me in these past 10 years and it can be quite daunting just to reflect on it all but as I prepare this dish, it reminds me of how lucky I am to be surrounded by people I cherish and love so dearly. In a way this is what cooking means to me... nourishing and making people happy.

Ingredients
600g Medium or Big Prawns, shelled

Ground Ingredients
2 1/2 tbsp Chilli Paste
3 ShallotsShallots

1 tsp Belacan Granules
4 Candlenuts

Seasoning
Juice from 2 Large LimesLarge Limes

1 tbsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Anchovy Stock Granules
4 tbsp Oil


Directions
1. Heat oil and saute the ground ingredients until fragrant and oil separates.
2. Add the prawns and stir well to mix.
3. Add seasoning and cook for five to seven minutes until gravy is thick.
4. Serve with Nasi Lemak (Coconut Rice) or steamed rice.



Technorati Tags: recipe, chinese food, prawn, seafood, asam

Labels: asam prawns, chinese, Seafood

Ingredients
500g small Squid (sotong)
2 tbsp Tamarind Pulp
1 stalk of Lemongrass, peeled and sliced
1 Garlic Clove, crushed
4 Dried Red Chilies, soaked and drained
1 tsp BelacanShrimp Paste
It is made from fermented ground shrimp, sun dried and then cut into fist-sized rectangular blocks
1 Onion, chopped
2 tbsp Peanut Oil
1/2 tsp Salt to taste
2 tsp Palm Sugar or Brown Sugar to taste

Labels: Malay, Sambal, Seafood, Sotong, Spicy, Squid