Firecracker Shrimp

This is similar to the appetizer PF Chang's used to have on their menu. There is a good bit of work involved, but the end result is worth it!

DIPPING SPICE

1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

* Mix the mayonnaise and hot pepper sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.

SHRIMP

12 large shrimp, in the shell
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, divided
4 spring roll wrappers
2 large carrots
1 egg, beaten
3 cups oil, for frying

* Remove the shells from the shrimp, leaving the tails intact. Make a deep cut lengthwise down the back of each shrimp; wash out the sand vein. Add the salt to a bowl of warm water and stir to dissolve. Place the shrimp in the water and swirl. Let the shrimp stand 5 minutes, then rinse in cold water, drain and pat dry on paper towels.

* Sprinkle the shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt.

* Cut each spring roll wrapper into thirds, making 3 long narrow strips.

* Peel the carrots and cut them into thin matchsticks 3 inches long. You'll need 24.

* Place the carrot strips in a small bowl, sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, and set aside.

* Brush some egg on the top of each shrimp. Place 2 carrot strips in the slit of each shrimp. Brush a spring roll wrapper strip with egg, then set a shrimp 1 inch from the end. Roll the shrimp up tightly in the spring roll strip, with the egg holding it together.

The tail of the shrimp should be protruding from one end and the carrots from the other--to resemble a firecracker. Continue the process until all the wrappers are rolled with the shrimp and carrots.

* In a wok or deep frying pan, heat the oil to 325 to 350 degrees. Fry the shrimp rolls until golden brown, about 2 minutes, turning 2 to 3 times. Drain them on paper towels. Serve with the dipping sauce.



Be careful not to overcook the shrimp rolls! They fry up quickly and will burn before you know it.

Satay With Peanut Sauce

***marinade***

1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 garlic cloves minced or pressed crushed dried red chile peppers
1 pound beef, pork or chicken
-- very thinly sliced
-- cut in strips 1/2"
-- wide x 2" long

***peanut sauce***
2/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar or molasses
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root (you can substitue 1 tsp minced ginger, comes in jar)
4 garlic cloves minced or pressed ground cayenne pepper
1/4 cup homemade chicken stock (canned or boxed chicken broth works just as well)
1/4 cup heavy cream (I use fat free half and half)

***garnishes***
grated lime zest
fresh cilantro sprigs


Preparation:

MARINADE: Combine brown sugar, curry powder, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic and crushed chiles to taste in a shallow dish. Thread the meat pieces on water soaked bamboo skewers, weaving skewers in and out of meat lengthwise to create a serpentine design. Place the skewers in the soy sauce mixture. Marinate at room temperature for at least 2 hours or in the refrigerator as long as overnight for a more intense flavor.

PEANUT SAUCE: Combine peanut butter, coconut milk, lemon juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and cayenne pepper to taste in a sauce pan over moderate heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is as thick as heavy cream, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or blender and puree briefly (you can use your blender for this if you don't have a food processor). Add chicken stock and cream; blend until smooth. Reserve. (This mixture may be made several hours ahead and refrigerated. Return to room temperature before serving.) Prepare a moderate charcoal fire in an open grill or preheat the broiler. Cook the skewered meat, turning several times and basting with the marinade, over medium-hot coals (or under a broiler) until crispy on the outside but still moist inside, about 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with lime zest and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve with the peanut sauce for dipping. Makes about 18 skewers; allow 2 per serving as an appetizer, 4 or more as a main coarse. For a main dish, serve with steamed rice, salad and grilled or steamed asparagus or other vegetable.

I like to cook these out on the grill. I've never cooked them in the broiler, so I don't know how they turn out when cooked that way.

*You will need skewers for this recipe.

Stir-Fried Dog with Coconut Milk.

1 lb haunch, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 small green chilies, seeded and sliced
4-6 mushrooms, sliced
1 cup coconut milk
5 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin seed
1 teaspoon cornflour (mixed with water to form a paste)
salt and pepper to taste
fresh mint leaves

Heat oil in wok or frying pan, then add meat, stir-frying until lightly browned. Add coconut milk and soy sauce and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Add onion, chillies, mushrooms, and seasoning and continue to stir. When the mixture begins to bubble, stir in cornflour paste. Garnish with mint leaves.

Shrimp Fried Rice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups cooked white rice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 scallions, thinly sliced


In a large non-stick skillet or wok, heat oil over medium high heat. Cook shrimp quickly until pink. Remove to board and chop coarsely. Discard shrimp tails. Add garlic and onion to skillet and cook for 1 minute. Stir in carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Add egg and rice and toss quickly to distribute egg. Stir in soy sauce. Toss in scallions and serve

Szechuan Vegetable Stir-Fry


3 tablespoons canola oil
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
1/2 cup red onion, julienned
1 cup thickly cut yellow squash (half-moon slices)
1 cup thickly cut zucchini (half-moon slices)
1 baby eggplant, cut into chunks
1 clove garlic, minced
1 to 2 tablespoons peeled and minced ginger
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce (average 2 grams sugar per serving)
1/2 cup canned straw mushrooms
3 cups sliced bok choy
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1/3 cup sliced bamboo shoots
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
1/2 cup snow peas
1/2 cup kimchee, optional, for garnish (spicy hot Chinese marinated cabbage)
Start by preparing and cutting all the vegetables and measuring your ingredients so that they are ready to go. Once you begin stir-frying, it goes very quickly.
In a wok or large sauté pan, heat canola oil over high heat to almost smoking. While stirring constantly, 1 at a time, add in the peppers and onions, followed by the squash, zucchini, eggplant, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and teriyaki sauce. Cook for about 2 minutes and then add in the remaining ingredients and seasonings, except for the snow peas. Cook about 2 minutes more. Stir in snow peas when done and remove from heat. Serve immediately garnished with kimchee, if desired.

Do you cook your rice the night before? I've found that fried rice is better if you prepare the rice the day before and keep in the fridge overnight.

Never tried it like that but that makes more sense. Some times the fresh cooked rice keeps absorbing and comes out dry. I'll try that next time.

Asian crackling.

If you have been luckey enough to partake of certain South East Asian dishes especially Chilli Prawn Soup noodles or Penang Fried Kuey Teow noodles then you might have had some of these little flavour landmines that are ridiculously tasty and crunchy yet extremely bad for you.

While not an actual dish in and of itself, it serves as a crucial spell component in most authentic SE asian dry noodle dishes from Fried Kuey Teow, Singapore fried egg noodles to Mince Pork noodles. More on those at a later date.

You need:
1/4 to 1/2 kilo of pork belly minus the meat (fat and rind) .
A medium to large pot. Preferably non stick.
A close knit wire mesh cover to prevent grease splatter.

How:
Cut the pork fat into cube sized pieces about a half inch along all edges. Put that in the pot.

Add about a teaspoon heaped of salt and massage evenly into the pork. It should take no time before the pork starts to moisten from the salt.

On the smallest gasket stove in your place turn on the minimum of flames and leave the pot over, stirring occasionally as the pork sweats both liquid and fat. No oil is needed as the pork will render more that enough as it goes along. You may use a lid in the start to hasten the sweating but remove as soon as there is sufficient fluid to start evaporating.

A slow process, as the pork loses its fluids the liquids will evaporate. The rendered fat will start to slowly cook the rind and as more liquid is lost, what will be left is a smaller crackle to be.

This point does tend to sputter so it is highly recommended to use a sputter net.

You will know as you are reaching the crackle point as what is left becomes light and starts to float on the lard. Before it goes past a light gold, turn off your fire and allow latent heat to do the rest. Use a lid if needed. At the arse end of the browning add fried shallots to add fragrance to the crackle and render.

Store in a fridge when cool. The crackle is great on most oyster sauce garlic stir frys. The rendered oil is good where taste supercedes working organs and can be used for a variety of frying purposes.