Laksa Lemak (Noodles in Spicy Coconut Gravy)

This is a favorite Singapore dish. Laksa is a meeting of Chinese and Malay styles of cooking, with a remarkably happy result: rice flour noodles bathed in a spicy coconut milk, with chucks of seafood and deep-fried beancurd. A very satisfying snack or luncheon dish.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoon of oil
• 2 cups of coconut milk
• 2 cups of chicken stock
• 3 1/2 oz shrimps
• 3 1/2 oz squid (cleaned, skinned and sliced)
• 6 fresh scallop (optional)
• 6 cakes dried deep-fried beancurd
• salt and pepper to taste
• 10 oz vermicelli (soaked in hot water to soften)
• 1 cup of beansprout
• 1 egg (hard-boiled, peeled and sliced)
• 2 tablespoon fried shallots
• 2 sprigs laksa leaf, chopped roughly

Spice Paste

• 12 shallots
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 6 candle nuts
• 2 inch ginger root
• 4 red chillies
• 2 tablespoon of dried prawns, soaked to soften
• 2 tablespoons fish curry powder
• 1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste (belacan)
• 2 lemon grass, bruised

Prepare the spice paste first. Chopped the shallots, garlic, candle nuts, ginger root and chillies coarsely and blend or process with the dried shrimps and add a little oil until fine. Mix in the curry powder and dried shrimp paste, blend for a fe seconds longer, then set aside with lemon grass.

Heat the remaining oil in a wok or heavy pan. Add the spice paste and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes until paste is fragrant. Add coconut milk and chicken stock and bring to boil, stirring. Put all seafood and the beancurd and simmer until cooked. Season to taste.

To serve, divide the noodles and beansprouts into 4 bowls. Top with the coconut milk gravy, eggs and sprinkle lasksa leaves and fried shallots.

Helpful hints
The coconut milk gravy can be prepared several hours in advance and reheated just before serving. Although lasksa leaves adds a distinctive touch, omit if not available as nothing else taste remotely like this pungent herb.

Singapore Chilli Crabs

Few Singaporeans give much though to the origins of what they are eating in this multi-racial society - what matters is the taste. Singapore food is always accompanied by powerful sensations: garlic and oil sizzling in a hot pan, sticks of satay grilling over an open flame. dried shrimp paste roasted before grinding. These are some smells that trigger memories of home for Singaporeans, descendants of migrants who brought with them rich food traditions from all over Asian. There is in Singapore a spirit of adventure when it comes to food. Singapore Chilli Crabs is one of the all time favourite food for everyone. It is virtually Singapore's national dish. It is a very simple and delicious dish.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs of fresh crabs, cleaned and halved
• Oil for deep frying
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• ginger root (2 inches), roughly chopped
• 3 red chillies, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup of chilli sauce
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of light soya sauce
• 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
• 1 cup of chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon cornflour, mixed with 3 tablespoon of water
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• salt and pepper to taste.
• cilantro for garnish.

Deep fry the crabs in hot oil just until the shells are bright red. Remove and set aside. Pour out the oil and put 1/4 cup of fresh oil into the wok. Heat and add garlic, ginger root and chillies. Stir until fragrant, then add chilli sauce, tomato sauce, sugar, soya sauce and sesame oil. Simmer for 1 minute, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the fried crabs and stir to coat well with sauce. Put in the chicken stock and cook over high heat for 3 minutes, Stir thoroughtly and thicken with corn flour and egg. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add cilantro for garnish.

Enjoy and let me know how it turn out for you