Malaysian Chili Crab

Ingredients:
2 fresh crabs approximately 500 g each
1/2 cup pPlain flour
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 medium finely chopped onion
5 cm fresh ginger finely grated
4 cloves finely chopped garlic
5 red chilies, finely chopped
2 cups bottled tomato pasta sauce
1 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soft brown sugar

Method:
*Wash the crabs well and scrub the shell.
*Using a large cleaver, cut the crabs in half and rinse well under cold water, carefully removing the yellow gills or spongy parts.
*Hit the legs and larger front nippers with the flat side of the cleaver to crack the shell. This is to make the eating process easier.
*Lightly and carefully coat the shells with a little flour.
*Heat about 2 tablespoons cooking oil in a large wok and cook 1 1/2 crab at a time, carefully turning and holding the crab in the hot oil until the shell just turns red.
*Repeat with the remaining crab halves.
*Add the remaining oil to the wok and cook the onion, ginger, garlic and chili for 5 minutes over medium heat and stirring regularly.
*Add the tomato sauce, water, soy sauce, chili sauce, vinegar and sugar. Bring to boil and cook for 15 minutes.
*Return the crab to the wok and simmer, turning carefully in the sauce for 10 minutes or until the crab meat turns white.
*Do not overcook.
*Serve with steamed rice.

Note : It is important that you use only freshly caught crabs.

Chicken Korma from India

In the west, the term Korma has come to represent a very mild dish with a heavy cream sauce. The word 'korma' actually means braising and the dish can be either very mild or very fiery depending on the region. Korma is Mogul in origination and in the north of India where they became established, a wide array of kormas are served. This recipe is a variation on a northern korma which is generally made with rich ingredients like saffron, nuts, cream, etc.

Ingredients:

Spices:
A pinch of saffron threads
6 green cardamom pods, bruised to release the flavour
2 x 1" pieces of cinnamon stick
4 cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 - 1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon garam masala

Ginger and Garlic Paste:
1 inch cube of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2-3 tablespoons water

The Meat:
700g / 1lb chicken breast or thigh fillets, skinned and trimmed of excess fat. The breasts should be diced into 5cm(2ins) cubes and the thighs halved.

Other Ingredients:
50g / 2 oz raw cashew pieces
150ml / 5fl oz boiling water
90g / 3 oz full fat natural yogurt
4 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
300ml (10 fl oz) chicken stock (or warm water)
2 tablespoons single cream
salt to taste

Method:

* Put the cashews and saffron in a bowl and pour over the boiling water. Leave to soak for 15 - 20 minutes.

* Put the chicken into a large mixing bowl. Whisk the yoghurt (this prevents curdling during cooking) and add to the chicken. Set aside for 15 - 20 minutes.

* Make the ginger and garlic paste by blending the ginger and garlic together in a food processor with a little water until it is a purée.

* Heat the oil in a heavy based casserole over a low heat and add the cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Let them sizzle for 25 - 30 seconds and add the onions. Increase the heat to medium and fry the onions until they soften (6 - 7 minutes).

* Add the ginger and garlic paste and fry for a further 2 minutes.

* Add the salt, turmeric, chilli powder, white pepper and ground coriander and fry gently for about a minute.

* Add the chicken and increase the heat to medium high. Stir until the chicken is opaque. Pour in the stock or water, cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.

* Meanwhile, put the cashews and saffron (with the water in which they were soaked) in a blender and add the cream. Blend until smooth and add to the chicken.

* Add the garam masala and cook, uncovered, for 2 - 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve.

Serves 4

Please also watch this video on how to make another version of Chicken Korma:

Hainanese Chicken Rice

INGREDIENTS:
* Chicken:
* 1 whole chicken, about 3 pounds
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 cloves garlic, peeled
* 4 slices fresh ginger, peeled
* 4 scallions, trimmed
* about 12 cups water
* 2 tablespoons sesame oil
* sliced tomatoes (garnish)
* sliced cucumbers (garnish)
* cilantro sprigs (garnish)
* Chicken Rice:
* 2 cups long-grain rice
* 2 tablespoons peanut oil
* 5 shallots, peeled and minced
* 5 cloves garlic, minced
* 3-1/2 cups reserved stock from cooking Hainanese chicken
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION:
Wash chicken and remove excess fat. Rub the inside of the cavity with salt. Smash garlic and ginger slightly with the flat of a knife. Tie scallions into a knot. Place garlic, ginger, and scallions inside the chicken cavity.

Bring the water to a boil in a pot large enough to hold the chicken. Add the chicken, breast-side down. Simmer, covered, 30-40 minutes, turning chicken halfway through the cooking process, until chicken tests done (juices from thigh should run clear when pricked with a fork).

Carefully remove chicken, draining liquid from body cavity back into the pot. Reserve the stock to make chicken rice. Plunge the chicken into ice water for 5 minutes to stop the cooking process and tighten the skin. Drain, rub with sesame oil, and let cool to room temperature.

To serve, chop chicken into bite-size pieces (the Chinese do this bone and all) and arrange on a platter. Garnish with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and cilantro sprigs.

To make the chicken rice, wash the rice and drain in a colander. Let stand 1/2 hour to dry.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the shallots and garlic. Stir-fry until fragrant. Add rice grains and stir-fry 3-4 minutes, until glossy and fragrant.

Transfer to a saucepan. Add the chicken broth and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil until the liquid level evaporates to the level of the rice and steam holes appear. Turn heat to low. Cover and simmer 40 minutes. Serve with Hainanese chicken.

Hainanese Chicken Chop

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
200g cornflour
3 eggs
200ml chicken stock
300g breadcrumbs
2 tsp Lea & Perrins sauce
20g HP sauce
5g light soya sauce
1 big onion
Salt, pepper

Method:
1. Clean, cut and debone chicken. Divide into breast and leg and flatten the meat with the side of your chopper.
2. Season with salt, pepper and toss in corn flour. Dip in egg and coat with breadcrumbs.
3. Heat pan, add oil and panfry chicken till cooked and breadcrumb is slightly browned.
4. Pour gravy over chicken and serve with potatoes and vegetables of choice.

To make gravy:

1. Slice onions. Saute onion rings in pan till slightly brown at edges. Add Lea & Perrins sauce and HP sauce.
2. Add chicken stock and bring to boil. Thicken with a bit of cornflour.

Thai Green Curry on Chicken Chop with Udon Noodles

Thai Green Chicken Curry Recipe

Recipe:
1 tablespoon Cooking oil
1 Chopped onion
2 tablespoons Green curry paste (ready made)
1 1/2 cups Coconut milk
1/2 cups Water
500 g Chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces
100 g Green beans, cut into short pieces
6 Kaffir lime leaves
1 tablespoon Fish sauce
1 tablespoon Lime juice
1 teaspoon Finely grated lime rind
2 teaspoons Soft brown sugar
1/4 cup Fresh coriander leaves

Method:

Heat the oil in a wok or heavy-based pan. Add the onion and curry paste to the wok and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the coconut milk and water to the wok and bring to the boil. Add the chicken pieces, beans and lime leaves to the wok, stirring to combine. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Add the fish sauce, lime juice, lime rind and sugar to the wok, stir to combine. Sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves just before serving. Serve with steamed rich.

Note: Chicken thigh fillets are sweet in flavor and have a good texture for curries, but you can also use breast fillets if you prefer. Do not overcook fillets or they will become tough.

Malaysia's nasi lemak

Nasi lemak is a dish that is commonly sold in Malaysia, Brunei, Southern Thailand and Singapore. In fact, it has been called the unofficial national dish of Malaysia. In the east coast Terengganu and Kelantan, Nasi Dagang is very common. There is a similar dish in Indonesia called nasi uduk.

With roots in Malay culture, its name is a Malay word that literally means 'rice in fat'. The name is derived from the cooking process whereby rice is soaked in rich coconut cream and then the mixture steamed. Sometimes knotted screwpine (pandan) leaves are thrown into the rice while steaming to give it more fragrance. Occasionally, other herbs such as ginger and lemon grass may also be added for additional fragrance.

Traditionally, this comes as a platter with cucumber slices, small dried anchovies (ikan bilis), roasted peanuts, stir fried water convolvulus (kangkong), hard boiled egg, pickled vegetables (achar) and hot spicy sauce (sambal). Nasi lemak can also come with any other accompaniments such as chicken, cuttlefish, cockle, beef curry (beef stewed in coconut milk and spices) or paru (beef lungs). Traditionally most of these accompaniments are spicy in nature.

Nasi lemak is traditionally a breakfast dish, and it is sold early in the morning at roadside stalls in Malaysia, where it is often sold packed in newspaper, brown paper or banana leaf. However, there are restaurants which serve it on a plate as noon or evening meals, making it possible for the dish to be treated as a delicacy. 'Nasi lemak panas' meaning hot nasi lemak is another name given to nasi lemak serve with hot cooked rice.

Simply rice cooked in coconut milk (knotted pandanus leaves and even ginger or a stalk of lemon grass may be tossed into the pot to add fragrance), imparting a creamy texture to the grains, nasi lemak is available on almost every street corner and in almost every local-themed restaurant, served with everything from chicken to beef to cuttlefish.

It can be eaten at any time - breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, lunch, tea, dinner, supper, post-boozeup - and the mingling of flavours and textures (creamy, hot & spicy, crunchy, nutty, etc) makes it simply … sheer ambrosia.

Essential condiments:
Fried ikan bilis (anchovies)
Fried peanuts
Cucumber slices
Wedges of hardboiled egg (variations: fried eggs, or slices of omelette)
Sambal (a kind of cooked chili paste, plain with onions or with ikan bilis too)

Extras:
Chicken curry or rendang
Beef curry or rendang
Mutton curry or rendang
Cuttlefish sambal or curry
Chicken liver and gizzard curry
Fried chicken
Fried cow lung (paru)
Begedil (potato cutlets sometimes mixed with minced meat)
Dried prawns sambal (some non-halal outlets cook this with minced pork)
Cockles in sambal
Stewed kangkong (water spinach)