Tiger Mike's Crab In A Carriage (Santola No Carro)

Nic,


In Portugal spider crabs are more generally used than the edible (common) crab popular in S'pore & Malaysia. Spider crabs have beautiful shells and the "carriage" of the title refers to the shell, in which the mixture is traditionally served (rameskin dishes can be used instead).

SERVE 4
* four small fresh cooked crabs
* juice of 1/2 lemon
* 25 g onion, finely chopped
* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 1 tsp crumbled dried thyme
* 2 tbsp chopped parsley
* about 150 ml mayonnaise
* 1-2 tsp French mustard
* Cilli sauce
* salt
* fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs


METHOD


Twist off the legs and claws from the crab shells, crack open and remove the meat. Remove the white and brown meat from the shells and discard the grey sac and feathery gills. Flake the meat and mix with lemon juice.


Preheat the grill to moderate.


Fry the onion in the oil until softened.Stir in the crab meat, thyme and parsley and remove from the heat. Stir in the mayonnaise, mustard, cilli sauce and salt to taste; the consistency shud be soft.


Divide the crab mixture between the shells and sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top. Place under the grill until bubbling and golden.

Tiger Mike's Fried Kangkung In Belacan

300g kangkung (wash and cut the roots)
30g dried prawns (soak in hot water, drain and pound)

POUND THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS FINELY

1.5 cm cube toasted belacan
5 cili padi
3 shallots (slice)
1 clove garlic (chop)


3 tsps cooking oil
salt, pepper and soya or nam pla sauce to taste
Coriander leaves for garnish.

METHOD
Prepare the Ingredients:
1. Soak the dried prawns in hot water and drain.
2. Wash the kangkung under running water. Pick the leaves and cut the stems separately.
3. Pound the cilis, shallots, garlic and belacan together. Pound the pawns.
4. Fry the kangkung. Heat oil in a wok. Fry the pounded cili-mix with 2 tbsp of water till there is a fragrant aroma.
5. Add the dried prawns and fry for a few mins. Add the kangkung stems, then the leaves.
6. Add 3-4 tbsp water, cover the wok for a while. Cook until the veg are tender but not overcooked.
7. Season with salt or nam pla, pepper to taste.
8. Dish on to a plate and garnish.

Tiger Mike's Beef And Sheep Tongues

Prices:
Lucky Frozen: Tongue Swiss Cut Aust/NZ RM 52.40 per kg. Sheeps Tongue Ararat/GME RM 13.00 per kg.
SMB Frozen Foods: Jln Pencala PJ: Beef Tongue Aust/NZ RM 12.00 per kg. Sheeps Tongue RM 8.00 per kg.
Local Wet Market. Beef Tongue Aust RM 24.00 per kg.

The last time you had it with me was too soft with no bounce coz I pressure cooked it for 30 mins. There is no need to pressure cook at all.
The recipe below is for 1 kg of tongue.
Boil the tongue and remove the outer thick skin. Oblique slice to 1.5cm thick. Dry rub the pieces with turmeric and salt. Fry. Keep the oil for use a bit later.
Pound:
1 tsp jintan manis (aniseed or yau kok)
4 cardamon seeds ( buah pelaga or wok lok wuat)
5 cloves (bunga cengkis or teng heong)
Pound Separately:
1 inch ginger
3 garlic cloves
2 shallots

1 serai - bruised.
1 large Bombay onion cubed.
Mix 1 tbsp of meat curry powder, 1 tsp cili powder, 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder and a little water.
Use 3-4 tbsp from the balance of the oil to "tumis" :
1 inch cinnamon stick.
1 star anise.
Add the poundd ingredients, serai and 2 sprigs of curry leaves.
Add Bombay onion.
Fry until aromatic and minyak naik.
Add curry powder mixture.
Add a little water witth 1/2 tbsp of tamarind juice.
Pour carefully thick soya sauce just to make it dark.
Add tongue slices.
Pepper and salt to taste.

Senang aje, brudder!!

Tiger Mike's Miang Kham

Dear Nic,

Happy to see that you are always keen and curious about food. Miang Kham is a must Thai hors d'oeuvre and is automatically served when you dine in a Thai Restaurant. I have not met a Malaysian who dislikes it. It interfaces well with drinks - beers or a dry white wine. Please read attached.

The Thai will never use lettuce leaves but daun kaduk which you can get in the morning markets in S'pore.

The Thais serve the stuff in a special plate on a rotating wooden plate and beautiful ceramics. Will send picture after this. I think you can procure it in S'pore. Mine came from Thailand.

 

Dear Sham,

I'll bring the Bt. Tinggi aromatic ginger. Use young limau nipis, udang kering kecil and cili padi and not cili merah. For the kerisik use kelapa parut muda. Jude will have no trouble making the sauce, if not Cha Cha Mike will do. Please as usual, remember portion control.

Tiger Mike's Nasi Lemak

1. Two cups of the finest Basmati rice for 6 pax.

2. Four and half cups of good santan.(Harmony Brand)

3. Four helai daun pandan, stripped and tied into knot.

4. Two cm ginger, sliced finely.

5. Three cloves garlic, sliced finely.

6. One teaspoon salt.

7.Three bunga cengkih.

8. Two cm cinnamon.

 

Method.

1.Wash the rice and leave it to rest with some water for 5 minutes.

2. Drain the rice and put rice, four cups of coconut milk and other ingredients into pot or rice cooker. Cook until all liquid is absorbed.

3. Loosen rice grain and test for donness. Place daun pisang round the inside of the rice cooker. If necessary add the rest of the santan. Steady.

4. Cover the pot tightly until rice is fluffy.

 

Sham, If you decide to do nasi lemak on Sunday (SU 1), I'll cook the sambal tumis lala and prep the accompaniments.

Tiger Mike's Miang Kham Sauce

OP Sham,

Now we have a lot more experience with Miang Kham. I have now a daun kaduk bush. As you notice B.S "Lord Ganesh" Maniam loves it like his favourite betel leaves (vitelleh) and he spits the juice into the paper napkin. He is following Dr.M's style of eating sireh-pinang.

It goes super well with Nira Cola. Bless these South Indians!!

The only small hassle with Miang Kham is the sauce. Once ready, you can keep it for one month in the fridge or three months in the freezer with no degradation.

 

The Sauce

1/4 cup of thinly sliced shallots

1 tbsp thinly sliced lemongrass

1 tbsp shredded fresh ginger

1 tbsp of  belacan

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup dried shrimp

11/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups + water

11/4 cups palm sugar

crushed peanuts for garnish

1. Roast the onions, lemongrass, ginger and shrimp paste at 120C until golden, about 15 minutes. Roast the coconuts at 180C until golden brown, stirring often, about 10 mins.

2. Put the onions, lemongrass, ginger, shrimp paste, shrimp, coconut and salt into a blender and add 1/2 cup water slowly, gradually and process, adding more water if necessary. Process for a few seconds; the consistency does not need to be smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large saucepan and add 2 cups water and palm sugar. bring the mixture to boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium low and cook for one hour and 15 mins, stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat and cool. Serve with Miang Kham.

The South Indians eat their sireh-pinang with kapur, gambiar, roasted cloves, uma and coriander seeds and spit the juice all over your blardy carpet!! But, we pure Malays enjoy Thai Miang Kham without any problem.

If you need, I'll give you the ingredients for the kaduk cup.

Tiger Mike's Spicy Catfish Kerabu

4 large catfish

oil for frying

4-5 shallots, chopped

1 tablespoon grated ginger 10 small cili padi seeded, crushed

3 tablespoons crushed peanuts

1/2 green mango, cut into fine strips (match sticks)

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

salt

black pepper, freshly grinded

3 helai lemau perut, sliced finely

5 kaduk leaves

Garnish:

Coriander leaves

 

Wash and gut the fish and steam for 5-7 minutes. Before they are completely cooked remove the fish from the steamer and dry them.

Fry the steamed fish on both sides in the hot oil until golden. Remove the bones ans skin, and flake the flesh.

In a bowl, mix the fish meat with the shallots, ginger, cilis, peanuts and mangoes. Add the lemon juice and rind. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

Serve on a bed of daun kaduk, and sprinkle with coriander leaves.

 

Good Luck.

 

Tiger Mike's Beef Noodle Soup

PART 1 Make the Stock:

You can prep the stock in advance. Can be kept in the fridge for a max of 3-4 days or in the freezer for long-term storage. You can use one of the three meats - chicken, pork or beef.
9 cups of water

1 kg of meat bones - well cut-up
2 cloves garlic
1 medium turnip (lo pak)
2 stick celery
2 bunches daun sop (kam choy cina)
2 shallots
1 pinch of ground ginger
ground black pepper

Bring all the ingredients to the boil in a large pan over medium heat.
Lower the heat and simmer for one hour. Strain.
I use the pressure cooker for 35 minutes to save time but must strain it to remove the scum.

PART 2 Making Beef Noodle Soup

5 cups of beef stock given above
2 cloves garlic
2 sticks celery
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp light Soya sauce
pepper to taste
300 g beef fillet, cut into thin strips. ( Buy Brazilian @ RM 51.00 per kg)
200 g imported tripe (cooked) Optional
500 g rice noodles
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1/2 tbsp chopped spring onions (chung)
100 g towgeh
Cilli powder to taste
2 tbsp lemon or lime juice to taste

Heat the stock with whole garlic cloves, celery, fish sauce, soya sauce and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 mins.
Remove the garlic and celery. Bring the stock to full boil.
Place the beef in a straining spoon or strainer and hold in the boiling stock for 30 seconds.
Remove and drain. Reduce heat.
Cook the noodles in the simmering stock for 2 mins, then remove and drain them. Put in ice water. When cooled, remove and drip a little olive oil and toss the noodles.
Meanwhile lightly brown the chopped garlic in the oil.
Cut the tribe into small strips and pressure cook it for 6 mins.
Serve the soup in individual bowls. First place the noodles in each bowl and sprinkle with coriander, spring onion, browned garlic, cilli powder and pepper. Add the meat, tripe, a few drops of lime or lemon juice to the stock. Lastly a bit of towgeh.
The Cilli powder that I use is Thai Mae Pranom Brand (Shrimp Seafood Crushed Chilli) Thai Product # 3043 which is excellent. Easy to get. If you have difficulty, I'll get it for you.
Enjoy and best of luck.