Tiger Mike's Otak Lembu (kerbau) Masak Lemak Cili Api

From: Mike Naser Taib [mailto:mnasertaib@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, 14 August, 2010 11:50 AM
To: sham sham
Subject: Otak Lembu (kerbau) Masak Lemak Cili Api

Frens,

This is not a Teipin dish. The Minangkabaus and the Orang Negri Sembilan love it. Its very much an acquired taste, and if I say, its better than Viagra, it'll be a best seller!!
There is a makan shop in SS 15, Subang Jaya (Solera Negori) that sells the stuff. I pujuk the chef into giving me the recipe:

3 pieces of otak. Bersih otak serata buangkan urat-urat yang melekat.

Bahan A
4 biji bawang merah
3 biji bawang putih
1 inci lengkuas
1 inci halia
6 biji cili api (bil.ikut suka)
Garam secukup rasa
Sedikit gula kabung atau gula merah
1/2 inci kunyit basah (hidup)
3 biji buah keras
(Semua bahan-bahan diatas dikisar/ditumbuk)

2 serai dititik.

3 keping asam gelugur
Santan dari satu biji kelapa
1 daun kunyit dihiris
1 Tomato dari Genting

Peraturannya:
Gaul semua bahan-bahan ini dengan otak.
Pasang api perlahan-lahan dan masukan daun kunyit dan asam keping. Tumiskan Bahan A dan otak. Biarkan seketika.
Masukkan santan. Gaul dengan cermat. Jangan pecah otak. Akhir sekali masukkan tomato yang di potong empat. Jangan lupa rasa dulu.
Masak sampai pekat sedikit lalu di angkat

Tiger Mike's Umai Syam de Ulu Langat

Dear Syam,

I have named the following recipe after you, and its delicious with cold beer or a good white wine:

Ingredients:
Fillet Tilapia to get 1 kg of fresh flesh and slice to one inch cubes.

20 limau kasturi
5 limau nipis
1 large Bombay onion
5 shallots
5 garlic
1 cm young ginger
1 daun kunyit
3 tbsp of pounded ground nuts
5 Cili padi 3 tbsp of budu
2 tbsp of rice vinegar
1 lemon grass
4 leaves of limau perut 1 bunga kantan

Method:
1. Juice the limau kasturi and the limau nipis. Marinate the Tilapia in the combined juices and place in the fridge.
2. Slice thinly 10 limau kasturi skins, onions, garlic, ginger, lemon grass, daun kunyit, limau perut leaves, and bunga kantan.
3. After the fish has been in the fridge for one hour, mix with all the ingredients at 2.
4. Put in the vinegar, budu and ground nuts, stir.
5. Put the whole thing in the fridge for one hour b4 serving.

Tiger Mike's Ikan Tilapia Cicah Air Asam

Dear Syam,

A chef gave the following to me:

Bahan A
500gm Ikan Tilapia yang telah difiletkan

Bahan B (Semua dikisar)
5 ulas bawang merah
3 ulas bawang putih
seulas halia
seulas kunyit hidup
Sedikit belacan yang di bakar
Bahan C (Air Asam)
5 tangkai cili padi (dikisar)
5 uls bawang kecil (dikisar)
10gm asam jawa
1/2 sudu teh gula (naam taan jeep) atau gula kabung
1/2 sudu teh Thai fish sauce (naam pla)

Cara:
Perap ikan bersama Bahan B sekurang-kurangnya 1 jam. Balut dengan daun kunyit, dan balut lagi dengan daun pisang. Kemudian bakar tilapia sehingga masak.

Gaulkan semua bahan C untuk air asam. Tambah cili padi kalau nak pedas lagi

Tiger Mike's "Cooking Porridge Using Thermos Flask"

Peter,

Giving a simple recipe for porridge. Have Christianed it: Bubur Chen Ban, after you know who?

Grind or pound the following:
* 3 Shallots (choong tau chai)
* 2 cloves of garlic
* 1 cm of ginger
* 1 cm of galangal (Lam Keong) * 1 tsp aniseed (Yau kok)
* 1 tsp black pepper
---------------------------

1 cup of rice
3 cups of santan
1 well-grilled mackerel (kan mong yee). Take the flesh.
1 lemon grass (heong mau)
A little vegetable cooking oil. I prefer Canola.

Chop up the following:
A little sweet basil ( heong fah choy)
a little onion shoots

Method:
1. Wash the rice and cook until it becomes a nice porridge.
2. Heat the oil and fry the grinded or pounded ingredients.
3. Fold in the santan, lemon grass, fish flesh and sweet basil. Pour the mixture into the porridge. Stir until well mixed. Salt and black pepper to taste
4. When serving, spread onion shoots and fried shallots.

Take your porridge with Nyonya Acar Awak (Mixed vegetable pickles)

I can, if you wish, sock Nasi Ulam porridge and Nasi Kambing porridge recipes to you.

Btw, The Philippines makes the best canned sardines in the world. Cannot get enough in KL.

*******************************************

2010/1/23 Peter Chong <>

Hello Buck,

I can see the benefit of this method for adventurers like John on his trek across the wilderness.

Like you I like mine freshly boiled. Hey, you miss out on salted eggs. Writing this reminds me of 'chye po nea' Can't remember the last time I ate it.

Pete

Tiger Mike's Minangkabau-Style Prawn Rendang

Syam,

This is an award winning recipe by the famous Chef - Azrah Kamalah Shashi. KIV for one of our meetings. I can get large and fresh prawns from Banting:

Spice Paste:
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel (jintan manis) seeds
10 cili padi kampung
10 shallots4 gloves garlic
5cm ginger
5cm fresh turmeric
5cm galangal (Lengkuas)

125ml oil for frying
8-10 large fresh prawns

4tsp cili powder
1.5 litres coconut milk, extracted from 2 coconuts
2 stalks lemongrass, crushed
2 turmeric leaves, sliced finely
50g toasted grated coconut (kerisik)

To make spice paste: In a blender, grind the spice paste ingredients together. Set aside.

To fry prawns: Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Add prawns and fry until golden brown in colour. Remove and set aside.

To fry spice paste and make gravy: Add the spice paste and cili powder to the oil remaining in the wok. Over low heat, fry, stirring, until aromatic - about 10 minutes. Add the coconut milk a little at a time, stirring continuously to mix well after each addition. Add the lemongrass and turmeric leaves, and cook until gravy thickens.

To Finish: Add the prawns and kerisik; stir to combine. Remove and serve immediately.

Tiger Mike's Mussels In Curry Cream Sauce

Dear Ah Swee,

This is a quick dish for our nephews & nieces and for friends dropping in for a chat:

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup minced shallots
2 tbsp minced garlic11/2 cups dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp curry powder
20 NZ half green mussels - cleaned and debearded ( get it from Lucky Frozen Sdn Bhd in Pudu)1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup minced parsley (You can buy Genting Garden's Italian Parsley from Carrefour or Cold Storage)
1/4 cup chopped onion shoots

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large saucepan, cook shallots and garlic in simmering wine until translucent.
2. Stir in cream and curry powder. When sauce is heated through, add mussels. Cover and steam mussels for a few minutes.With a slotted spoon, transfer steamed mussels to a bowl, leaving the sauce in the pan.
3. Whisk butter into the cream sauce.

Turn heat off, stir in parsley and onion shoots. Spread sauce over mussels. Serve immediately.

You can interface the dish with my favourite white elixir of resurrection - Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008 from House of Nobilo, New Zealand. (Get it from Muihua, Tel: 03-6257 9333.).

Tiger Mike's Nasi Lemak

Dear SY,
Here's the way to cook nasi lemak my style:

600g of rice. ( Don't use Basmati. Use any long grain rice. The best is to use Baram-Bario rice which you can easily buy in Miri from the Orang Ulu in front of the Supermarket or in front of Mega Hotel. Keep your Baram-Bario rice in your fridge veg compt. It gets bugs easily)
450g grated coconut for santan.( It does not matter if you have a bit more)
4 helai daun pandan.Tie into knots. (Cheen loi yip)
2 cm ginger, sliced thinly.
3 gloves garlic, sliced finely.
1 tsp sea salt.
1 piece cinnamon (mook kwei pei)
3 Bunga cengkis (teng heong)

Method.

* Wash the rice and drain well.
* Put rice, coconut milk and other ingredients into a pot or electric rice cooker and cook until all liquid is absorbed.
* Loosen rice grain and test for doneness.
* Add a little water if the rice is not well cooked. Close the pot tightly until rice is fluffy.

Here is the Teipin style:
When the rice is half cooked, wrap banana leaf between the rice and the side of the pot carefully with daun pandan after stirring the rice.Pour in in some left-over santan, place some torn-up daun pandan and cover with banana leaf. Close the lid and let it fully cook.When you wish to serve the rice, scissor small circles of banana leaf. Fry some dried udang in garlic chips and veg oil. You get the best dried udang from Labuan at the Ferry Point, they are large and very well engineered.They come from Southern Philippines and cheap as nothing.
Use a Chinese small rice bowl, place the fried prawn first and then the daun pisang circle, shiny side down, and then the rice for serving.

Now For the Accompaniments
My girls are impatient when I cook for them. The worst part is I normally have a bottle of Chateau Lafitte in me and singing discordantly, pretending to be the top tenor in the Klang Valley, " Con Te Partiro". OCPD muka masam. So I do my shortcuts, ma!!
1. Buy Brahim's Kuah Sambal Tumis. Add Si Hum and cook. Get peeled si hum, wash and drown in brine and wash b4 cooking.
2. Buy and use Tean's Gourmet Chicken Curry Paste and cook your chicken. Use only skinned drumsticks and marinate in Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade - Honey & Soy. Place in Glad Zip slide reclosable storage plastic bags ( 30 cm X 30 cm ). Keep in the fridge overnight.

What about Kiddies?
You Teipin super girls can eat hot food. Liz Tan is a good example. Take a separate bowl of chicken curry, scrape 1 in of cooking chocolate and 1 tbsp of tomato puree plus a little of gula batu.or a bit of wong thong. Reheat and stir softly. Mum will be the greatest in the whole of East Borneo.
Sy, good luck from Pak Naser.

Tiger Mike's Rasam

Siva, Dattaya,Kanissan, Pathma & Appan, Rumbo nalla erki de.

Vimala calls this, Milagu-Seeraka rasam. Actually, its pepper-cumin seed rasam.

Tamarind (pullee) 3/4 small lime
Salt 11/2 tsp
Asafoetida a bit
Mustard seeds(kadugu talai) 1/2 tsp

For Masala:
Coriander seeds (Kothamalli) 1/2 tsp
pepper (karuppu milagu) 1/2 tsp
Thur Dhall 1 tsp
Red Cillies (kanjhammilahai) 2
Cumin Seeds (natchirgam) 1/2 tsp

Fry the above ingredients (except cumin seeds) and grind them with cumin seeds into a smooth paste. ( The above ingredients can be ground as such without frying. In that case, don't add coriander seeds. Grind only pepper, dhall cillies and cumin seeds)

Soak the tamarind and take about 500 ml. of juice. Add salt and asafoetida. Boil for 5 minutes and then add the ground masala. Simmer for 10 minutes. When the rasam froths up, add curry leaves. Remove from fire. Season with mustard seeds.

Tiger Mike's SOM TAM ESAN OR MALAKOR

Dear Linus,
Hope you got back to Kuching safely. Re: our conversation on 9th Feb @ The Dog, socking to you the recipe that you like. Please give the appropriate wpn trg lesson to our gang in Sarawak.

The papaya must be dark green and firm.

1 medium dark green papaya
4 garlic cloves
6 cilli padi
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/2 cup chopped green beans, in 1-in pieces
1 tbsp budu or Thai fish sauce.( Budu is better.)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup lime juice or air asam jawa

Peel the papaya and rinse with running water to remove the acid. Remove the seeds and shred the papaya with a grater. Set aside.
Place the garlic cloves and the cillis in a mortar and mash with a pestle until crushed into chunks. Place the papaya and the remaining ingredients into the mortar and gently combine all ingredients by mixing with the pestle and a spoon.
If you need any Thai recipe, happy to oblige. I learnt much from Fred.
Agi Idup Agi Ngelaban,
Sorak,
Penghulu Telajan of Ulu Baleh.

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.

Tiger Mike's Mangiare

Carissimo Michelino!

Instead of using oil and rosemary, try the following:

2 ½ pounds brisket of beef, cut into 3-inch pieces
3 fresh rosemary branches, each 6 inches long
1 celery stalk
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 onion, 3 to 4 inches in dia, peeled and cut into eights
2 table spoons salt
2 small ripe tomatoes, cored and seeded
3 ½ quarts cold water

Put a wide 9 to 12 quart pan over high heat, film the bottom of the pan with olive oil, and brown the meat very well on all sides, lowering the flame if the meat juices threaten to burn. After the pieces of meat have browned on one side, begin adding the rosemary, celery, garlic, onion and salt, waiting 30 seconds between additions as the meat continues to brown. When the meat juices begin to caramelize on the bottom of the pan, add the tomatoes.

When the meat is well browned, add the water. Let the water come to boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 3 to 4 hours. During the first 30 minutes, skim the white foam that collects on the surface. Then cover partially and skim occasionally. Strain. You may refrigerate any broth that you do not need for that day.

You will you this broth as undertone for your pastas. I would suggest as follows:

Melt one tablespoon of butter in a skillet, ad 6 large fresh sage leaves and a peeled garlic clove, and lightly brown the butter over medium heat. Remove the garlic, add 1 ½ cups of the above broth, simmer for a moment, and remove from heat. Cook enough pasta (Michelino, try to find at Hock Chung Taglierini or smaller Tagliatelle) for your guests, until just - it will cook further in the sauce. Bring the sauce back to simmer, add the pasta and 1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan very loosely packed and cook for 3 or 4 minutes, tossing until the cheese has disappeared and the pasta is hot. Serve on hot plates, grating on top some fresh Parmesan!

Michelino, after you did this and you ate the pastas , you are eligible for Italian Nationality! Buon Appetito!

Luve, Pavlevic, Chef par Excellance!

Tiger Mike's "How to Steam Rafidah Aziz"

Dear Nic,

Please try and make sure that the moistness of the flesh of the Napoleon Wrasse is retained and that the flavour of the herbs and spices permeates through.

1 Napoleon Wrasse, about 750 g
2 tbsps rice wine - Shao Hsing Hua Tiao Chiew
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
3 tbsps fish sauce (Thai)
1/4 cup lime juice
2 stalks lemon grass (heong mau), crushed and cut into large pieces
1/4 cup sliced onions
2 garlic cloves,crushed
2 spring onions (chung), sliced in halves and crushed
4 fresh chili padi , crushed
1/4 cup of sweet basil leaves (heong fah choi)
1/4 cup slivered galagal (lam keong)

* Do not slash the fish
* Place the wrasse in a steaming plate. Spread the remaining ingredients evenly over it.
* Steam for 25 minutes. Serve with your favourite dipping sauce.

Serve 4. Good Luck,Bro!!

Tiger Mike's Sauce For Gung Chet Nam Pla

Paul,
Am giving you my personal recipe first. I'll try and compare with a Malaysian Thai officer friend's with whom I get to feel no pain frequently. He is a good Thai chef by hobby. Here goes:

8 garlic cloves, minced
10 chili padi, minced
2 tbsps finely chopped coriander roots and leaves
1/4 cup of Thai fish sauce
1/4 cup of lime juice
2 tbsps of sugar

Blend the whole lot, then fridge it for a while. Serve 4. If your kaki-s are gelee about the prawns, sock to them steamed crabs ( 10 mins in the steamer ) with the shell intact.