Expeditions

We've had a wave of guests coming through Singapore at the moment. It's a good excuse to revisit the sights, discover little alleys, gorge on the wonderful local food, and shop! I love shopping with my guests. And although I don't buy anything, just the experience of trying those killer heels, testing different scents, carrying a designer bag on my arm, makes for a really enjoyable day. After a successful expedition, we ended the day with a dinner of Curry Prawns (adapted from a Hong Kong magazine clipping called Lisa's World), accompanied by Crab Cakes (adapted from Bon Appetit).

Curry Prawns with Pineapple

500g medium prawns

1 cup pineapple chunks

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1 red onion, minced

1 cup coconut cream

1/2 cup pineapple juice

(from the canned pineapple)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar

Shell and devein prawns (keep the tail end). Wipe dry. Stir in a little salt, cornstarch and pepper. Leave to marinate for 10 minutes, then deep fry in hot oil, remove and drain on paper towels.

Pour out all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the pan. Saute onions and curry powder for about 2 minutes. Pour in pineapple juice, salt and sugar, and stir until well blended.

Add the prawns, coconut cream and cook until sauce has thickened. Add in pineapple chunks, bring to a brief boil, and serve.

Crab Cakes

4 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, minced

1/4 cup cilantro, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 red bell pepper, minced

1 can (6 ounces) fresh crabmeat

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon chili sauce (asian)

2 cups crushed Ritz crackers

1 egg

Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

Canola oil for frying

Melt butter in a frying pan and saute onion and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes, on medium heat. Add bell pepper and saute for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in crabmeat, lemon juice, cilantro, Worcestershire and chili sauces. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a large bowl and mix in egg and crackers until well blended. Shape into little cakes and lay on a baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Place bread crumbs on a shallow dish. Take the crab cakes and gently press each one onto the bread crumbs, on both sides.

Heat the oil in a large skillet and fry cakes until golden brown.