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.