Sweet Couscous

This recipe is unique in the sense that it is sweet and can be eaten as a meal or dessert.

Either way, it is extremely appealing for sweet tooths and cashew lovers; very filling and comforting on a cold winter night.

Sweet Couscous

250g couscous
150g sultanas
150g cashew nuts
50g butter
120ml honey
600ml boiling water
2 oranges (peeled) - optional

1. Place couscous and sultanas in a large, heat-proof bowl and pour boiling water. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes until liquid is absorbed and sultanas are plump. Use a fork to separate the grains.

2. Heat a frypan, throw in cashews and stir quickly until roasted. Set aside.

3. Melt butter in a pan. Add couscous mixture and honey. Cook stirring well until heated through.

4. Serve pipping hot with pieces of oranges and roasted cashews.

Not-quite-Thai fish cakes

I was all psyched up about making Thai-style fish cakes, except when it came down to assembling it in the kitchen, I forgot the two essential things that made the fish cakes "Thai" - lemongrass and coriander. Still, it tasted pretty decent. Here's a shot of it alongside accompanying my pasta lunch.

The Not-quite-Thai fish cakes
500g white fish fillets (about 2 fillets)
1 onion
1 inch piece of ginger
2 small green chillis (removes seeds for a less spicy version)
Zest from 1 lime
10 mint leaves, chopped fine
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 egg
Oil for frying

Special equipment: Blender

1. Blend onion, ginger and chilli together into a paste. Drain of excess water and return to blender.
2. Add fish, fish sauce and eggs and blend to fine paste. Add lime zest and mint, mix well and refrigerate for an hour.
3. Shallow fry in hot oil at 200 degrees. Spoon 1 tbsp of the fish paste into the pan and press down with the back of your spoon. Fry until golden brown (approx 1-2 min on each side), drain well and serve. Makes 8-10 fish cakes.

Cost breakdown
Total cost: RM8.10++
Cost per serving: RM4.00++ (based on 2 serves)
Fish: RM6
Onion: RM0.30
Ginger and chillis: RM0.50
Lime: RM0.50
Mint: RM 0.50
Egg: 0.30

Tags: Thai fish cakes

Kerang chowder

While was in the field I scored myself some local kerang or cockles which were quite huge - about three times the size of those you would normally get at the market. I suppose you could call them free-range kerang. In Singapore and Malaysia these are also called blood cockles, because they release a red liquid that is coloured by hemoglobin - yes, the same thing found in blood! I had a cup of good solid meat, so I decided to make a chowder out of it by adapting a vichyssoise recipe by Alton Brown. Make sure to thoroughly clean the mud-filtering cockles! Of course, you can use other edible bivalves available to you.


Kerang chowder
Meat from 1 kilo of Kerang or other shellfish (about 2/3 cup)
2 medium floury potatoes, diced into 1cm cubes
3 medium leeks, chopped
1 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper
2 cups water or stock
Whole milk to taste
Special equipment: Blender/Food Processor

1. Kerang cleaning: Cockles are mud filters, which mean they should each be thoroughly scrubbed with a brush on the outside before they are sent to soak in slightly salted water for at least three hours. This will allow the molluscs to open up a little and let the dirt sink to the bottom. Steam the cockles for five minutes, de-shell and set aside.

2. Sweat the leeks with butter until tender, about 10 min in low heat. Add potatoes and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and continue to simmer for 30 min.

3. Run the soup through a blender with half of the kerang meat. Pulse until a smooth, thick paste.

4. Return soup base into pot and add remaining kerang meat. At this point, you can refrigerate or freeze your soup for later consumption.

5. To prepare: Heat soup portion with desired amount of milk - about two to three tablespoons does it for me. Salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 4 servings.

Cost breakdown
Total cost: RM6.10++
Cost per serve: RM1.50++
Potatoes RM1.10
Leeks RM1.50
Kerang RM3.50

Tags: Kerang, Chowder, blood cockles