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Chutoro Crudo with Lime and Microgreens

by michelletang118
written by michelletang118

Chutoro crudo with lime and micro greens. A kaleidoscope of colors to brighten up your day. This simple, no cook seafood appetiser will surely delight your senses and wow your guests.

First, what is “crudo”. It is the Italian and Spanish word for “raw”. Often seafood or shellfish is finely sliced and then drizzled with citrus, a good quality extra virgin olive oil, and/or a vinaigrette.

Sometimes people confused crudo with ceviche. Ceviche is a popular Latin American and Caribbean dish. Typically it comes from the modern day country of Perus and is made from fresh raw fish cured in fresh citrus juices (which does the ‘light’ cooking due to the high acidity) – often lemon or lime. As the fish sits longer in the citrus acid than when it comes to making crudo, the fish becomes gently ‘cooked’ in ceviche. It is also spiced with chilli peppers, chopped onions, salt, other seasonings and commonly coriander. The name originates from the Quechuan word siwichi, which means fresh or tender fish. For a more detailed article differentiating the differences between crudo, ceviche, carpaccio and sashimi, read this.

Crudo dishes are much easier to pull off than what you might think. Yes, a few skills may be needed (mainly knife and plating skills). The most important ingredient is the quality of the fish itself, and the olive oil. It isn’t time to go cheap here; look for quality in both. Good fishes to use are grouper, snapper, sea bass, tuna and salmon. Buy the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can afford and dust with some crunchy Maldon sea salt for the added texture. I like to play with colors when it comes to assembling and plating the masterpiece. But remember – less is more. I won’t go overboard and exceed more than 4/5 ingredients. It’ll just lead to clutter.

Buy sashimi grade fish and ensure you have a sharp knife as you cut across the grain in one motion; not a see-saw action as this won’t result in a clean cut. Squeeze the citrus juice on last as you don’t want this to cook the fish, and then finish with the remaining garnishes (be it capers, shaved radish, edible flowers, habeneros, jalepeno etc.) before the final dusting of the salt.

Here I have used chutoro for the crudo. Located somewhere between otoro (the most prized fatty belly) and akami, this is also highly prized medium fatty tuna which partially melts in your mouth as you consume it.  I also picked some fresh, homegrown habaneros, microgreens such as purslane and dill, as well as edible pansies from our rooftop garden at work to use as garnish. After all, freshness is key when it comes to crudo! I like to use lime with my crudo, but feel free to opt for lemon or even orange if you want.

Chutoro Crudo with Lime and Microgreens

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Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat
Rating: 2.7/5
( 10 voted )

Ingredients

  • 200g of high quality sashimi grade chutoro (feel free to substitute for any raw fish like salmon, swordfish, sea bass, etc.)
  • 1/4 cup of high quality extra virgin olive oil (more if you prefer)
  • 1 teaspoon of flaky Maldon sea salt
  • Juice of half a lime
  • Edible pansies or flowers
  • 1 habaneros pepper, deseeded and finely sliced
  • 1 sprig of dill chopped loosely
  • Handful of micro greens (I used purslane here but feel free to substitute for watercress, kale, coriander etc.)
  • Pinch of freshly cracked pepper (optional)

Instructions

  1. Slice the chutoro into 0.5cm thick slices with a sharp knife (Note 1)
  2. Layer it on a slate plate or a gorgeous looking serving plate casually (or whatever style you prefer).
  3. Generously drizzle the extra virgin olive oil on top of the crudo and quickly garnish with the sliced habaneros, edible pansies, dill and micro greens of your choice.
  4. Squeeze the juice of half a lime all over the fish and sprinkle the Maldon sea salt on top. Feel free to add a crackling of freshly milled black pepper too. Serve immediately.

 

Notes

1. It is easier to slice the fish precisely with clean cuts if you pop it into the freezer for around 10-15 minutes or so. 2. Only drizzle the citrus/lime juice last as the acid will slightly 'cook' the fish and unlike ceviche, crudo is meant to be served raw.

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30 minute mealsItalianKeto

Brick Chicken With Pesto (Pollo al Mattone)

by michelletang118
written by michelletang118

Getting chicken skin as crisp as possible is a skill and to the best of my knowledge, the best way to ensure you get it right is the “brick chicken” way, invented by the Italians. Basically, you want a butterflied chicken, and the idea is to sear it on a scorching hot cast iron skillet and layer a heavy brick (or two) on top to flatten it so the skin gets maximum contact with the pan and the flesh remains moist.

After a few minutes of searing, I prefer to transfer the skillet into a preheated oven. You know the chicken is done when the breasts register 150F when tested with a thermometer.  For those who don’t have an oven, you can simply lover the heat and cook the chicken in the same pan.

As for marinade, I like to keep things simple and just use lemon juice, salt, pepper, some red chilli flakes and some minced rosemary. The downside of using some fresh herbs though is that it may burn on the pan (so won’t be as pretty when serving). I would advise marinading the chicken overnight or up to 3 days in advance to really draw out the moisture (this is what salt does to the chicken; it’s called dry brine). This will ensure the crispiest chicken skin you can possibly get. But if time is of the essence, simply marinade it on the spot and pat dry before searing.

As for the sauce, you can simply make a pan juice out of the chicken fond left in the pan (deglaze with white wine, add butter and some sprig of rosemary and clove of garlic). I opted for homemade pesto here though (since I had some leftover from a month ago which I kept frozen).

For the sides to go with the chicken, I opted for charring some mini bell peppers but feel free to make a fresh salad or whatever tickles your fancy.

For those of you who can’t butterfly a chicken or can’t get your hands on one, feel free to use chicken thighs with skin (like I did here). It works equally as well.

 

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Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat
Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Ingredients

  • 1 large chicken thigh with skin
  • 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 or 2 sprigs of rosemary
  • Few garlic cloves, loosely crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest
  • red chilli flakes, to season
  • black pepper and salt, to season
  • 2 tablespoons of pesto

Instructions

 

  1. If you didn't do the dry brine method, pour some olive oil onto the chicken thigh and salt generously. Crack some fresh black pepper on top and chilli flakes, chopped rosemary and lemon zest  (if using).  Let it rest in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to dry out the skin. Note that the salt will draw our moisture from the chicken so you need to pat it dry with a kitchen towel before you fry.
  2. Heat a heavy skillet (ideally cast iron) on medium high heat and add the cooking oil and the butter.* Throw the rosemary sprigs and garlic on the side. Once you see the oil start to shimmer, throw the chicken thigh onto it, skin side down.
  3. Wrap a slightly smaller heavy skillet with foil and place on top of the chicken. If it isn't heavy enough, set a large brick or 2 to 3 heavy cans in the skillet to weigh it down.  Alternatively, use a dutch oven pot.
  4. Cook the chicken 3 to 5 minutes, then remove the top skillet and check the skin. Adjust the heat to low and rotate the pan as needed so the skin browns evenly. Replace the top skillet and continue to cook until the skin is golden and crisp and the chicken is cooked about three-quarters of the way through.**
  5. Remove the top skillet and carefully flip the chicken. Cook, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, 3-4 more minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Serve with the pesto sauce on top.***

Notes

* Ideally you will have bricks at home which you can wrap in foil to flatten the chicken. But if not, just use a heavy dutch oven or another cast iron pan and put some weights on it if it isn't heavy enough. The idea is to ensure maximum contact of the chicken with the pan. ** Feel free to stick the cast iron pan in a preheated oven set on high heat too if you don't want to continue searing it in the same pan. *** If you want to use the chicken fond and make a pan sauce, I highly encourage you to do so. Once you remove the chicken, simply deglaze the pan with a generous splash of white wine and add two tablespoons of butter. Keep shaking the pan as it cooks over low heat.

 

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Family StyleKetoMains

Beef Rendang

by michelletang118
written by michelletang118

Oh the beef rendang. Bring it on. A dish so redolent in spices, the fragrance alone could almost kill you.  Made it last week at a friends place and thought I’d give it another shot to perfect it (plus neighbour kept asking me to make it for him). So acting on my intentions, I went out this morning and bought some chuck beef (feel free to use any type of beef cut conducive for stewing) and procured some fresh lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves to get it going.

First, let us clarify the origins of this dish. There has been ongoing dispute between Malaysia and Indonesia as to the provenance of this dish. Sources has it that this dish actually belonged to the Minangkabau people, also known as “Minang” from the Minangkabau region in West Sumatra, Indonesia. As their culture is of “merantau” (traveling or wandering), a large proportion of the ethnic Minang community have settled overseas, forming the majority of the population in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

In the past, Minangkabau people prepared rendang in such a way that it has long shelf life and could be stored during long journeys. This could perhaps be attributable to the spices used during the slow cooking process. Rendang is commonly made with beef (especially tenderloin) with a special sauce (n.b. each family is different) containing a high amount of coconut milk.

Interestingly enough, given my lack of patience and inability to meditate, I believe this is the perfect dish for me to make (and those with a restless mind). Why? Well, the Minangkabau people associated rendang with patience, wisdom and persistence, as all three are required to cook this hearty dish – from the selection of ingredients, control of the cooking temperature and constant stirring. ⁣

⁣Indeed I have spent a long time pounding the spice paste together in a mortar and pestle (n.b. i did not cheat with the food processor). I also personally like to add some tamarind into my paste but each to their own. Rendang can be made and kept overnight (or for months in the freezer). In fact, it tastes a lot better the next day or two when the flavours mature and deepen further. ⁣

⁣

Beef rendang

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat
Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Ingredients

  • 1.5 pounds of stewing beef, cut into cubes (chuck, short rib or brisket)
  • 5 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 stick cinnamon, about 2-inch length
  • 4 cloves
  • 4 star anise
  • 4 cardamom pods
  • 1 lemongrass, cut into 4-inch length and pounded
  • 1 cup thick coconut milk, coconut cream
  • 2 teaspoons tamarind pulp, soaked in some warm water for the juice and discard the seeds
  • 6 kaffir lime leaves, very finely sliced
  • 6 tablespoons kerisik, toasted coconut
  • 1 tablespoon sugar or palm/coconut sugar to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • SPICE PASTE:
  • 5 shallots
  • 1 inch galangal, grated
  • 3 lemongrass (white part only)
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 inch ginger, grated
  • 10-12 dried chilies, soaked in warm water and seeded

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 150C.
  2. Chop the spice paste ingredients and then bash it up in a mortar and pestle until a smooth paste is formed. Note that you can also opt for the food processor (thought former method is better).
  3. Heat the oil in a heavy stew pot or dutch oven on high and brown the beef. Transfer the browned beef to a plate.
  4. In the same pot, add the dried spices (cloves, cinnamon, star anise, cardamon) and follow shortly with the spice paste. Stir-fry until aromatic. Add the beef and the pounded lemongrass and stir for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, tamarind juice, and simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently until the meat is almost cooked. Add the kaffir lime leaves, kerisik (toasted coconut), sugar or palm sugar, stirring to blend well with the meat.
  5. Lower the heat to low, cover the lid, and transfer the dutch oven to the oven and leave it for 1-1.5 hours. Alternatively you can simmer for a similar length of time until the meat is really tender and the gravy has dried up. Add more salt and sugar to taste. Serve immediately with steamed rice and save some for overnight (the flavours will mature!).

Notes

To toast the dessicated coconut, heat a saute pan on low-medium heat and gently heat up the coconut till it turns golden brown. Keep shaking it as it toasts. This may take a few minutes.

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KetoMainsSous vide

Sous Vide Cajun Chicken Breast

by michelletang118
written by michelletang118

 

My favourite way to prepare chicken breast is to go the sous vide, precision cooking method. Chicken breast is lean and ideal for weight loss, but if you simply pan fry or roast it, it could end up rough. To ensure optimal tender and moist chicken breast, I would highly suggest using the precision cooking method via a sous vide. Simply cook the breast for 1.5-2 hours (depending on thickness) at 64.5C and then give it a quick sear on the cast iron pan for a hearty, low fat meal (ideal for keto dieters).

For more reasons as to why to go sous vide for meats and seafoods, click here.

So today I made an extremely simple sous vide Cajun chicken breast for lunch using the Anova sous vide device. Wilted some spinach with golden raisins and garlic as a side for a healthy keto lunch. Note that it is the first time I used my brand new matte pink plate too! Isn’t it pretty?

I opted for some Louisiana flavours so hence opted for the Cajun spice. I was lazy and had mine already made but for those who want to make their own mix, can simply follow the recipe here which involves a mixture of the below spices:

  • 2 tbsp paprika
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp oregano
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp cayenne

The sous vide is a brilliant precision cooking device for lazy cooks who want to ensure their meals turn out perfectly each time and the flavours are captured.

For those who want to optimise their time and perhaps make a batch of sous vide chicken breast for usage on a whim, you can totally freeze the chicken breasts once they are done. Simply remove them from the pouches or zip lock bag, chill them in ice water, dry off, label them with content and date and store in the fridge for up to 48 hours or freeze for up to a year. You can reheat in the sous vide again and give it a quick sear.

Sous Vide Cajun Chicken Breast

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Serves: 1
Nutrition facts: 340 calories 4 fat
Rating: 3.2/5
( 24 voted )

Ingredients

  • Chicken breast
  • 1 cup spinach leaves
  • 1 tablespoon of golden raisins
  • 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
  • 1 tablespoon of cajun spice
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Set sous vide to 64.5C in a pot of water.
  2. Marinade the chicken with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, cajun spices (rub it all over), salt and pepper. Ideally you want to marinade it overnight in the fridge but a few hours will also do.
  3. Either in a vacuum sealed bag or zip lock, immerse the chicken in the bag into the pot of water once the temperature has reached 64.5C. Set the timer for 1.5 hours.
  4. Make the spinach in the last 10 minutes. Heat a skillet on medium heat and add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Add in the sliced garlic and gently fry it along with the spinach and raisins till it wilts. Drizzle some lemon juice and crack some salt and pepper.
  5. Once chicken is done, remove from bag and pat dry. Heat a cast iron skillet and sear on high heat till it is browned on both sides. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving with the spinach. Sous vide cajun chicken breast

 

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KetoMiddle EasternMoroccan

Preserved Lemon Chicken Tagine

by michelletang118
written by michelletang118

Missing a piece of Morocco lately (more so the hamman you could say). So I thought I’d take out my tagine I bought whilst I was traveling there with my cousin in Jan 2014 (we toured Marrakech, Atlas Mountains, and the Erg Chebbi) and take it out to make a preserved lemon chicken tagine. I still remember how beautiful camping in the Sahara was (climbing on top of the dunes to watch sunrise and sunset) and the graze on my butt the long camel ride gave me! How time flies…

Anyways, since we all can’t travel now due to the covid-19 pandemic, I decided to make a Moroccan dish to “bring me back to Morocco” (if you get what I mean). The preserved lemons I used were home-made (from a friend), but you can easily procure them in a middle eastern store or supermarket (might be harder to find in Asia though).
So this rich and fragant chicken stew is loaded with complex flavours reminiscent of the sort I encountered in the mountainside cafes in Morocco (gosh I miss the Atlas mountains!).  Shall you make this, you will have your kitchen smelling amazing afterwards!

The process is simple. First, you rub the chicken pieces with a redolent combination of garlic, saffron, ground ginger, paprika, cumin, turmeric and black pepper, then pop it into the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours to marinate (or overnight if you prefer). Then you brown the chicken in a saute pan to get the Malliard reaction going. Next you gently sweat the onions in the tagine and one sweated, add the cinnamon stick, chicken pieces, chicken stock, saffron, preserved lemons and olive to the stew. Let it simmer on low heat for half an hour and you are done. Tagines are best – and traditionally served – served with couscous but feel free to mop up the juices with crusty bread.

Preserved Lemon Chicken Tagine

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Serves: 2 Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat
Rating: 4.0/5
( 4 voted )

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken thighs (but feel free to use a whole chicken cut into pieces or chicken drumsticks)
  • 8 olives
  • 5 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon of sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon of saffron threads, pulverised
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 large preserved lemon, sliced or diced
  • 1 cup of chicken stock
  • 1/2 juice of lemon
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • finely chopped parsley and coriander to garnish

Instructions

  1. Marinade chicken with one tablespoon of olive oil, the garlic, cumin, ginger, paprika and some salt and pepper. Let it sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight so that the flavours sink in.
  2. Heat a fry pan on medium-high heat and lightly grease. Once the oil gets hot, add the chicken pieces and fry until they brown on both sides. Remove and set aside in a bowl.
  3. Heat the tagine on low heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Throw in the diced onions and sweat for several minutes until the onions turn translucent. Add the cinnamon stick along with the chicken pieces on top of the onions.  Next add the preserved lemons and olives.
  4. In a bowl, combine the saffron with a tablespoon of warm water to fully release the flavours.
  5. Pour the chicken stock and saffron into the tagine to cover the chicken pieces. Close the tagine lid and let it slowly simmer until the chicken cooks through (could take 15-30 minutes depending on how big your pieces are). 
  6. Once the chicken is cooked through, you can remove the tagine lid and garnish the stew with the chopped parsley and/or coriander before serving.

Notes

Note that if you don't have a tagine you can simply use a large saute pan. Feel free to skip the paprika too.

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30 minute mealsFishFrenchKetoPescetarianseafood

Salmon à la Nage

by michelletang118
written by michelletang118

Poaching fish is an underrated way to prepare it. Maybe it is not complicated or pretty enough of a method, but when done correctly on a very low heat, it never fails to yield amazing results – fish so tender it literally melts on your tongue!

Feel free to use a court bouillon (pronounced “coor boo-YONE”) for poaching. Don’t let the fancy French name fool you. Court Bouillon means “short broth” in French, and is a flavorful, aromatic liquid used for poaching fish and shellfish. The simplest court bouillon consists of nothing but salted water, while some traditional recipes call for a mixture of half salted water and half milk.

In this instance, I used fish fumet to poach the salmon instead (since I had some leftover from Sunday’s cooking adventures). Instead of white wine, I opted for rose too and added a tinge of vinegar and bunch of aromatics for extra flavours. The recipe is paleo, keto, gluten-free, dairy free and fairly low carb. Best of all, it merely takes 25 minutes to make from beginning to end.

As for the fish to use when poaching, feel free to use other lean fish besides fatty ones like salmon such as cod, halibut, snapper, tilipia or haddock. I personally prefer the thicker and meatier fish like salmon, trout and artic char.

Salmon á la Nage

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Serves: 2 Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: 200 calories 5 fat
Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Ingredients

  • 2 pieces of salmon (~150g each)
  • 1 cup dry rosé
  • 1 cup fish fumet
  • 2 shallots, halved
  • 1 lemon, sliced
  • 1/2 carrot, diced
  • 1 celery stick, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon juniper berries
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3-4 star anise
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil or butter
  • 1 tablespoon of diced parsley and/or dill stems (reserve the leaf for garnish)
  • 1 stem of asparagus, diced
  • 6 small mussels
  • 2 tablespoons of vinegar

Instructions

  1. Remove salmon fillets from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
  2. Add a dollop of olive oil or butter and gently fry the garlic, shallot, celery, carrots and the diced parsley/dill stems for a few minutes.
  3. Add the vinegar and rose and stir for 20 seconds. Add the fish fumet, along with the lemon slices, star anise, juniper berries, black peppercorn and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  4. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  5. Reduce the heat to very low, just below a simmer (180ºF (82ºC)). This will ensure you don't overcook the salmon.
  6. Gently slip salmon fillets into the liquid with a fish spatula or your hands.
  7. Continue to cook at this very low heat below a simmer for 8-10 minutes. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your fillets. Feel free to use a thermometer if you desire, but if you don’t have one just make sure to keep it just below a simmer. You should still see a few bubbles rising from under the fillets, but not too many.
  8. During the cooking process, baste any portion of the fillets that is not covered by the liquid by spooning some liquid over the tops. This will help ensure the tops are cooked gently through. After 5 minutes, add the chopped asparagus and mussels to the fumet. Continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes. Once done, carefully use the fish spatula to remove the fillets, mussels and asparagus into a bowl and using a ladle, generously spoon the broth mixture over the fish. Garnish with remaining dill and/or parsley leaves. Serve while warm. 
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30 minute mealsAppetiserKetoMainsPescetarianseafoodVietnamese

Clams with Lemongrass and Thai Basil

by michelletang118
written by michelletang118

For those craving some South East Asian flavours, I have this simple littleneck clam dish for you to whet your appetite. What is required is fresh lemongrass and thai basil (and of course, the clams).

Lemongrass is a tall tropical grass typically featured in Vietnamese and thai cuisine and can be found in Asian grocers. When using fresh lemongrass, you would only want the lower bulbous part of the stem which can be pounded or sliced to release the flavours.

As for health benefits, lemongrass is considered a diuretic, tonic and stimulant. It is said to promote good digestion, and for those looking to relieve menstrual symptoms and nausea, one can simply prepare lemongrass with pepper. It is also known to repel insects and can be used as an essential oil in perfumery.

Now onto the Thai basil. Think of the Thai basil as a variant to the sweet Italian basil used widely in American and European cooking. Thai basil imparts a slightly savoury, spicy- anise-like note which feature heavily in many Southeast Asian and Chinese dishes. Its leaves are sturdier and can withhold heat better than its Italian counterpart. As such, it can be added during cooking vs as a finishing touch. Basil is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and like lemongrass, is good for digestion.

Regarding which type of clams to use, since I’m in Hong Kong, we have the Manila clams available fresh at the local wet market. Feel free, however, to use littleneck clams. For those curious about the different types of clams, read this. If fresh isn’t a choice, feel free to use frozen.

Clams with Lemongrass and Thai Basil

PREP TIME: 10 min | COOK TIME: 10 min | TOTAL TIME: 20 min | YIELDS: 2 servings

INGREDIENTS:

  • 20 fresh clams (I like to get mine live from the wet market)
  • 2 stalks of lemongrass
  • 6-8 slices of fresh ginger
  • Juice of one freshly squeezed lime
  • 2-3 red thai chillis (depending on your spice tolerance)
  • 1 bunch of fresh thai basil
  • 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon of rock sugar

METHOD:

  1. Cut off the top of the lemongrass stalks and keep the bottom (most of the flavours are concentrated here). Lightly bash the lemongrass stalk with a pestle or back of knife to release the flavours.
  2. Heat a heavy pot on medium high heat and gently fry the ginger slices for a few minutes to release the flavours. Throw in the lemongrass stalks and chopped thai chilli and add two cups of water. Add in the rock sugar, lime juice and fish sauce. Boil on medium heat for 15 minutes with the cover on to let the flavours permeate through the liquid.
  3. Add the clams to the liquid and close the lid for 5 minutes.
  4. Remove lid and add 2/3rds of the thai basil (keeping the remainder for garnishing purposes). Close the lid for another 3-4 minutes. The clams should pop open when cooked.
  5. When the clams start to open, remove from the heat and serve in a bowl along with the thai basil (and wedge of lime if desired) as garnish.

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