Singapore Black Pepper Prawns

Singapore’s most famous dish is undoubtedly the Chili Crab and the Black Pepper Prawns. When you walk down Clark Quay or Boat Quay you will find innumerable restaurants and street café’s serving up these super fiery dishes. The Chili crab is generally made with huge Sri Lankan crabs. If you put both your palms together, the crab will probably be larger than that! I’ve spent quite a bit of money on many many nights in Singapore digging into these critters! Another one of my favorites is the Black Pepper Prawns – buttery, peppery, hot awesomeness! They generally use Tiger Prawns for this with the tails (and sometimes the head on.) You yank the head off and start slurping down the sauce and the prawn meat, then finish by digging out whatever else in left in the tail. At the end of the night you have steam coming out of your ears and are sticking your tongue out and downing litres of beer but you can’t stop smiling, because it was so awesome! So here’s my little imitation black pepper prawns. I used medium prawns with the head and tail off. I cooked them skewered on a bamboo stick. This way it makes for an excellent appetizer or cocktail snack. Don’t expect your guests to behave themselves and eat just one skewer… they are irresistible!

Roast Chicken Drumsticks in a Pomegranate and Honey Pepper Marinade

I know the title is mighty long and a simple Anardana Chicken would have cut it, but where’s the fancy shmancy in that?!  I've never really found a recipe with pomegranate that caught my attention till today. Always ate Pomegranate by itself or sprinkled over a salad. I know using pomegranate and chicken together might jolt some of you, but trust me and carry on reading.  This recipe from the Good Food magazine, seemed too simple. It made me doubt whether that was all there was to it.  I love pomegranates and have always known heard that we use dried pomegranate powder (Anardana) in Indian cooking. However,  the spice mix in this recipe seemed very Middle Eastern and I had a niggling feeling that this maybe Moroccon! I read the ingredients thrice over before finally deciding to go for it! (After all, as the magazine says – Every recipe is thrice tested, so how badly could I screw up?). So how did it finally turn out? It was Fantastic – moist, juicy, peppery and tangy. Excellent bang for the buck. It’s something that you can whip up in a jiffy and just by throwing in some pomegranate jewels it looks so desirable. I call them jewels because they remind me of rubies or garnets and I can’t hide my love for color and bling. It’s also really good for the heart – the pomegranate that is, not the fat dripping chicken! Besides its kinda cool when you mix fruit and meat don’t you think? A most unlikely hit pair!  

 Pomegranate and Pepper Roast Chicken Drumsticks

(Recipe Courtesy: BBC Good Food India, Nov 2011)

Marinating time: 4 hrs or overnight
Cooking time: 35 mins
Serves: 6 as starter, 2 as mains

What you need:

6 Chicken drumsticks, skin removed
1 Tbsp dried Pomegranate powder (Anardana)
1 tsp Black Peppercorns, coarsely ground
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Honey
Salt to taste
Pomegranate seeds to garnish

What to do:

Mix the oil, melted butter and honey in a large bowl till well blended. Add the dry spices and salt till evenly mixed. Wash and dry the chicken drumsticks and into the marinade. Make 2 to 3 diagonal slits in the meat. Rub the marinade into chicken and coat all the six pieces. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate, allowing the chicken to marinate for atleast 4 hours. (Ideally overnight).

When the chicken is marinated, preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the legs on a roasting pan and roast until the surface is golden and the meat is done. (about 30 mins ). Baste the chicken with the run off marinade in the pan occasionally.

Test for doneness by piercing the chicken at its thickest part, towards the bone. The juices should run clear. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh pomegranate seeds on each drumstick.

I would serve this as a starter but if you want to make a main out of it – Cous cous with a splash of orange juice and chopped parsley and pomogrante seeds folded into it would look gorgeous!

Note: The original recipe said 3 Tbsp of Honey, Oil and Butter each but I felt that was way too much. 2 Tbsp of each worked just perfect. Also I used a roasting tin with a groove around the edges that let the extra fat and oil collect. Perfect for basting without letting the meat wallow in too much liquid while roasting.

P.S. You get Anardana Powder (Dried Pomegranate Powder) in any Indian Grocery store. Make sure you store it in an airtight packet after opening it.

The world's best Hot Wings!

I know people exaggerate when they say something is the world’s best. You’re thinking, a.Their world is really small or b. They have false ideas of grandeur. I have fallen prey to both statements many many times, but (and this is a big BUT) Not this time!!! Firstly, I can say with conviction that if there is a restaurant I have visited and they list hot wings on the menu – I have tried it. And I eat out very often. So my world of hot wings is not small. Secondly, I am in no way partial to any food, so if something blows my mind – it firmly earns it’s place in my heart and taste buds! As these Hot Wings satisfy the above criteria – they are, according to me (and my entire clique of hungry friends and family) The World’s Best Hot Wings!

 Hot Wings/ Buffalo Wings

Prep + Marinating time: 1 hour

Cooking time: 20 mins

Makes: 20 wings

What you need:

3/4 cup All Purpose Flour

1 tsp Salt

½ tsp Garlic Powder

1 ½ tsp Chili Powder/ Cayenne Pepper

 ½ tsp Black Pepper Powder

20 Chicken Wing segments

Oil for Frying

For ¾ Cup Hot Sauce:

4 Tbsp Ketchup

3 Tbsp Sirachara Hot sauce (or any other Hot Sauce)

½ Tbsp Tabasco

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

¼ cup Butter

1 Tbsp Coarsely ground Black Pepper

What to do:

Wash fresh wings in water, split them at the joints and remove the wing tips. (If you buy 10 whole wings, you get 20 pieces and 10 wing tips to discard). Place them on a wire rack and refrigerate for 2 hrs. (The step is optional, but I’ve noticed it makes the wings crispier.) In a shallow dish, combine flour, salt, garlic, chilli and the black pepper powder. Coat chicken pieces entirely in flour mixture and refrigerate for a further hour.

My quantities for hot sauce can be varied within each element according to desired heat, as long as the total amount equals ¾ cup. The key however is the fat to hot sauce ratio which is 1:3. One part butter to 3 parts hot sauce. This is what gives it a glossy amalgamated feel.

In a saucepan, heat hot sauce with the knob of butter, just until the butter melts. Add crushed pepper and mix well. Keep warm.

Dip the chicken in flour again, dust off. Deep fry the chicken for 13 mins 8-10 mins, till nice and crispy and golden brown. Drain chicken on wire rack for 30 secs, then immediately toss fried chicken in hot sauce and remove. Let is stand for 5-6 mins. Garnish with some more crushed pepper. Serve with some cold beer! Its gonna rock your world.

P.S. For the Bangaloreans – This tastes like the hot wings in Millers 46 (if not better!!)