Combat with Mud Crab

If I didn't go to the Sydney Fish Market, I wont see the sign saying "$21.99/kg for Live Mud Crab". I walked into at least two shops which said the same and I have to give in. I bought a live mud crab home. Now the issue is how to kill this thing??? 

Thanks to Facebook. I dropped this question to my Facebook status and my friends have answered. Collating all the ideas and trying to put them in practice. I first tried to poke into the head as suggested. May be my chopstick isn't long enough, the crab was still very active and trying to escape!

Dead...

Without too much of the gruesome details, I have killed it with the good old method. However, I still have been bitten by its reflex. Next time I know even if its claw detached from its body, it still can bite and it's painful... ouch!!!

Steamed Mud Crab... Ready to Serve!

Steamed for around 15 minutes, fresh and very sweet mud crab is ready to eat. I am now off to eat... chat later... nom nom nom.

A quick meal: Italian Mussels

After a night of Sichuan Hotpot, there are so much left over. What can I do with them, if I don't want another round of hotpot? Going through the fridge and found myself with some mussels. Let make Italian mussels! :)

Tasmanian Mussels

In the cupboard found this sauce, Arrabbiata, with a dash of chili. Good enough to be the base!

Barilla: Arrabbiata

Heat the pot with garlic and shallot. (I found later that brown onion should be more tastier).

Chopped Garlic

Chopped Shallot

Added shallot and parsley to garnish. 

Ready to Serve

I have toasted a few slice of bread to mop up all the jus! :D

I would like to mop up the dish with more toast please!

Making of Nian Gao with Coconut Flavour (椰汁年糕) for Chinese New Year

It is day 15 of 2012 Chinese New Year and this will be my last post about making Chinese New Year food. How can I did not try to make Nian Gao 椰汁年糕 for Chinese New Year?

Ingredients for Nian Gao

Coconut milk and Flour mixture

The hardest part is to mix the coconut milk with the glutinous rice flour.

Ready to Steam

Steamed for about 1 hour 45 minutes... the Nian Gao is ready!

Nian Gao with Coconut Flavour (椰汁年糕)

Pan-Fried Nian Gao with a Pot of Chinese Tea!

I like it pan-fried with egg coating. :)

Making Poon Choi (盆菜) for Chinese New Year

After the success of making the water chestnut cake, I tried to make another Chinese New Year food, Poon Choi 盆菜. It is composed into different layers of ingredients. Each ingredient layers has to be in that particular order. It is mainly consists of pork, chicken, dried mushrooms, pig skin, squid, dried beancurd stick and Chinese radish. The most important part of this dish is the stewed pork. It used to be using the wooden type of "big bowl". Nowadays, it is either aluminum or stainless steel due to hygiene purpose.

Chinese Radish

First layer is the Chinese radish to absorb all the sauce. 

Lotus Root

Deep Fried Tofu

Second and third layer should be the squid and pig skins. I have replaced them with lotus roots and deep fried tofu.

After 3 layers of Ingredient

Dried Beancurd Stick

Forth layer is the dried beancurd stick.

Slow Cook Pork Belly

Stewed Pork

Fifth layer is the stewed pork.

Fish Paste

Dried Oysters

Dried Mushrooms

Soy Chicken

Broccoli to Decorate

Top layer consist of dried mushroom, fish paste, prawns, chicken and dried oysters. I have also used broccoli to decorate.

All Assembled and Ready to Serve! Enjoy!!!

Making Water Chestnut Cake (馬蹄糕) for Chinese New Year

Happy Chinese New Year. I am trying to make my first Chinese New Year cake for this festive season. The easiest would be water chestnut cake. It only requires a few steps. I went to a Chinese groceries store to buy the necessary ingredient and started the process.

Mixing water chestnut powder

Chopping water chestnut into small pieces

Melting the Brown Sugar

Ready to Steam

After steaming for about half an hour, it is ready to be served.

Final Product: Water Chestnut Cake

Water Chestnut Cake

It doesn't look bad after all, but still have room for improvement. I love the texture... a success!