Drawing on her multicultural heritage Patty cooks up two exotic dishes of her own making using ingredients from her local Chinese general store in Broome and local shellfish picked off the low lying reefs around the coastline.
Preparation
Cooking
Ingredients
Creamy Chilli Squid
- 1 1/2 litres water
- 3 tbsp. soybean paste (heaped)
- 1 tbsp. garlic chopped
- ½ cup Asian shallots
- 1 tbsp. chilli powder
- 3 tbsps. fresh red and green chillies
- 1 ½ cups dried shitake mushrooms
- 3 tbsps. Kikkoman soy sauce
- 2 tbsps. fish sauce
- 3 tbsps. fresh green and red chillies chopped
- 3 bunches of bok choy
- 500g shellfish (scallops, mussels)
- 2 cups vermicelli noodles (pre-soaked)
- 1 cup spring onion
- 3 tbsps. fresh coriander chopped
- 4-6 curry leaves
Soybean Seafood Soup with Shellfish
- 1 tsp rice oil
- 1 tsp sesame oil (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp. garlic
- 3 tbsps. coriander roots
- 2 tbsps. curry powder
- 2 tbsps. turmeric
- 2 small onions sliced
- 1 kilo baby squid
- 1 tbsp. chilli powder
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 can of coconut milk
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- ½ cup garlic chives
- ¼ cup fresh green and red chillies chopped
- 1 cup springs onions chopped
- 1 cup freshly chopped coriander
Rice (medium or long grain) or your choice of fresh salad
Cook's notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
Instructions
All the ingredients can be purchased from Asian food stores or the major supermarkets that now carry a whole range of Asian food products.
To make the creamy chilli squid, in a wok heat the rice oil then add sesame oil, add the coriander roots then curry powder then add turmeric, fry until you can smell the aroma, once sizzling add onions until coated with ingredients then add whole baby squid cook until tender then add some chilli powder, allow the squid to cook and let the liquid reduce a bit add the cherry tomatoes then add the lime juice then coconut milk allow to evaporate to thicken, add brown sugar to balance the spiciness. Once the soup has thickened add the fresh garlic chives then add the fresh chillies (add chilli to personal liking), and spring onions cook for a further 5 minutes turn off, add a of sprinkling fresh coriander. Serve with rice or noodles and perhaps with seasoned seaweed as a side.
To make the soybean seafood soup with shellfish, in a medium pot of boiling water add soy paste (depending on the amount, approx 1 tbsp heaped per 500mls). Add garlic and allow to cook for a few minutes to soften, then add the Asian shallots and chilli powder then the fresh chillies, mushrooms and the bok choy. Now add the soy sauce and fish sauce and then the shellfish, allow cooking but not boiling, gently stirring, now adding the vermicelli, then spring onions and sprinkle the fresh coriander stir and the dish is done. Serve in a bowl on its own or on a bed of rice... enjoy.
