Fruity Seafood Stir-fry
The weather for the last couple of days was really nice; sunny and breezy. I spent hours walking and just sitting by the waterside watching people kite surfing and enjoying the very few last sunshine of the year before the winter sets in.
There is a fish monger just by the "seaside" (Thames Estuary actually) at Leigh-on-Sea, near where I live, my favourite place to get fresh seafood. I thought I want to eat something summery and fresh...nothing beats fresh seafood for a refreshing and light summer lunch.
Whenever I am by the seaside, the phrase "Frutti di Mare" keeps cropping up into my mind. I remember my dad used to cook squid with pineapple. Something quite nice about the combinations of fresh fruit and seafood, both are subtle in taste but complement each other nicely without overpowering flavour.
Instead of pineapple chunks, I thought satsumas and the shrimp paste would add some interesting twists to the dish. The sharp sourly taste of the satsumas would bring out further freshness of the fresh squid. The shrimp paste would add depth to the sauce. A quick and easy dish to prepare.
Ingredients: (serves 2 portions)
The process:
In a wok (or pan), heat the oil under medium/low heat and add in the garlic, shallot, green chilli and gently fry it until soft, colourless and fragrant. Add 1/4 of the tomato halves in the wok and cook them until they are soften and juicy.
Meanwhile, mix the shrimp paste, coconut milk ad lime juice together to form a light sauce. Set aside.
When the tomatoes are all soften, increase the heat (for 1-2 min), then add the squid pieces and prawns. Stir and coat well the seafood with the tomato sauce and cook for a minute or so. Add the rest of the fruity ingredients in the wok and cook until the seafood is almost cook (need to apply your own judgement here!). Just before the seafood is cooked, stir in the shrimp paste sauce to the seafood and cook for further 1-2 minutes to slightly thicken the sauce.
(Never over-cooked the seafood. It should be tender and juicy!)
And the dish is ready to be served. Serves it hot with white rice or couscous....A perfect summer dish by the seaside.
There is a fish monger just by the "seaside" (Thames Estuary actually) at Leigh-on-Sea, near where I live, my favourite place to get fresh seafood. I thought I want to eat something summery and fresh...nothing beats fresh seafood for a refreshing and light summer lunch.
Whenever I am by the seaside, the phrase "Frutti di Mare" keeps cropping up into my mind. I remember my dad used to cook squid with pineapple. Something quite nice about the combinations of fresh fruit and seafood, both are subtle in taste but complement each other nicely without overpowering flavour.
Instead of pineapple chunks, I thought satsumas and the shrimp paste would add some interesting twists to the dish. The sharp sourly taste of the satsumas would bring out further freshness of the fresh squid. The shrimp paste would add depth to the sauce. A quick and easy dish to prepare.
Ingredients: (serves 2 portions)
- A whole large fresh squid (wash and cut open the tube and score diagonally the flesh in opposite directions)
- Approximate 100-150g of fresh prawns (peel the shell but leave the tail intact)
- Few satsumas (peel and segmented)
- Handful of cherry tomatoes (cut it half)
- A green pepper (slice into chunks)
- A green chilli (roughly chopped)
- A clove of garlic (finely chopped)
- A shallot (finely chopped)
- 3 to 5 tbsp thick coconut milk
- 1/2 tsp thick shrimp paste
- 1/2 lime juice
- Basil leaves (for garnish)
- 1-2 tbsp oil
The process:
In a wok (or pan), heat the oil under medium/low heat and add in the garlic, shallot, green chilli and gently fry it until soft, colourless and fragrant. Add 1/4 of the tomato halves in the wok and cook them until they are soften and juicy.
Meanwhile, mix the shrimp paste, coconut milk ad lime juice together to form a light sauce. Set aside.
When the tomatoes are all soften, increase the heat (for 1-2 min), then add the squid pieces and prawns. Stir and coat well the seafood with the tomato sauce and cook for a minute or so. Add the rest of the fruity ingredients in the wok and cook until the seafood is almost cook (need to apply your own judgement here!). Just before the seafood is cooked, stir in the shrimp paste sauce to the seafood and cook for further 1-2 minutes to slightly thicken the sauce.
(Never over-cooked the seafood. It should be tender and juicy!)
And the dish is ready to be served. Serves it hot with white rice or couscous....A perfect summer dish by the seaside.
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