History:

My favourite drink at Hoo Ha! Cafe - somehow the oysters blend in seamlessly with the Bloody Mary.

Ingredients:

Fresh oysters (don't even try using frozen - I did, once, and .... urghhh.) - available occasionally at Cold Storage Jelita.
A shot glass
Vodka
Tomato juice, or mixed vegetable juice that includes tomatoes
Lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce
Tobasco sauce
Ground pepper
Salt

The method:

• The hardest part of this drink is shucking the fresh oysters. Hold the oyster with a towel (I learnt this the hard way, the shell is SHARP!!) and insert a small, thin knife into one side, between the 2 shells. Run the knife round the oyster until you get to the other side, then use a twisting motion to pry the shells apart. Sounds easier than it really is, so yes. Shucking oysters is freakin' hard work.
  
• Scoop the oyster out whole, and if there are any natural juices (called "liquor" - yes. The same name for amniotic fluid, but try not to think of women breaking water when you're cooking) , drip some into the shot glass - the oystery taste gets better.
• Prepare the Bloody Mary in another glass filled with ice. I use about 1/3 vodka, and 2/3 tomato juice. Add a dash of lemon juice, worcestershire sauce and a few drops of tobasco sauce. A tiny pinch of salt and some pepper can be added if you like.
  
• Tip the Bloody Mary (without the ice) into the shot glass, stir gently, and serve immediately.
  

Posted by R. at 7:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

This dish is kind of disgusting if you think about it, really. Stuffing the poor prawn's eggs into its own body! Anyway, here goes -

Ingredients:

Large prawns
Ebiko (Japanese seasoned shrimp eggs - available at Japanese food markets cheaply in frozen form)
Mayonnaise
Salt

The method:

• Using a pair of scissors, snip off the front 1/4 of the prawn's head, the spike, and front legs
  
• Place prawns in boiling, salted water for 1 minute, turn off heat and leave to slowly cook in the hot water for 4-5 minutes
• Quickly submerge in cold water, and carefully peel off the shell but leaving the head and tail intact.
  
• Use a sharp knife to slice the middle section open, and wash off innards.
• Place prawns on a dish, straightened out and such that the slit in the body faces upwards. The middle portion should open up nicely to form a depression.
• Scoop up a teaspoon or more of ebiko, and place in the depression.
• Top with a spot of mayonnaise

Alternative method (the original concept):

• Prepare the prawns as described above, and cook as before.
• Remove the head and shell, but leave tail intact.
• Using a sharp knife, slice the prawn open totally to the tail portion.
• Make an ultra-thin egg omelette (1-2mm thickness) in a pan, and dish it out carefully.
• Cut out rectangular sections of omelette 5cm in breadth, and with a length matching the length of the prawns.
• Smear a thin layer of mayonnaise over the entire prawn, excluding the tail.
  
• Layer some ebiko between the 2 halves of the prawns, and wrap with the omelette. Seal the end of the omelette with a dab of mayonnaise.
  
• The prawns, if done this way, can be presented lying on their sides instead!
  

Posted by R. at 9:47 AM | Permalink | Comments

Had a fresh wave of inspiration tonight, but no time to get these tested yet. Will update these when I do try them out! (This weekend, hopefully)

1. Bundled pregnant prawns

Prawns, seared quickly with wine, pepper and a dash of lemon. Cut into halves, stuff with ebiko, and wrap with egg crepe.

2. Apple-marinated beef

Baking tray lined with greased paper, layer of fresh apple slices. Layer super-thin beef on top of apple, and yet another layer of fresh apple. Add some water, bake at low heat till just cooked. Caramelise apple sticks, wrap beef around sugared apple sticks and hold with toothpick.

3. Seafood platter

Centre of Bloomin' Onion, surrounded by:
a) Baby squid in tangerine sauce
b) Skewered salmon belly
c) Soft-shell crabs
d) Breaded wasabe prawns
e) Mussels

4. Hotate seafood plate

Steam hotate, deep-fry whole nori and boil fa-cai. Hotate on nori, fa-cai on hotate, skewer with toothpick and top with salmon roe.

Posted by R. at 6:28 AM | Permalink | Comments