023 - Sprite Mayonnaise Shrimp (Because WHY NOT?)

First of all, I would like to apologize for lack of update last week.

I was out traveling to Singapore to catch my favorite band Taking Back Sunday LIVE! The experience was any less than exhilarating! Not only did I get to sang my favorite song along, I also got to meet Adam Lazzara personally (totally by accident, I tell you), and the whole band few moments afterwards! 

I told them how disappointed I am about that proposed Jakarta show in 2010 that got cancelled, and how lucky I am to be able to see them live that day. If you love music, please please please, check out Taking Back Sunday newest album (it’s coming out on March 18^th), here’s a video of their latest single, ‘Flicker, Fade’

Anyway, Singapore has the biggest Kinokuniya bookstore in all of SE Asia. And I didn’t miss my chance to scoop up some new readings. I read through some interesting cooking books, and got several quirky ideas for a new recipe.

This week recipe is a crowd favorite at Chinese Restaurant here in Jakarta. But as always, this is my take on the recipe. Please give a warm welcome to…..

SPRITE BATTERED SHRIMP WITH MAYONNAISE!

This might just be the craziest idea I’ve put up in a while, but why not??

Here’s everything you need, be noted, not everything is pictured here:

10 medium sized Shrimp. Always get your shrimps fresh. Deshell them, make a split on the back and remove the black vein.

Enough flour for dusting

Enough cooking oil for frying

For the Batter:

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup ice cold Sprite. If you don’t want to use Sprite, switch it to sparkling soda water instead. The cold and the fizz will help the batter to crisp up nicely!

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp of Garlic powder

Pinch of Salt

For the sauce:

4 tbsp of Mayonnaise. I like Japanese mayo the best, but I currently have Korean Mayonnaise, and it’s not that much of a difference, so I’m using that.

4 tbsp of sweet condensed milk. YES, I know what you’re thinking. How in the world this sweet and sticky concoction can help the recipe? Well, they just do.

2 tsp of Lemon Juice. Acid will cut the overwhelming taste, trust me.

So, ready to shake off some bad memories about your ex and whip up a killer dish?

I say it again.

Ready? Here We Go

Step 1 – Clean your shrimp and pat it dry. Set aside to let it come to room temperature

Lay the shrimp evenly

Gently squeeze

Dried and ready to go

Step 2 – Prepare the batter. Get a bowl; pour your flour, garlic powder, beaten eggs. Mix it a bit, and pour your Sprite adding little by little. This will help prevent lumps. Oh yes, the Sprite HAS to be ice cold! Set the batter aside. Oh, and if by any chance the batter seems too thin, add a bit of flour to thicken it, or, cornstarch for that crispy bite!

Flour

Beaten Egg

Garlic Powder

Pinch of Salt

SPRITE!

Mix

Step 3 – Heat your cooking oil on medium high heat, and assemble a line of flour-batter-oil. The shrimp will go the flour for dusting first, or else the batter wouldn’t stick. Then it goes to the batter, and then, BOOM, hot oil. Fry for 30 seconds on each sides until lightly golden. Don’t overcook it! shrimp will taste like rubber if left for a long time! Set them aside on paper towel to drain excess oil.

Dusting with the flour

Dunk in the batter

Hot Oil

Fry 'em several at a time, i'm going with 3

After 30 seconds, flip

Golden Brown perfection!

Step 4 – Mix together the mayonnaise, lemon juice and the condensed milk, and throw the shrimps in for a bathe of sticky-sweet-savory concoction!

Condensed Milk

Mayonnaise

Lemon Juice

Finished Product

Pour

Drizzle

Step 5 – Serve

Ah yesh!!! This dish will definitely steal the attention! Eat this with a serving of heartwarming hot white rice, with a side of your favorite vegetables!

Give this a try, and let me know the results!

Peace

xx

011 - The Fast Garlic and The Furious Shrimp (a.k.a a tribute to Paul Walker)

Anybody out there watch movies? You might saw the news recently regarding the passing of the renown star of the 'The Fast and The Furious' franchise, Paul Walker. 

It was a sad day for Hollywood. He was a good actor, and a real life good guy Greg too. He is known for his love for the environment. No wonder that the dude spent some good time in Indonesia, helping to promote reef conservation.

In the light of the sad event, I'm paying a tribute to him with a dish that is not only look tasty, but also cook real fast and tasted real furious. Recipe is a humble recreation from FoodWishes.  So here's everything you'll need:

4-6 large shrimps. Feel free to substitute with smaller variety!

3-4 cloves of large garlic.

1-1,5 tbsp of Butter. Feel free to substitute with margarine.

1 tsp of dried chili flakes.

1 tsp of parsley. Doesn't matter whether it's fresh or dried, both are awesome.

2-3 tbsp of Lemon Juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

Ready? Here we go!

First of all, always remember to get the freshest shrimp around! Fresh shrimp smells like the ocean, not fishy at all. Oh, and the head section is also attached firmly to the torso!

Step 1 - Feel free to choose your way in enjoying the shrimp. I like my shrimp for this dish to have everything except the little feet and whiskers attached. Reason? Great appearance and it help contains the flavor inside. But if you wanna strip the shells done, do as you wish.

Step 2 – Prep every ingredient. Chop your Parsley beforehand into a very fine consistency. If you’re using dried ones, skip this one.

Before: In stalk and everything

COMMENCE THE CHOPPING

YEAH, GO ON

Step 3 – Mince your garlic into fine consistency. Since I have this fancy Garlic Press, I’m gonna utilize it!

Squishy, Squishy

Scrape that baby up!

Step 4 – Heat your pan with the highest heat you can crank, and add enough oil to coat the bottom, but not much that it drowns the shrimp. Remember: oily shrimp is a sucky shrimp.

Step 5 – Please, please, please, please ensure that your shrimp are thoroughly dried before hitting the pan. There is nothing worse than oil splashing because they are so sick of the water crashing their party. After you do, put the shrimp in.

Step 6 – The bastards should cook fast. I cooked mine at around 1 minute or so. When you see the bottom side starting to change color, flip it. To ensure even cooking, i cover the shrimp right after the flip

Step 7 – Now it’s time to go nuts on the flavoring. I put my ingredient in this order:

Garlic

Chili Flakes, Salt, Pepper

Butter

Parsley

Step 8 – Finish with a squeeze of Lemon juice, and..

Step 9 – PLATE!

This dish is awesome. It's buttery, savory, tangy, all at the same time!

Hey Paul, if you’re out there, I’m dedicating this dish to you. Rest In Peace man.

Peace

xx