Crispy Prawn Tempura

Dear Mom,

When asked what I would like to have for lunch, the image of crispy hot tempura sprung to mind. I already made this before after researching several recipes from the internet which I modified according to our Filipino tastes. But this batch I made today also surprised me, they're better than the first one. I could not even count how many times Arns uttered "Ang sarap ah!" in between mouthfuls. He asked me whether I made any changes to the original recipe, I told him 'no' and that maybe I just got it right this time. Here's a photo of the first batch:

And here's today's batch:

I thought of adding sliced cucumbers as garnish but the cucumbers were all consumed several days before. I'm too lazy to go out and buy some, plus my teeth can't wait to sink into those golden, crispy, succulent nuggets! Bon appetit!

Love,
Roni


Ingredients:
500g fresh prawns, shelled and heads removed but tails left intact
sugar, pepper, salt (measure according to your taste)
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp oil
oil for deep frying, about 1 quart
breadcrumbs (I used Hearty Seasoned Breadcrumbs with parmesan)

Procedure:
Marinate prawns in sugar, pepper and salt for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Heat oil for deep frying.
In a bowl, add baking powder to flour then sift. Make a well in the center, put 1 tbsp oil first and then water. Mix to a smooth batter. Season with salt.
Dip marinated prawn in batter, roll it on breadcrumbs then deep fry.
Serve with sweet chilli sauce for dipping.

Adobong Pusit (Fricasseed Squid)

Dear Mom,

Arns bought fresh squid from the fish market at my request. It's been a while since we last had adobong pusit. Arns is very particular when it comes to cleaning this cephalopod. Before, I thought you only have to remove the skeleton and the beak but Arns painstakingly removes the sac that contains the ink, the transparent skeleton, beak and the slimy membrane that covers the squid's mantle. He wouldn't eat it any other way. I do not remember seeing scallions in our adobong pusit and we only used plain soy sauce, but Arns' version with scallions and oyster sauce is easier and more flavorful.

Love,
Roni

Ingredients:
500g fresh squid
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 large yellow or red onion, sliced
1/3 cup scallion, chopped, halved
1/4 cup ginger, sliced
1/4 cup oyster sauce
2 tbsp oil
salt & pepper to taste
2 -3 pcs green chilli, sliced (optional)

Procedure:
Clean and slice squid crosswise into 1 inch pieces. Set aside.
Heat oil in a pan. Saute garlic, onion, chilli, then ginger. When ginger becomes fragrant, add squid. Saute until the meat becomes opaque (be careful not to overcook). Add half the scallions. Stir in oyster sauce. You can adjust the amount depending on how saucy you want it. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for a few more minutes. When done, remove from heat and top with remaining scallions.

In the bud

Dear Mom,

Thanks for the Maggi Magic Sarap you sent me. Did you ever imagine that someday your unica hija will finally learn to cook? Well, she did! The result of being away from home for 6 years.

Growing up, no one ever really pushed me to work in the kitchen. In our house, men rule the kitchen, women are just good for washing dishes... and scrubbing pots. Dad and Kuya Vener are adventurous and innovators, Kuya Volts is ingenious and Kuya Vince is... well, let's just say he's a better cook than me. I was ashamed to tell anyone that I only learned to cook rice at the age of 12 (we didn't have a rice cooker then), and fried my first egg a little later after that.

I wish I had written to you all about my journey into the culinary world from the start - all cuts, burns and clothes stains included, so I can feel more proud of my achievement.

Hey, I got 2 new recipes to try - one for Gnocchi and the other is Pad Thai which I can't get enough of at the moment. It's a very tasty noodle dish with chicken and prawns. Arns is already making a list of the dishes he wants me to cook on our next vacation. Till then!

Love,
Roni