Perfection in a Plate

Dish: Shrimp Scampi
Venue: Doc's Grill

I'm a pasta lover. There was a week when I ate nothing else but pasta for every meal, every single day. So it was no surprise when I went to restaurant I'd never been in before, which was famous for its steak, and ordered pasta.

The menu contained about 10 pasta selections, but my intolerance for parmesan narrowed my choice to the Shrimp Scampi. It was the safest thing on the menu that wasn't soaked in marinara sauce or served with parmesan shavings.

My meal arrived in a large white plate, ready to be devoured. The shrimps were tossed with sun-dried tomatoes in creamy white wine garlic butter sauce, served atop a bed of fettuccine and garnished with green onions and grated mozzarella. 

It was absolute perfection. The shrimps were juicy and succulent, the sun-dried tomatoes added a sweet tang to the meal and the cheese melted into the sauce, infusing the warm buttery liquid with cheesy delight. 

To clarify things here, I may be a pasta fan but I don't go around praising every pasta I feast on. This one was different because it was the best Shrimp Scampi I'd ever tasted. It overruled every other shrimp pasta I'd had. 

Until this day, whenever I think of Doc's Grill, I think of the Shrimp Scampi bathed in creamy white sauce, with flecks of green and red among the yellow noodles, and I know it's perfection in a plate.

Photographed and written by Carissa Gan.

Know of a good restaurant that serves the best pastas? Share your stories with us at tastytemptationz11@gmail.com! :)

From The Kitchen: Fishfully Yours

Dish: Pan fried pink salmon

Cost: < £10

It's like fast food... with more nutrition.

Ingredients: 

• 2 pieces of fresh salmon belly
• Ready to bake frozen fries/wedges
• Fresh lettuce and round tomatoes

Pan fried salmon:

1. Season lightly with salt and coarse black pepper on both sides.

2. Heat pan up with oil. When pipping hot, gently place salmon into pan and fry for 4-5 minutes on each side. (Trick for a crispy salmon skin - do not turn and re-fry same side).

3. Place onto plate and serve with baked fries/wedges (baked according to instructions on packet).

4. Place fresh lettuce and tomatoes on the side.

Enjoy this romantic meal for two with a glass of white wine.

Photographed by Timothy Ho and written by Vivian Kuan.
Image-edited by Carissa Gan.

From The Kitchen: Chicken & Mash

Dish: Pan-fried seasoned chicken fillet mounted on sauteed asparagus and mashed potatoes.
Preparation Cost: £10-ish

This entree serves two people. Feel free to tweak the recipe according to your preference.

Ingredients:

• 2 whole pieces of chicken breast
• 2 large potatoes
• 1 packet of asparagus
• 3 white closed-cup mushrooms
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons butter
• Garlic
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• Salt
• Coarse black pepper
• Fine white pepper

Potatoes:

1. Remove the potato skins and dice them up.

2. Place in boiling pot of water and boil on high heat until soft for mashing.

3. Drain water and mash the potatoes while adding half a cup of milk. Fold in 3 tablespoons of butter.

4. Add salt and pepper to season.

5. Place neatly in center of plate.

Sauteed Asparagus and Mushroom: 

1. Chop up garlic and dice mushrooms.

2. Heat pan with olive oil. Fry chopped garlic until fragrant and golden brown.

3. Throw in diced mushrooms. Fry with a a tablespoon of oyster sauce, a pinch of salt and coarse black pepper.

4. Fry for about a minute and throw in asparagus.

5. Pan fry for 2 minutes. 

6. Place them gently on mash evenly as base for the chicken.

Chicken:

1. Slice both chicken breasts in half. Season the 4 pieces of breast evenly with salt, fine white pepper, coarse black pepper, BBQ grind, garlic granules.

2. Heat pan up with oil. When pipping hot, gently place the fillet into pan and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side. (Total of 6-8 minutes per fillet)

3. Remove from pan and place on top of sauteed asparagus and mushrooms.

The preparation of this meal for two is really not rocket science. It's easy and towering with goodness, especially when shared with a loved one.


Photographed by Timothy Ho and written by Vivian Kuan.
Image edited by Carissa Gan.






digitally enhanced by Carissa Gan.

From The Kitchen: Spaghetti Bolognese with a Twist

Dish: Spaghetti bolognese with a twist

Cost of preparation: £3 - £4

No, it's not your conventional spaghetti bolognese because this spaghetti is twisted in sausages! Kids will be sure to enjoy it. And we're all kids at heart, aren't we? :)

Ingredients:

• 200g minced beef
• 1 bottle bolognese sauce
• 1 packet spaghetti pasta
• 6 cherry tomatoes
• 4 long sausages
• Oregano
• Cheddar/parmesan cheese
• BBQ grind 
• Salt 
• Pepper
• Garlic granules

Pasta preparation:

1. Slice the sausages diagonally so the surface of the sliced sausage is larger.

1. Twist about five sticks of spaghetti into a slice.

3. When complete, place them all in a pot of boiling water. Boil according to the instructions on your pasta package.

4. Remove from pot and place on plates.

Bolognese sauce:

1. Season minced beef with salt, pepper, garlic granules and some BBQ grind.

1. Chop some garlic and onions.

2. Heat pan up with oil and fry chopped garlic and onions until fragrant. 

3. Throw in the seasoned beef and fry until beef turns pale brown.

4. Empty the bottle of bolognese sauce into pan and stir well. Add salt and pepper according to preference.

5. Throw in the cherry tomatoes and fry for another two minutes.

6. Remove from pan and place on the cooked spaghetti.

Finishing touch: 
Sprinkle some oregano and garnish with cheese while still hot. (You can use shredded cheddar or parmesan or both!)

It's easy, it's fun, and it's delicious! Do try it and leave a comment below if you liked it.

Photographed by Timothy Ho and written by Vivian Kuan.

Images edited by Carissa Gan.

The Birthday Pavlova

Dessert: Pavlova

Location: Serai
Price: RM 14.80

I celebrated my birthday at Serai, an elegant Malaysian-Indonesian restaurant tucked into the flamboyant strip of restaurants at the Empire Shopping Gallery.

The beautiful pavlova arrived on a large white ceramic plate. The plate, carefully cradled by the fingers of a waiter, was slowly lowered onto the table as the rest of the restaurant crew sang "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" beside me.

Orange flames danced feebly on the wicks, but quickly vanished in one quick breath.

Forking the pavlova, the meringue crust crumbled away to reveal a soft, spongy texture. Strawberries and berries perched on a bed of fresh cream, waiting to be savored.

The sweetness of the cream overwhelmed the mild sour tang of the strawberries.

Pavlovas were named after a Russian ballet dancer, Anna Pavlova. The light, airy texture of this delicious dessert resembled the ballerina's style - delicate and smooth.

It was love at first bite.

Photographed and written by Carissa Gan.

From The Kitchen: Dinner for Two

Dish: Steak with sauteed baby asparagus, mushrooms and mashed potatoes on the side.

Cost of preparation: £10-ish

The perfect dates are those that involve plenty of passion and enthusiasm. Now, if you could channel passion and enthusiasm into cooking a fancy meal for your loved one, you don't have to worry about burning a hole in your pocket for a dinner-for-two at that ostentatious steakhouse downtown.

Steak doesn't have to be expensive, if you follow these simple steps!

Ingredients:

• 2 sirloin steak
• 200g baby asparagus
• 4 medium-sized white mushrooms
• 2 large potatoes
• milk
• salt
• fine white pepper
• coarse black pepper
• BBQ seasoning
• garlic granules
• paprika powder
• fresh parsley
• fresh garlic

*Remember, cooking is fun when you're spontaneous, so adjust the ingredients according to your taste. 

Seasoned sirloin steak

Medium rare Sirlion Steak

1. Season the steak with half a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of fine white papper, coarse black pepper, garlic granules, BBQ seasoning, and paprika.

2. Repeat the same on the other side.

3. Heat the pan with oil. When piping hot, gently place the steak into the pan.

4. Reduce the heat. Maintain low heat (number 3 or 4).

5. Pan fry the steak for 2-3 minutes (for medium rare) - adjust duration according to preference of how you want your steak.

6. Flip the steak over and pan fry for another 2-3 minutes.

7. Serve on plates.

8. Top off your dish with fresh parsley leaves.

Washed parsley

Mashed potatoes

1. Skin and dice the potatoes. Toss them into boiling water.

2. Allow them to cook and soften. (You can carry on preparing the beef and asparagus while waiting)

3. When soft, drain the water and mash the potatoes with a fork/spoon until soft.

5 A teaspoon of fine white pepper.

6. 3-4 table spoons of milk. (Be careful not to exceed as it will make your mash potatoes too mushy)

7. Add a teaspoon of paprika (optional).

8. Serve on two plates.

Baby asparagus and mushrooms

1. Wash the asparagus and mushrooms.

2. Cut the asparagus into three parts.

3. Dice the mushrooms into cubes.

4. Chop 2 cloves of garlic.

5. Heat the pan with oil and stir fry the garlic until fragrant and golden. 

6. Add in the asparagus and mushrooms.

7. Throw in a teaspoon of coarse black pepper, garlic granules and paprika.

8. Add a tablespoon of vegetable stir fry sauce (I used Lee Kum Kee oyster sauce)

9. Stir fry for 7-8 minutes and serve on two plates.

Cooking the perfect steak can be tough. Practice makes perfect! 

Good luck!

Photographed by Timothy Ho and written by Vivian Kuan.