Dang gui, or Angelica root, is a Chinese herb that was restricted to only female-members of my family in my early childhood.  I had to sneakily ingest it by the tablespoon, and like all forbidden fruits, I grew obsessed with it. Now, even when my family reversed its stance, it still feels like an indulgence.

One of my favourite destination in Johor Bahru is Ya Wang. Because they're so close to the Singapore-Malaysia customs, I often end up there for breakfast right after crossing the border. And reallyso far, nobody had objected to tucking into a roast duck for breakfast. Their ducks are roasted and drizzled with herb-infused sauces, and taste absolutely decadent. 

Does a rose by any other name really smell as sweet? I spent most of my life with a knee jerk avoidance to assam, after one too many overly spicy experiences. Meanwhile, I took every opportunity to eat my own weight in Pad Thai, and can scuff down an entire platter of Tamarind Fried Fish at my favourite Thai restaurant, no problem. It’s from the restaurant where I’ve first heard of tamarind and fell in love with its sour-sweet notes. This (?) exotic spice is tart, and balances the richness of meat or carb-heavy dishes.  

I wasn’t exactly sure when I found out that tamarind and assam is the exact same thing, but you can bet I felt all kind of silly afterwards. I quizzed everyone in my household, and everybody know about it, other than well, me. But because everybody in my family have better things to do than to keep a blog, I guess you’re stuck with me...

This recipe is quintessentially Western, serving up a platter of roasted ribs dripping in sauce. But with the addition of tamarind, think of this like a protein laden equivalent of Pad Thai: sour and sweet, a hint of spicy undertones, and a generous scatter of crushed peanuts. 

Spicy Tamarind Pork Ribs With Scallions and Peanuts

Adapted from the New York Times

INGREDIENTS

2 racks baby back or spare ribs (about 2 1/2 pounds each)
100g +100g (1 cup total) dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cayenne
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoon salt
120g (½ cup) tamarind concentrate/purée
1 chili, stemmed and chopped
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons grated ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon lime zest (from about 2 limes)
½ cup thinly sliced scallions
¼ cup peanuts, crushed 

STEPS

Heat the oven to 150C (300F). 

In a small bowl, combine 100g brown sugar with garlic powder, cayenne, pepper and salt. Pat ribs dry with paper towels, and rub the brown sugar mix all over the ribs. Place ribs in a baking tray, and cover the top as snuggly as you can with aluminium foil. Cook for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is tender but not falling off the bone. Let cool before unwrapping (be careful of escaping steam!) 

While the ribs bake, mix tamarind concentrate/purée with 180ml water, and stir to combine. Sieve and discard the pulp and the seeds. Pour the tamarind liquid into a small saucepan and add the remaining 100g of brown sugar with chile, honey, ginger and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Set saucepan over medium-low heat and allow the liquid to simmer until thickened and slightly reduced, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, add the lime zest, season to taste with salt and allow to cool completely.

When the ribs are cooled enough to handle, cut each rack into 4- to 6-rib portions and arrange them meat-side up on a baking sheet. Brush the tops with the tamarind glaze and broil until glaze is set and caramelized in spots, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Slice into individual ribs and then brush again with any remaining glaze, if any. Transfer ribs to a serving platter. Top with crushed peanuts and scallions, if using.

Dorie Greenspan’s Lisbon Cake is, in essence, chocolate ganache over a dense chocolate cake base. It tastes incredibly luxurious and is quite something. Even after a long chill in the fridge, the chocolate ganache would remain soft and glossy; and, no matter how many times you’ve done this before, the moment when you try unmolding the cake is always filled with a sense of thrill/dread (could I have inexplicably buggered up this cake??). And then, as the cake stands upright, tall and proud, you do too. 

I used a metal cake pan with a removable bottom, one that is fast becoming my favourite-est cooking equipment. It makes unmolding cakes stupidly easy, and especially in this recipe, it’s a cinch. If you have a regular cake pan, the original recipe (link below) have steps to ensure a smooth unmolding.

Lisbon Chocolate Cake

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan‘s NYT article

Makes an 8-inch cake 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE:

115 grams unsalted butter, cubed, plus more for greasing the cake pan

30 grams unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

140 grams semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

100 grams granulated sugar

3 large eggs, chilled

FOR THE GANACHE:

300ml +120ml heavy cream

170 grams semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

FOR THE TOPPING:

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

STEPS

CAKE

Center a rack in the oven, and heat oven to 160C. Butter the sides of a cake pan (mine has a removable base) and set aside.  

Sift the cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside. 

In a saucepan set over the lowest possible heat, melt butter. When the butter is just-about melted, add chocolate and stir constantly, until the chocolate has fully melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. If worried about scorching the chocolate this way, you can intermittently remove the saucepan from the fire, or use a water bath, although I’ve never found that necessary. 

Stir in the sugar. Add the eggs one by one, mixing them in vigorously with each addition and then beating the mixture for a full minute after the last egg is added. 

Stir in the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into prepared cake pan. On the tabletop lined with a dishcloth, rap the cake pan on the tabletop to let any trapped bubbles out of the mixture.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with only a tiny streak of chocolate. Transfer to a rack and let completely cool to room temperature. Transfer to your refrigerator and chill it thoroughly. Attempting to add your chilled ganache to a warm cake is a sure way melt the ganache and undo all your hard work. So don’t cheat!

GANACHE: 

Pour 300ml cream into a small saucepan set over medium heat. Warm the cream until it almost comes to a boil, and then remove from heat and add in the chocolate. Mix well with a whisk.  

Refrigerate the ganache for about an hour, taking it out and giving it a good whisk every 10 minutes or so, until the ganache is thick enough to make tracks when you stir. 

In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining 120ml cream over high speed until it holds medium peaks. With a spatula, fold the whipped cream into the ganache. Pour the ganache over the chilled cake. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 

SERVING

Unmold the cake, and place onto a serving board. Cut using a long knife, wiping the knife between cuts. Using the finest sieve you have, dust a layer of cocoa powder over each slice. Serve immediately.  

After assembly, the cake will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. 

I have to say, the first time I did this recipe, I poured vermouth into the hot pan and the liquor erupted into flames half a metre high, almost scorching my cabinets. Although... I'm still not quite sure how it happened (was it because of wayward flames licking up the sides of the skillet?), and while I didn't manage to replicate the event again (thank goodness!), I have to say it instilled a little extra bit of wariness into me whenever I add liquor to a hot pan from now on. 

Aside from the 20/20 hindsight of a haphazard cook, I have to say that this dish is one that you can whip up with minimal prep on a weekday dinner, and tastes incredibly luxurious. Continuing my trend of one-potting my meals, this is simple to do, and the resulting pasta far outpaces the effort it entails.  

Garlic Butter Prawn (Shrimp Scampi) Pasta Recipe   
Original Recipe from Serious Eats
Makes 3-4 servings

Despite the above picture, my favourite pasta to go along with this dish happens to be penne. Cook to al dente, then toss in the pan with shrimp and sauce, adding a little pasta-cooking water to bind it all together.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound (450g) large shrimp, deshelled and veins removed
  1/2 tsp salt
  1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  3+1 tablespoons (45+ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  4 teaspoons (16g) minced garlic (about 4 medium cloves)
  A large pinch of red pepper flakes
  1/2 cup (120ml) dry vermouth
  3 tablespoons (45g) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
  1 tablespoon (15ml) fresh juice 
• 1 teaspoon (4g) grated zest from 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoons (8g) minced parsley, tarragon, and chives
• 300g dried pasta