Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what's for lunch.

For those of you who have not cross the ocean to the tropics, maybe Malaysia or Singapore, let me bring it to you, in food form.
Savouring the culinary delights of the region....the chilli crab.

Purple crab

But first, there are more than 4000 species of crabs, and only recently, a new species of crab was discovered, in the Philippines Island of Palawan, the purple crab.
As it'll take me 6 years and 3 months to mention or write down all 4001 species of crabs, I'll just name the few popular delights craved by people all over.

 Ooops!

1/ One of the most popular to entertain your tummy as well your loved ones is the Alaskan King crab.

Alaska King crab.

Alaskan King Crab, also known as, "stone crab" are the biggest and most sought after crustacean in the world. Bring your credit card when buying this. King Crab are popular for their huge legs that are graciously loaded with meat and their large, tasty, and meaty claws.

Their preferred habitat is in the coldest waters in the world. King Crab is caught chiefly by commercial fisherman in various areas in the Pacific Ocean near Alaska...Bristol Bay, Norton Sound, St. Matthew Island and Pribilof Island's and the Kodiak Islands.

2/ The blue crab is so named because of its sapphire-tinted claws. Its shell, or carapace, is actually a mottled brownish color, and mature females have red highlights on the tips of their pincers.

Prized by humans for their sweet, tender meat, these wide-ranging, ten-legged crustaceans are among the most heavily harvested creatures on the planet.
Their scientific name, Callinectes sapidus, means "savory beautiful swimmer."

Blue crabs are found in brackish coastal lagoons and estuaries from Nova Scotia, through the Gulf of Mexico, and as far south as Uruguay. Close relatives of the shrimp and lobster, these bottom-dwelling omnivores have a prickly disposition and are quick to use their sharp front pincers. Large males can reach 9 inches (23 centimeters) in shell width.

3/ King Crab: This giant crab is also often called "Alaskan King crab," "Japanese crab," and "Russian crab" due to its size, which can reach up to 25 pounds and measure up to 10 feet. It may be large, but only about one-fourth is edible, primarily the legs and claws. Only males are harvested. The delicately-flavored meat is snowy white with a bright red outer edge.

4/ Stone Crab: it is also called "moro" or "morro" crab. It has large, very hard claws that are prized for their meat. Most of the harvest comes from Florida, US, where it is a prized delicacy harvested from October 15 to May 15.

Only the claws are eaten, so fishermen twist off one claw from crabs and toss them back to grow a new one. Crabs will regenerate their claws within 18 months. They are left with one claw to defend themselves.

5/ The Dungeness crab is a highly prized sport and commercial shellfish well familiar to people living along North America's west coast.

This crab is one of the 35 true crabs living in Canada's Pacific waters. Its scientific name, Cancer magister, means "chief crab." Its common name, Dungeness, was inspired by the name of a fishing port near Puget Sound, Washington.

6/ European or German hairy crabs. Hairy crabs that once originated in China and went on to infest German waters are now returning to the mainland as edible delicacies.
Also known as Shanghai hairy crab, the Chinese mitten crab has been slowly disappearing in polluted Chinese waters, although they are still caught domestically and sold.

By contrast, the crabs are thriving in Europe, where they were introduced by traders during the Opium Wars. In Germany, the crabs are regarded as a menace and had been blamed for hunting local species and causing 80 million euros (HK$828 million) worth of damage to dams in 2012.

There's also the following crabs, ......but Confucius, he say, 'one picture tells thousand words'....so, you think, while I cook chilli crabs for you.

 Sheep crab

 Snow crab

Horseshoe crab

And......

Walking his dinner home......

Chilli Crab
2 large crabs
3 cloves garlic
1 small onion
2 tbsp chilli paste
100 mls canola oil
1/2 bowl tomato ketchup
1 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
150 mls water
2  red chillies
3 bird eyes chillies ( optional )
1 tbsp cornflour  + 2 tbsp water
1 large egg, lightly beaten
chopped coriander leaves

My homemade chilli paste. Soak dried chillies in hot water until soft, discard the seed. Blend until very fine, add a little water and cook until boil for 5 mins. Keep stirring to prevent burn, cool completely and store in container and chill in fridge. Can use for any type of curry and  spicy cooking.

The battle is about to start.

Seasoning for crab
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp rum
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp sugar

Note: If you're afraid to handle live crab, you can put them in the freezer for 30 mins or until they have gone to sleep.

1/  Flip the crab over ( hard shell below ) on the chopping board. Use a tongs to hold the live crab and use a cleaver to removed the 2 large pincer claws. Be careful with your fingers, once he grabs a hold of you, he won't let go without a fight. 
2/  Stick your finger in the hole where the mouthpieces were and lift the crab body away from the shell (carapace.) Toss the carapace or save the carapace and clean out the entrails.
3/  Remove the flap away from the crab's belly and discard the grayish, pointy-shaped things on either side of the crab body. 

Kung fu fighting

4/ Remove any foam, entrails and  the internal organs
5/ Cut crab in half through body, then cut into two halves.
6/ Crack the claws with a mallet to allow the flavors to penetrate.

After the battle

7/  Season the crab with seasoning and keep aside for about 2 hours.
8/  Chopped the onion coarsely and mince the garlic.
9/  Removed the chilli seed and slice thinly.

10/ Combined  the 150mls water with tomato ketchup, vinegar, salt, sugar, red chillies and bird eyes chillies. Mixed well.

Fine! I'll just go....

11/ Steamed the crabs on high heat for 10 mins.

12/ Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat.
13/ Add the onion and garlic, fry until golden brown. Add the chilli paste and fry for 5 minutes.

14/ Add  the tomato puree mixture from step 10, cook the mixture in medium low heat until boil. Adjust the taste to your preference.

15/  Add the beaten egg and stir till well mix. Toss in the crab and simmer for 10 mins. Add corn flour mixture and mix well.

16/ Remove from heat, garnish with coriander leaves and serve immediately.

Hey, buddy....till we meet again.

This dish is sweet, spicy and savoury.

The main trick of cooking delicious chilli crab is in it's gravy.

You can eat this dish with bread or french loaf.

If you love shellfish, you going to love this.

After lunch.......

Let's have some appetizer.

Refreshing and appetizing.....

Papaya Salad
1 ripe papaya
1 small bunch of coriander leaves
1 red chillies
1/4 in ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp lime juice

Papaya tree

Just smelling the wonderful fragrant scent of he cinnamon can boost brain activity.

1/  Wash the papaya, peel of the skin. Cut into halve and scoop out the seed. Cut into bite size.
2/  Cut the coriander leaves.
3/  Slice the ginger thinly.
4/  Mixed all the ingredients together and chill in fridge till ready to serve.

After lunch......enjoy!

Unforgettable tangy sauce....

I'm glad it's not me in the pot. Enjoy the crabs and have a nice day.

Some people call it "French toast...!"

The popular history behind French toast (aka German toast, American toast, Spanish toast) is that it was was created by medieval European cooks who needed to use every bit of food they could find to feed their families. They knew old, stale bread (French term *pain perdu* literally means *lost bread*) could be revived when moistened and heated.

Cooks would have added eggs for additional moisture and protein. Medieval recipes for "french toast" also suggest this meal was enjoyed by the wealthy. Cook books at this time were written by and for the wealthy.

These recipes used white bread (the very finest, most expensive bread available at the time) with the crusts cut off, something a poor, hungry person would be unlikely to do.

French can can dancer. I don't mean this one........

French Toast with caramelized banana

Actually recipes for "French toast" can be traced to Ancient Roman times.

French toast with caramelized banana
4 slices of bread
2 large eggs
1/4 cup whip cream
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1 tablespoon castor sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest - grated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons butter

For Caramelizeds
1/2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 bananas, slice into 2 pieces

French Toast Batter
1/  Combine eggs, whip cream, sugar, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl and whisk together.
2/  Cut each slice of bread into 2 pieces. Dip each bread slice into batter allowing to soak for about 30 seconds.
3/  Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

4/  Add 2 bread slices and grill slightly until egg mixture is sealed to bread, approximately 30 seconds each side. Dip the bread back in egg mixture, coating each side.
5/  Place the bread back in skillet and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
6/  Repeat with remaining slices.

Fancy breakfast. Picture compliments from a friend.

Caramelized Bananas
1/  Combine 1/2 tablespoons butter and brown sugar in a non stick pan over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and bubbles.
2/  Add lemon juice using low heat, simmering until mixture thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes.

3/  Add bananas and cook until glazed and caramelized, about 1 minute.
4/  Serve the caramelized banana with the french toast.

Caramelized bananas

French toast with caramelized bananas

ORIGIN OF BREAD

12,000 years ago, primitive people made flat breads by mixing flour and water and placing these "cakes" in the sun to bake. Later, bread was baked on heated rocks or in the hot ashes of a fire.

It was the Egyptians who are credited with using a 'starter' of wild yeast from the air that was kept and mixed with other dough and baked to create a leavened product. Legend has it that a slave in a royal Egyptian household forgot about some dough he had set aside. When he returned, it had doubled in size. Trying to hide the mistake, the dough was punched down furiously and baked. The result was a lighter bread than anyone had ever tasted.

Ontario, Canada wheat fields

Ontario wheat is grown by over 17,000 producers on one of the most diverse wheat growing landscapes in the world. Over our 100 year history of commercial wheat production in Canada, Ontario has evolved to become the highest quality soft wheat region in North America.

Canadian wheat field

Over the last ten years, Ontario wheat has experienced a transformation from a predominantly rotational crop to one of importance in producers’ commercial crop planning. This has created the annual export availability of upwards of one million tonnes of one of Canada’s best kept secrets - Ontario wheat.

The wheat we buy comes from Canada.

 Grain mill for grinding homemade flour. Pictures compliments from my buddy in KC.

Wheat from KC, USA

Homemade flour

Canadian Cheese Bread

2 tsp sugar
400 ml water, warm
1 envelope (8 g) active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp/11 mL)
70 ml oil
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 large egg, beaten ( Reserved some for egg wash )
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
540gm  ( 4 cups ) bread flour 
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded ( Divide into 4 equal part )

Topping:
Shredded cheddar cheese
Mozzarella cheese

Cheese, yeast and Tabasco sauce

1/  Dissolve sugar in warm water in large bowl. Sprinkle in yeast. Let stand 10 minutes, then stir well.
2/  Beat in oil, salt, Tabasco and egg until smoothly blended. Add Parmesan cheese.
3/  Stir in 2 cups bread flour, mix well. Add the balance flour until mixture becomes too stiff to stir and cleans sides of bowl. Turn out onto lightly floured board.

4/  Knead dough, adding more flour as necessary to make a soft dough. If too dry add a little water. Continue kneading until dough is smooth, elastic and no longer sticky (about 10 minutes).

You can use bread maker to knead the dough using 'dough function' and continue with step 7 to 14.

5/  Place in lightly greased bowl. Turn dough to grease top. Cover with greased waxed paper or tea towel. 6/  Let it rise in warm place until doubled (45 minutes).

7/  Punch down. Turn out onto lightly floured board, divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Rest 10 mins. Roll out one portion of the dough into rectangular shape about 1/2 inch thick, spread 1 part of the cheddar cheese on top the roll out dough.

8/ Fold into three, bring down one third of the dough from the top towards the centre.

9/  Make a half turn so that the open edges on both ends face you and the first fold is at your right. Rest 10 mins, roll out and spread the second part cheddar cheese. Repeat the folding in step 8 and 9. Rest 10 mins.

10/  Roll out into a rectangular shape about 1/2 inch thick and roll like swiss roll. Put in a well greased pan.
Note: Grease pan very well with butter as cheese tends to stick when it melts.

Psssttt.. have you any cheese?

11/  Brush with egg wash and sprinkle cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese.

12/  Bake at 190 deg c for 35 to 40 mins.

13/  Remove the bread from the loaf pan and cool on wire rack.

My fluffy Canadian Cheese bread now ready.......

 Imported designer slipper

14/ For checking done-ness of the bread using the old reliable thump test. This method has been used since goodness knows when, definitely since before ready access to probe thermometers. Using oven mitts or pot holders, take the loaf out of the oven and hold it top side down. With the bottom side up and using your index and middle fingers, firmly tap the loaf. If the resulting thud sounds like tapping on a hollow tree, then the bread is done.

Soft and fluffy bread,  I used this bread for French toast.

In case your toaster not working.....

QUICK NOTE:
1/  To make mini Cheese Loaves: Prepare as above, dividing dough into 6 portions.
2/  Shape and bake in 5" x 2 1/2" x 2" loaf pans. Reduce rising and baking time by approximately 10 minutes.
3/  Mix in 250 g cooked and chopped bacon or ham with the cheese.
4/  Add chopped green onions if desired.

For extra crispy crust, sprinkle generous amount of topping cheese.

Have a nice day, Cheers!