First Recipe for 2009 - Sweet Chili Garlic Prawns

A very good friend of mine, Gani Mateos, asked how come I haven't updated my blog with new recipes. Not that I haven't been cooking but I haven't been really paying attention with what I cook. Sad to say, most of the time it's just a chore - to feed the family. Not too much heart into it.

I'm hoping to get my groove back. To start, let me share with you one of the dishes I prepared for noche buena. This was actually an impromptu dish. Kuya Jad and Mhea brought fresh prawns so we just had to find a way to cook them.

So, Gani, here's your first recipe for the year.

Sweet Chili Garlic Prawns

Ingredients
1 kg prawns (any size)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 heads of garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup butter
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of sugar
3 siling labuyo, chopped finely, remove seeds if you want.

Procedures
1. Drain prawns well. In the refrigerator or chiller to keep it fresh. At least an hour or 2 before cooking. Otherwise, this recipe will become stew with all the liquid from the prawns.
2. Use a big pan to ensure even cooking of the prawns.
3. Heat pan very well then put oil. Lower fire so as not to burn the garlic.
4. Do not brown garlic! Make sure your fire is low. We just want the garlic flavor infused with the oil. Saute for 3-5 minutes.
5. Add butter, sugar and siling labuyo. Saute/mix well so all favors come together.
6. Add prawns. Cook until all turn orange. Do not overcook. Just wait until color of ALL prawns change.
7. Season with salt and pepper.

If you don't want it too spicy, add the labuyo at the end. You can also use siling haba or the long green chili used for siningang.

I also ordered lechon from Virgilio's (046-4712844, look for Tita Baby), a recommendation of my Tita Nina Medina (aka Lola Obang). It was really good - almost like lechon Cebu! Ate Fiona did her Pakbet - Inang style - which Ate Fiona can only do. Aside from lechon, Erwin ordered Paella from Paella Express, which was ok. Not comparable to paellas of Casa Armas or Terry's but ok for the price.