Chicks & Ducks & All my Choir Buddies (to tune of 'The surrey with the fringe on top')

Tonight we had a gathering for some really good friends from the Choir, and well we had a really good time chatting and eating...Hiyah...Really sad to say goodbye leh... But it has been great knowing all of you over the past 2 years. Thanks for providing me with the essentials and don't worry I won't change the 'peach' shirt... You guys really did put effort into picking it out... And thanks Shu Hui...I will use your providence wisely :)

So when it comes to BBQs I usually can single handedly perpare and cook everything...however an area I usually neglect is the fire starting and Joey was giving me a lesson on Arson 101... Ok so just to review what we had for dinner...

- Chicken Wings
- Chicken Breast Fillet
- Grilled Egg Plants
- Garlic Bread
- Garlic pasta with sundried tomato sauce (from the bottle)
- Grilled Veges
- Potato Salad
- Duck with Hua Jiao and Black Pepper
- Dory
- Whole Tuna
- Salad
- Nam Prik Phao (the chili I made)

Hmm..come to think of it..we did have ALOT of food

Ok I shall share about the 4 most popular dishes, the marinade for the wings, garlic butter, potato salad and the chili

Wings

The chicken wings.. well has a really sad story behind it and I only make on occasions when I have friends over...I ll never make it for my own consumption... My grandfather used to fry chicken wings for me and my brother whenever we visited him on the weekends and it was the most memoriable thing about him because he would always take time to prepare it and it was something he cooked solely for my Brother and I...When he died...I remembered saying to myself that I would never have him cook it for me again...So whenever I prepare the marinade, I remember him. He put all his heart into it and I do the same for my friends..so there you go guys...I know it was a little salty but it was something done whole-heartedly...

There's no fixed quantity to the ingredients, however it is important to remember that 'balance' is the key word to it. Don't let any ingredient overpower the marinade, however for this marinade ginger has to have a greater role... I shall leave out 3 ingredients and well keep it secret...because I will personally duplicate it for friends, but this one works pretty well too

- Soya Sauce
- Black Sauce (this acts as a colouring agent, and shows how well marinated the chicken is...its probably has little effect on the taste)
- Young Ginger Juice
- White Pepper
- Hua Tiao Jiu
- Sesame Oil
- 5 spice
- cornstarch (this tenderises the meat however if you add too much it was give the meat a floury texture)
salt
- Pince of salt and sugar

Simple right...but its ultra delicious....

Potato Salad

Use only the following ingredients

- Red skinned young potatoes (nothing else should be used)
- "Best" mayonaise
- toasted blackpepper (read about this in the 'garlic butter' write-up)
- lemon juice
- olive oil
- salt

whats important here is the texture...The potatoes are cooked and MUST be cooled before making the salad... they must be cut into small pieces...I cut a potato in half, then sliced it lon its breadth about 7-8 slices, and I cut it in half and then slice it 4-5 times lengthwise. Honestly it may be troublesome but it makes a difference... ok first put the Mayo, pepper, salt and juice together and mix well, add the potatos one at a time mixing well after each new potato is added (this ensures an even distribution), just after the mixture stiffens...drizzle olive oil and mix it...it should be smooth...

Prik

Prik is thai for chili... this is actually a thai style roasted chili paste.. I didnt have any fish sauce however soya sauce is a good substitute.

- Oil for frying
- 3 parts Chopped garlic
- 3 parts Chopped shallots
- 3 parts roughly chopped Dried thai (birds eye) red chilies
- 1 part belahchan
- 1/2 - 1 part fish sauce/soya sauce
- 1/2 part sugar

first follow the order it is important

- fry garlic and shallots till golden brown (like the crispy shallots on porriage)
- Clean up the oil..leftover residue will burn and affect the chili
- fry the chili till golden brown
- pound everything with belahchan till it becomes a paste...use leftover oil to work it into the paste
- fry everything over a low flame with sauce and sugar until a ring of oil forms around the chili...its done....remember to use back the same oil from the garlic and shallots to fry chili..this helps to harmonise the flavours

Garlic Butter

the easiest of the lot..

- toast black peppercorns till the pan smokes and a sweet aroma comes out from the peppers...use only the round corns...crushed or powdered pepper can never work...
- Ground pepper with garlic and a pince of salt...
- Beat mixture into a cake of soft butter (SCS Butter only)

thats it... I believe everyone can vouch that these are tried..tested.. and have been given the stamp of approval... Don't panic Adeline...at least you know how to make the garlic butter now woo hoo!!!