Singapore's chili crab origin traced back to Palm Beach resto

Before savoring the iconic chili (or chilli - spelled with a double L in Singapore) crab at Palm Beach Seafood restaurant located very near the Merlion, I had no inkling what to expect. It was only after the event that I discovered that the restaurant we chose to eat in was where chili crab started. It is widely publicized that the owners started selling crab from a pushcart, first adding tomato sauce then chili to the mix. After some time, the Palm Beach Seafood restaurant was born in 1956.

Truth to tell, the hotel manager recommended two different restaurants, namely, Long Beach and Jumbo. We didn’t have time to research about it and simply headed to the Merlion via the MRT. The midday heat was excruciatingly uncomfortable that it was a welcome respite to find the Esplanade, Singapore’s art place. While we were there, we chanced upon a rehearsal of the Mozart opera Cosi Fan Tutte and enjoyed watching a portion of the show.

As I looked around the area, I realized that the Esplanade was an artist’s haven including the mall attached to it. When we exited at the other end, we saw the Merlion across a long bridge overlooking Marina Bay Sands.

At that point, I had tentative thoughts about crossing the bridge under the intense heat. So we stayed awhile at the mall before finally heading to lunch at Palm Beach. Our companion had previously eaten at that restaurant, so we just followed her.

My initial expectations of Singapore’s chili crab included a sweet and spicy combination, perhaps a cross between Szechuan and sweet chili sauce. I’ve also read that more modern versions of chili crab include sambal in the recipe.

The “Palm Beach Signature Chilli Crab” was not really that spicy. Rather, it was a rich, saucy mixture of tomato-based ingredients and egg. It went well with the seafood rice and was delicious in its own unique way. 

At some point, I had to return a crab claw to the kitchen because it was too big to crack with the utensils they gave. Here are other seafood dishes to try...

Hokkaido Scallops were succulent and fresh.

Honey Tangy Barramundi Fish was sweet with some contrasting flavors from crispy cuttlefish and shallots.

Golden Almond Prawn was crunchy and nutty.

Chicken paella experiment in my kitchen

It is widely known that saffron is a major ingredient in preparing Spanish paella. People often say that saffron is more expensive than gold. 

In the Philippines, the ingredient needs to be bought in specialty stores and is not widely available in groceries. Usually, one finds powdered paella flavoring by the packet. I’ve tried using the premix once and did not exactly like the taste. So this time around, I decided not to pursue that route.

Thus, I wondered if it was possible to cook paella using ordinary ingredients, without the elusive and expensive saffron. In my research, I discovered that the Philippines offers a saffron look-alike used to color dishes. They are both different species.

Kasubha (sometimes spelled Casubha) or dried safflower is a local ingredient used to give dishes, such as arroz caldo, a yellow color. Some cooks have also used kasubha as a substitute for saffron and it is supposedly milder in flavor.

However, further reading led me to turmeric that was recommended as one of the best substitutes for saffron. It just so happened that I had fresh turmeric in my pantry. So I decided to head to the grocery and get more ingredients. Eventually, I discovered that even Martha Stewart has used turmeric in making paella. 

Seasoning

The challenge was to use readily available ingredients such as the seasoning mixes from McCormick Philippines.

To start, I had five available McCormick seasoning ingredients in my pantry, namely: Spanish paprika, black pepper, Italian seasoning, rosemary, and salt.

Surprisingly, McCormick’s “Short Cut Paella Recipe” on its website actually recommended using Italian Seasoning. This idea didn’t sit well with me because using Italian herbs to flavor a Spanish dish did not sound right.

https://www.mccormick.com/recipes/main-dishes/short-cut-paella

In my kitchen, I used Spanish paprika, black pepper, and salt only. I did not use Italian seasoning and rosemary. Actually, I had fresh rosemary in my garden that I could cut anytime but I did not succumb to the temptation of over flavoring the dish.

Authentic Spanish paella uses the pimenton spice that in English translates to smoked paprika (differs from plain paprika). So when I saw McCormick's Spanish paprika, I assumed that it probably came close to the Spanish pimenton. After tasting my cooked dish, I think my deduction was correct.

Paella pan

I used a wide fry pan instead of a paellera. However, I think there are advantages to using the paellera. It is easier to cook a bigger batch of rice. Keeping the mixture at a shallow level allows for more even cooking. If you watch Spanish cooks, you will see that once the ingredients are in place, they don’t mix the rice anymore until it is cooked. Thus, it is important to have a pan that distributes heat evenly. 

I watched one of the episodes where Gordon Ramsay cooked paella at a woman’s home. It appeared that the woman was mixing the rice like a risotto. I think Spanish cooks will not agree with this cooking technique.

Ingredients

I first learned how to cook basic paella from Chef Quimson during a demo. He made it look so easy and simple. Chef Quimson, who passed away years ago, also used to sell his gourmet products at the Saturday Salcedo Market in Makati, Philippines. From what I know, his ancestry is Spanish-Filipino so perhaps I listened to the right guy.

These are the basic ingredients plus rice. Spanish paella uses a special kind of rice that is not readily available in Philippine groceries. For this experiment, we used an ordinary rice grain. If you can get a grain that holds more broth and flavor, that would be good as well.

You can just cut up a whole spring chicken or use choice cuts like thigh pieces. Also try to get the best chorizo de Bilbao that you can find as they add to the overall flavor (some Spanish cooks use pork pieces and not chorizo).

Green beans are easy to obtain in the Philippines. You will need a handful of fresh turmeric. Then prepare a head of garlic diced, half cup white onions diced, half cup red bell pepper diced, half cup green bell pepper diced, and one cup tomato diced, plus lots of olive oil (if possible), and you are ready.

Homemade chicken broth is ideal if you can make it from scratch.

Procedure

Start the pan on medium heat. Brown chicken pieces and season with salt, black pepper, and Spanish paprika.

You may also add the freshly peeled turmeric at this point to color the oil that will permeate the dish. If you want less intense color, you can just add the turmeric when adding the broth. Others use powdered turmeric that has a more intense flavor. I like using fresh turmeric because it is very fragrant and is all-natural. 

When the chicken has been browned, set aside. Cook the chorizo and green beans. 

Start sautéing the onion and garlic. Then add the red bell peppers and wait for it to sweat. Add the green bell peppers before incorporating the tomatoes. Take your time until the veggies are somewhat caramelized before adding the chicken broth.

At this point, keep the pan on low heat and add one or two cups of rice depending on the size of the pan. Keep in mind that you still need to add a lot of broth to cook the rice. 

While the rice is simmering, you can arrange the chicken pieces on top of the rice until it is cooked. As said earlier, once the ingredients have been mixed, Spanish cooks do not touch the rice until cooked. 

When the broth is added, you can also start flavoring the dish with Spanish paprika, black pepper, and salt. Taste the broth so you get the right flavors.

Cook the dish for at least 45 minutes and make sure that there is enough broth so the rice will expand to its proper size.

Let the pan rest before tasting the dish. And enjoy!

Boracay before it became famous

Many years ago, I wrote a news feature article for the Philippine Daily Inquirer about Boracay’s sustainability issues.  The story was titled “Boracay: Sun, Sea, and Need for Sustainability.”

http://www.pressreader.com/philippines/philippine-daily-inquirer/20101219/286293931176598

At the time the article was published, the beach was still very popular among tourists and the clamor for change was not yet imminent. 

Now that Boracay is officially closed for rehabilitation, it feels like a good idea to reminisce about a former era when Boracay was not yet in the news. I had the good fortune of visiting the island before it became famous. 

“Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan.” This is a Filipino proverb that simply highlights the importance of looking back to where everything began so that one may reach his future destination.

Back in the seventies, Boracay was known mostly to locals and its beachfront had not yet gained a good international reputation.

We started out on a rough two-hour trip going to the island. The ride was bumpy and uncomfortable because there were no concrete roads yet. Given the vitality of youth, it was an exciting adventure.

During our recent visit to Boracay, we rode an air-conditioned tourist bus that drove along relatively smooth roads. This was a very different experience from decades past.

When we reached the waters, a banca or small motorboat brought us to Boracay. Back then, there were no cement structures yet unlike today where an established waiting area is available for passengers.

Upon reaching the island, we only saw nipa huts. There were no hotels or restaurants yet. Even electricity was lacking. At night, we went out of the hut, sat on the beach, and used the moon as our light. It was the stuff of dreams one could ever wish for. 

Of course, the food and crabs were fresh. I remember seeing crabs the size of an old-fashioned rotary telephone (at least to a child’s eyes and imagination). The last time we visited Boracay, the crabs were still good and delicious but I don’t recall seeing the big ones.

Another memorable sight in Boracay was Puka beach where the pure white sand was powdered with puka shells while bats hovered around the surrounding cliffs. I was told that we were not supposed to keep the shells. At that time, it was just pure white sand beach, with no man-made structures or signs. In fact, we were the only ones visiting the island.

While writing this story, I wondered how Puka beach has fared over the years, if beach goers have overcome the temptation to bring home the shells. In the Philippines, many of these shells have been recreated into jewelry or lanterns that are usually sold to tourists.

As I read recent stories, I discovered that Puka beach is now described as a white sand beach with the abundance of crushed Puka shells. 

When I visited decades ago, the beach was littered with whole Puka shells (not crushed). So I guess the desire to turn the shells into personal souvenirs or sellable items was just too great.

During our last visit to the island, the beachfront appeared clean. However, certain areas were similar to a small town, with varied structures all around. Some people would call the modernity unsustainable or classify the place as overdeveloped. 

With issues about poor sewage systems and the like, it is a sad reminder of how a naturally rich Philippine environment has been exploited just because there was no adequate planning from the start. 

Let’s just hope that new changes coming up will be worth the architectural destruction currently in progress.