Sunday In Bali

After weeks of crunching numbers for my business plan, I finally gave myself a break. Why not go to Bali? May not be physically there but in culinary spirit. I missed seafood especially a delicious squid dish. I just love this Balinese recipe. Very island feel or shall we say taste. Be generous with the white pepper and make it more liquid rather than dry like the photo.

Ingredients:
600 gm baby squid
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/3 teaspoon fresh white pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon oil
5 shallots, peeled and sliced
2 large red chillies
1/2 cup spice paste for seafood
1 cup chicken stock or chicken granule with water
5 sprigs lemon basil, sliced
fried shallots and sprigs of lemon basil to garnish

Operation Manual:
Remove skin of squid and pull out the tentacles and head. Cutt off and discard the head and beaky portion, but reserve the tentacles, if preffered. Clean the squid thorougly. Make sure you got rid off the black ink sack. Marinate squid with lime juice, pepper and salt.
Heat oil in wok, add shallots, chillies and squid and saute for 2 minutes over high heat. Add seafood spice paste and continue to saute for 1 more minute. Pour in chicken stock, add the sliced basil and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Season to taste and garnish with sprigs of lemon basil, fried shallots and serve with coconut rice.

Spice Paste for Seafood:
10 large red chillies, seeded and chopped
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
15 shallots, peeled and chopped
10 cm ginger, peeled and chopped
10 cm fresh tumeric, peeled and chopped
1 medium-sized tomato
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
10 candlenuts
1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste
4 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons tamarind pulp
2 salam leaves
2 stalks lemon grass

Process all ingredients, except oil, tamarind pulp, salam leaves and lemon grass, until coarsely ground. Heat oil, add all ingredients and cook over moderate heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently until golden. Cool before using. Can be stored in fridge in an air tight plastic container.