Crabby!

Spicy Crab And Coconut Spaghetti

Days are getting short...I wish I could hang on to Summer a bit longer. I miss being in Japan..but the reality of that,  I have to tackle my lengthy ‘to do’ lists …no moping is allowed…one on the list - up the blog post, I must!
Relic of Summer…Spontaneous sun flower still blooming in our back yard.

When I came across this crab and coconut spaghetti recipe which is now a crumpled newspaper clipping, no way they go together. The deciding factor is that this is not a complicated dish, also coincidentally I only have to get coconut milk, everything else is in my p-o-w-e-r! (pantry)! And I love new challenges (recipes).

Ingredients and Instruction for 4-6 servings (Print Recipe Here)

• 1 pound spaghetti.
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or chopped
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes, less or more depending on your heat tolerance.
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 pound crabmeat
• 1/3 cup coconut milk  Note: I add closer to 1/2 cup
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
• 1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
• Freshly ground back pepper
• Grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta until almost al dente in a large pot of salted boiling water. How to cook pasta fast – break pasta to fit in a large frying pan (see the photo above), add cold water to cover the pasta, cook uncovered. 
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a large frying pan over medium heat, combine olive oil, garlic, chili flakes and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is soft but not browned.
   
3. Pour wine in and cook until reduced by half at medium–high heat.
4. Drain pasta reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Add pasta to sauce, crab, coconut milk and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water. Simmer gently, stirring for 1-2 minutes. Note: Add more reserved water if you feel pasta is dry.
5. Remove pan from heat and stir in the lemon juice, basil and parsley. Seasoned with pepper and sprinkle with the cheese.

Other good eats -

Food tastes better in bento form…and it’s fun!Today’s menu – chicken and tofu croquets, kimpira gobo, Japanese style omelet. On top of rice balls, I put Midas touch with gold bits I bought at Kanazawa city - 98% of gold production in Japan.

My husband’s B-day last week – I made a strawberry shortcake.

One of his ‘honey-do’ list - harvesting the last of the crop – Asian pears- small but tasty!

This was a very interesting experience (in Karuizawa)…Those tiny fishes exfoliate your legs…ticklish…strange… and a bit gross.