A Tale of Two Cities (Semarang, Pontianak)

I love crustaceans! they look like mini monsters and whatever their colors are, they turn orange in the frying pan! love them even more :)

Last Thursday, I went to Semarang on assignment, with Ramdani. Like my previous trip in December, it only last less than 24 hr. but i could enjoy every moment of it. after photoshoot, off we went to Pesta Keboen. this is a restaurant that cherishes everything from the past. if listening to Green Green Grass of Home can transport me back to the 50s, then entering this restaurant really made me feel visiting Fred Astaire's home. First the wooden horses and the iron tricycle. then i had to put off my invisible hat and mantle, letting the invisible waiter hang it before leading me to my table. "Mister Astaire will be here, soon," he assured me.

Soon a real waiter brought us this delicacy. it looked really inviting. a group of prawn, shiny, oily, orangey. the smell of cut kaffir lemon (jeruk purut) leaves filled my nostril. what an aroma! these were the juiciest prawn i've ever tasted. fried freshly, i guess. the shells were soft and crunchy that i left onlt some unchewed! just forget about Mister Astaire, I said, munching.

the magic itself lies in the spices: sauted garlic, paprika, chilli pepper, onion. very delicious!

Two days later on Saturday and Sunday, I visited Mi n Pi in Pontianak. The first time i went there, it was 10 yrs ago. This was my second time. it was a grateful moment for me to witness Mi getting stronger and better. They had prepared a surprise for me. "In the bucket, son!" said Pi. 

My breakfast! i scrubbed them clean but MI said nay when i was about to cut them into halves. Mi prepared her magic formula: lots of garlic and some sauce. in 7 minutes, the crabs turn into very appealing shade of orange. lovely! and yummy too!

 

the meat: juicy and tender. it had eggs too! cooking them whole preserved their meat's juice. so when i cracked open them, i found the tasty golden liquid. yummmy!