ASK A CHEF

Executive chef Shaun Thomson at The Ungasan and Sundays Beach Club answers your questions on how to cook the perfect seafood dish.

If you are chewing on that dry piece of salmon or rubbery prawn and wondering what on earth went wrong, be glad to know that help is here. Executive chef Shaun Thomson at The Ungasan and Sundays Beach Club in Bali answers your questions on how to cook the perfect seafood dish. Thomson is a multi-award-winning chef who draws his culinary inspiration from the fresh local produce on the island. Turns out, cooking seafood is not that complicated. You just need to learn the right way to handle them and the correct cooking techniques to bring out the best flavours.

How can I prepare (marinate and cook) the best fish kebabs at home?

ADELE TAN

I like to use fish that has a firm flesh; it could be mahi mahi or Spanish mackerel. Brine fish with a 5% salt solution, so 5g of salt to 1L of water for 10 minutes, then marinate in your favourite herbs, spices and/or oil overnight. The next day, grill them on the barbecue over medium heat on all sides, and serve with a sauce and salad.

How do I keep baked fish moist?

GOH YANLING

Try covering your fish in banana leaf or aluminium foil if you are having trouble keeping the fish moist. You can also use marinades and sauces to keep the fish as moist as possible.

I often cook shrimp but sometimes even though I’ve cooked it for a long time, the inside is still a little bit translucent. Any tips for cooking shrimp properly?

VERONICA GABRIELE WIDJAJA

Shrimp should be opaque white when cooked. Try to remove the shrimp from the stove or grill just before it is cooked because it will continue cooking with the residual heat.

There are a lot of ways to cook shrimp – boiled, grilled, fried, poached etc.

Look at the quality of the shrimp. Are the shells hard or soft? Smell the shrimp and check for slime. Sometimes it could be a better option buying frozen shrimp than fresh ones.

Look for black spots on the head first, then the body. It could be a good indicator that it’s not at peak freshness. Go down to your local seafood shop and they should point you in the right direction. I personally like to use local jumbo prawns. Butterfly, marinate, and place it on the barbecue skin side first, medium heat, then the flesh side for a few minutes.

Serve with a sauce and condiments.

What is the best temperature to grill a lobster?

MARILYN KOH

The best way is to put it on medium to high heat, 8 to 10 minutes on the grill. A tip is to let the lobster come to room temperature before placing it on the grill. Brush lobster with olive oil, then place on the grill shell side down. Do not turn the lobster over during grilling or you will lose the butter, juices and any tomalley or roe.

After 5 minutes, the shell will start to blacken. Move it to the cooler part of the grill. Pull the tails off the direct heat as soon as they are firm and white with no translucency. Serve with condiments and sauces.

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