The star attraction of the evening after a good thirty minutes' pining was our all time favourite - Mellben's Claypot Crab Bee Hoon Soup. In fact I was mentally rehearsing how to tuck into the juicy crab claw as Bob was driving into Block 232 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3.
The key ingredient to making a great tasting Crab Bee Hoon Soup soup broth ? Freshness, freshness and nothing but freshness !
The soup is naturally sweet, in part due to the blended shells added to the soup base, plus lots of fresh spices & herbs - garlic, ginger, galangal, shallots, onions, white pepper, rice wine, Hua Tiao Jiu, fish sauce, scallion, butter, evaporated milk and live crab. We always order the male crab as they are usually more meaty, the female crabs have roe that adds on to the weight.
The crab meat is cooked thoroughly and infused with the spices and herbs used in the soup broth, and it in turns lend a seafood flavor to the soup. The evaporated milk thickens the soup broth, with the added ginger, shallots, garlic, rice wine, butter - gives a sweet buttery garlicky taste to the broth. I can confirm Mellben does not used MSG - they don't need to as the broth is already so deliciously sweet. It was perfect that the Crab Bee Hoon Soup was served piping hot in a claypot, and it was the claypot that keeps the soup broth warm whilst we devour the crab with much glee.
No comments:
Post a Comment