Deep Fried Ribbit

I purposely made the picture smaller than my usual photo size because it might gross out some people.  They're frog legs. Deep fried frog legs to be exact.  Aren't they lovely?   Those chubby thighs looks very athletic.  Ok, so I'm  not helping ease your disgust against these harmless amphibians.  But fret not, they actually taste good.  And as everyone says, frog legs - all together now - "taste just like chicken!"  We don't have this  everyday, just once in a while.  Just to shake our boring routine.  I chanced upon these babies one day in the grocery store and I thought, why not?  My sous chef (wink) reported that they were still moving a bit while she was cleaning them.  Must be fresh.  Good.  This is how I did it:

• Marinate it in salt, pepper, sesame oil, grated ginger and garlic for 30 minutes.  My guess is that you can eliminate the ginger and garlic and it won't make a difference.  
• Dip in batter of tapioca flour and water.  Same consistency as pancake batter.
• Deep fry in very hot oil over medium heat until it turns golden.  Be careful as the oil will splatter.
• Sprinkle some garlic salt and serve.  

I squeezed some lime and then we're good.   You can dunk it in vinegar with lots of garlic or in sweet chili sauce, but just plain is also great.

I served the frog legs with sautéed vegetable to make the meal more filling.  For how can some rice-eating people survive without proper viand?  Viand to eat with the rice.  So am I saying that those frog legs are not proper viands?  In a way, yes.  Because you take a piece and pop them into your mouth and you just keep popping until you realize you've finished them all without touching your rice. Good thing I decided to make this as my sous chef refused to eat those glorious legs.  She said she's "not yet ready."  My fault actually for taking it for granted.  I just assumed that she'd gotten used to eating peculiar food since joining our family.  So let's make those veggies.

• Blanche carrots and broccoli in boiling water for a few minutes until half cooked.  You might want to put the carrots ahead as they take longer to cook.  Drain and run cold water over the veggies to stop cooking.  Set aside.  
• Sauté onions, ginger and garlic until fragrant.
• Add some diced cuttle fish balls, then a bunch of golden mushrooms.
• Add some chicken powder and a little water.
• Dissolve a teaspoon of cornstarch in water and stir it in.
• Add the veggies and stir until veggies are coated with sauce. 

Try this at least once in your life.  It's one of the yummiest exotic delicacies out there.  They're the least gross, in my opinion.  Eat it with your bare hands for maximum satisfaction.