A mate asked me around for a few beers tonight while his Mrs, one of South Australia's finest, was on night shift. He said he'd knock a meal up. This guy learned to cook in the galleys of the cruise ships, then moved to the much harder school of the merchant marine. Retired now he can still burn a chop on occasions.

Shrimp in chili and ginger cream sauce.

Melt a knob of butter in some olive oil, add chopped garlic, chili and finely sliced ginger.

When the flavors have blended add snow peas and sliced bell pepper, saute a few minutes.

Add peeled shrimp tails, when they start to change color pour cream in and heat through quickly.

Serve with steamed rice.

Tell guests to try not to groan too much while eating.

I ate three platefuls.

Quantities are up to the individual. Cream is what Australians call single cream, thick but pourable.

After the absolutely carp 'steak' I just had in this Manila restaurant (free WiFi though). Sounds too delish for words.

How well would it work with our giant (fresh) water prawns??

Can't see why not. The beauty of it was it's simplicity, ten minute max, then serve with rice.

Thanks, Scea! Sounds heavenly. But I'm leaving out the chilli and ginger. I've got a wet market nearby, so will go get some shrimp. Ya, takes longer to peel and de-vein the little boogers than it does to cook them.

A mate asked me around for a few beers tonight while his Mrs, one of South Australia's finest, was on night shift. He said he'd knock a meal up. This guy learned to cook in the galleys of the cruise ships, then moved to the much harder school of the merchant marine.

Being a cook in the merchant marine isn't necessarily a recommendation. I sailed with a cook who used the deep fryer to cook everything. It made for interesting breakfasts when you'd have fish the previous night.

The crew eventually mutinied and refused to sail any further until he was removed.

A mate asked me around for a few beers tonight while his Mrs, one of South Australia's finest, was on night shift. He said he'd knock a meal up. This guy learned to cook in the galleys of the cruise ships, then moved to the much harder school of the merchant marine.

Being a cook in the merchant marine isn't necessarily a recommendation. I sailed with a cook who used the deep fryer to cook everything. It made for interesting breakfasts when you'd have fish the previous night.

The crew eventually mutinied and refused to sail any further until he was removed.

I had the pleasure of joining the crew on several Australian ships for a meal when I was working in the timber importing business. They would invite me aboard for lunch occasionally. The food was always excellent, and I gathered that any cook who was below standard would find himself with a long swim ashore.

That's what I meant about a harder school. Maybe you should have suggested this to your cookie than risk the international penalty for mutiny on the high seas. You may have ended up having to flee to Pitcairn Island.

A mate asked me around for a few beers tonight while his Mrs, one of South Australia's finest, was on night shift. He said he'd knock a meal up. This guy learned to cook in the galleys of the cruise ships, then moved to the much harder school of the merchant marine.

Being a cook in the merchant marine isn't necessarily a recommendation. I sailed with a cook who used the deep fryer to cook everything. It made for interesting breakfasts when you'd have fish the previous night.

The crew eventually mutinied and refused to sail any further until he was removed.

I had the pleasure of joining the crew on several Australian ships for a meal when I was working in the timber importing business. They would invite me aboard for lunch occasionally. The food was always excellent, and I gathered that any cook who was below standard would find himself with a long swim ashore.

That's what I meant about a harder school. Maybe you should have suggested this to your cookie than risk the international penalty for mutiny on the high seas. You may have ended up having to flee to Pitcairn Island.

It wasn't all bad. We used to sail from the Persian Gulf to Europe via South Africa (when the Suez Canal was still shut) and we were supplied by helicopter off Robben Island (Nelson Mandela's place of abode for quite a while) with swordfish steaks, prawns a mile long, Cape wine and all sorts of other good stuff. The first meal after transitting the Cape was magnificent!