The Joy of Cooking Podcast: Episode Summary

Title: Holly Ong: A Casual Chat About Crab
Release Date: June 13, 2025
Host/Authors: Megan Scott, John Becker, Dirk Marshall
Guest: Holly Ong, Co-founder of Sibeho

1. Introduction

Dirk Marshall opens the episode with a warm welcome to listeners, briefly introducing himself as a guest host and sharing his enthusiasm for "Zoodles" (zucchini noodles). Megan Scott and John Becker join him, each providing a lighthearted glimpse into their culinary preferences and personalities. The hosts engage in a playful banter about pan juice versus gravy, setting a friendly and relaxed tone for the discussion.

Notable Quote:
Dirk Marshall [00:00]: "We're glad you joined us at the table."

2. Guest Introduction: Holly Ong

The hosts introduce Holly Ong, co-founder of Sibeho, a Singaporean food startup based in Portland, Oregon. Holly shares her journey from the corporate world to entrepreneurship, emphasizing her passion for creating community through food. She reminisces about her childhood memories of cooking with her grandmother and highlights how these experiences inspired her to bring authentic Singaporean flavors to Portland.

Notable Quote:
Holly Ong [10:53]: "It's very lucky that we can do that, especially here in Poland."

3. Cooking Updates: What Each Host Has Been Cooking

The conversation shifts to recent culinary endeavors each host has undertaken:

• Dirk Marshall discusses his role as a recipe tester for his wife Sarah Marshall's Substack, "Sauce Me Up." He shares his adventures with making innovative grilled cheese sandwiches and shawarma-spiced salmon, appreciating the flexibility of various cookbooks.

  Notable Quote:
  Dirk Marshall [02:45]: "We made that, and then I also got out the big night cookbook... that was super delicious as well."

• Megan Scott talks about her successes with pan juices and stewed okra, demonstrating her knack for balancing flavors and textures in her dishes.

  Notable Quote:
  Megan Scott [01:01]: "I'm a food editor by day and avoider of dish duty by night."

• John Becker shares his experience frying chicken outdoors, seasoning it with homemade Cajun seasoning, and experimenting with various flavor profiles.

  Notable Quote:
  John Becker [05:16]: "Can't really over-season the dredge. It takes so much salt to do it."

4. Exploring Singaporean Sambals

Holly delves into the heart of her culinary expertise—sambals. She explains the versatility of sambals in Singaporean cuisine, differentiating them from other condiments like sriracha. Holly details the three types of sambals her company produces:

• Boom Sambal: Featuring fermented shrimp paste, it adds a deep umami flavor and is perfect for dishes like nasi lemak and grilled cheese sandwiches.

  Notable Quote:
  Holly Ong [25:03]: "Boom sambal... creates that bold flavor without you actually spending a lot of time in the kitchen."

• Tangy Sambal: Vinegar-based, ideal for Hainanese chicken rice and seafood dishes like oysters.

• Green Sambal: Offers a bright, acidic profile that complements grilled meats and avocado toast.

Holly emphasizes the importance of sambals as "cheat sauces" that enhance flavor effortlessly, allowing busy individuals to enjoy home-cooked meals without extensive preparation.

Notable Quote:
Holly Ong [24:57]: "Sambal is like a very good cheat sauce in your kitchen."

5. Cooking Live Crabs: Techniques and Tips

The discussion shifts to the intricacies of cooking live crabs, a central theme of the episode. Holly provides a comprehensive guide on selecting and preparing live crabs, particularly Dungeness crabs, emphasizing the importance of choosing crabs that are firm and heavy.

Key Points:

• Selecting Crabs: Look for crabs with a firm body and active claws.

  Notable Quote:
  Holly Ong [33:09]: "Make sure that the body is firm. If it doesn't feel full and heavy, it's likely that it ate through its reserve."

• Humane Cooking Methods: Holly advocates for steaming crabs rather than more invasive methods like using chopsticks to wriggle them. She describes her method of steaming the crabs in a tamale or pasta pot, allowing them to cook gently and retain their natural flavors.

  Notable Quote:
  Holly Ong [34:32]: "I do a slight steam in the pot... then I walk away for a while."

• Maintaining Flavor: Holly highlights the importance of capturing the flavorful juices released during cooking, likening them to chicken broth for enhancing other dishes.

  Notable Quote:
  Holly Ong [36:42]: "You start breaking it apart and then I always have a bowl underneath it to catch the liquid, because that's... the most yummy part."

6. Creative Uses of Sambal and Crab

Holly shares anecdotes about unexpected ways customers have used her sambals, such as glazing bacon with Boom sambal for a sweet and umami-rich flavor. She encourages experimentation, mentioning that sambals can elevate a variety of dishes, from grilled cheese sandwiches to avocado toast.

Notable Quote:
Holly Ong [29:54]: "She said, yeah, we glaze our bacon with it. It's now maple glazing... a lot of umami because of the fermented shrimp paste."

Dirk shares his interest in making sauces, tying back to the episode's focus on enhancing dishes effortlessly.

7. Recipe of the Week: Crab Cakes

As the episode nears its conclusion, Megan introduces the "Crab Cakes" recipe of the week, highlighting its versatility and the different types of crab that can be used. She provides tips for pairing the crab cakes with a Creole remoulade sauce, enhancing the dish's flavor profile.

Notable Quote:
Megan Scott [51:50]: "Highly recommend serving that with the Creole remoulade sauce on page 564."

John Becker humorously notes that live crabs should not be used for crab cakes to avoid wasting their flavor and effort, directing listeners to alternative recipes in the cookbook.

Notable Quote:
John Becker [52:50]: "If you do have access to live crabs, please do not make crab cakes out of them. That is a waste of money and a waste of effort."

8. Listener Questions and Tips

The hosts address listener questions about cooking live crabs, sharing practical methods for dispatching crabs humanely. They discuss various techniques, including freezing crabs to "put them to sleep" before cooking and alternative methods like using clove oil to anesthetize them.

Notable Quote:
Megan Scott [44:02]: "He says they start walking backwards and then they stop moving, and that's when you get them and then you cook them because they're basically asleep."

Dirk humorously reflects on the practicality of these methods, adding a light-hearted element to the discussion.

9. Closing Remarks and Future Topics

As the episode wraps up, the hosts share their upcoming culinary plans and tease future topics, including a deep dive into sauces. They encourage listeners to try the featured recipes, engage with the podcast on social media, and participate by sharing their own cooking stories and questions.

Notable Quote:
Megan Scott [58:55]: "Before we go, show some love for your favorite podcast by subscribing to the show and leaving us a review."

Conclusion

This episode of "The Joy of Cooking Podcast" offers an engaging blend of personal anecdotes, practical cooking advice, and cultural insights into Singaporean cuisine, particularly focusing on the versatile use of sambals and the art of cooking live crabs. Holly Ong's expertise and passion enrich the conversation, providing listeners with valuable tips and inspiring them to explore new flavors and cooking techniques in their own kitchens.

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Recipes Mentioned:

• Crab Cakes: Page 358
• Creole Remoulade Sauce: Page 564
• Singaporean Chili Crab Recipe: Page 359

Special Mentions:

• Holly’s Website: cbejo.com
• Sibeho: sibeho.com