Northern-Style Fried Rice Vermicelli

Northern-Style Fried Rice Vermicelli (Bihun Goreng Utara)
Recipe by Liza Zainol

3 tablespoons cooking oil

4 shallots, chopped finely

4 cloves garlic, chopped finely

Chilli paste (mix together)

2 tablespoons chilli powder

125ml water


1 tablespoon dried shrimps, washed and drained

2 tablespoons preserved soybean paste (tauchu)

200g unpeeled prawns, washed

200g rice vermicelli (bihun), soaked until soft

4 stalks flowering cabbage (choy sum/sawi), cut into 3cm lengths

Seasoning

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon squid/fish sauce

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon pepper


150g Chinese chives, cut into 3cm lengths

150g beansprouts

2 pieces hard beancurd (tau kwa), deep fried and cut into cubes

Garnish

3 red chillies, sliced

3 tablespoons shallot crisps

3 stalks spring onion, cut into 3cm lengths

2 eggs, fried into an omelette with a pinch of salt and sliced thinly

3 limes, cut into wedges
Method
Heat the oil in a wok over a medium flame to sauté the shallots and garlic until fragrant. Add the chilli paste and fry until aromatic – about 3 minutes. Add the dried shrimps and fry for a minute before adding the bean paste and fresh prawns. Stir-fry until aromatic.

Add the rice vermicelli, flowering cabbage and seasoning ingredients. Stir-fry to mix thoroughly, about 5 minutes.

Add the chives, bean sprouts and fried beancurd and stir-fry to mix well. Turn off the flame and dish out unto a serving platter. Garnish before serving.

Note
This popular breakfast fare and anytime snack is fried in a dry style, with the chilli powder and chives lending their aromas.

Malaysian-Style Mixed Vegetable Curry

Malaysian-Style Mixed Vegetable Curry
Recipe by Amy Beh, Star

400g cockles (blanched till half cooked), remove meat from shells

200g cabbage, remove the hard stems and cut into squares

4 pieces long beans, cut into 4cm lengths

5 pieces beancurd puffs, halved

4 lady’s fingers, cut into halves

1 long brinjal, cut into wedges

1 tomato, quartered

10 hard-boiled quail’s eggs, shelled

3 tbsp oil

2 cups general coconut milk

1 cup water

(A):

3cm piece cinnamon stick

1 star anise

4 cloves

2 cardamom pods, split and use seeds only

2 stalks lemon grass, lightly smashed

3 stalks curry leaves

Ground spices (B), combined:

2 tbsp chilli paste

2 tbsp fish curry powder

6 shallots

2 cloves garlic

1½cm piece galangal

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp belacan stock granules

Seasoning:

1 tbsp chicken stock granules

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp sugar or to taste
Method
Heat oil in a wok and fry (A) until fragrant. Add in (B) and continue to fry until oil rises and separates.

Add in brinjal and water. Cook for 1–2 minutes. Put in lady’s fingers and long beans. Add the rest of the vegetables and pour in the coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 6–7 minutes.

Add cockles and quail’s eggs and bring to a quick boil. Season to taste.

ASAM LAKSA

Asam laksa


Ingredients
1 packet white laksa noodles
1kg ikan kembung
2 serai stalks, smashed
5 kesom leaves
2 bunga kantan stalks
5-6 tbsp chilli paste
2 onions
2 cm cube belacan
tamarind juice, asam keping and salt to taste

For garnishing:
shredded cucumber
sliced red chillies/cili padi
sliced big onion
chopped pineapple (optional)
mint leaves

Method
1. Soak laksa in hot water for a few minutes and drain.

2. Boil fish and debone. Drain fish stock. Pound or blend fish meat. Pound bones, add two cups of warm water and strain. Keep aside.

3. Pound onions with belacan. Cut bunga kantan into quarters. Place everything except the laksa into a pot. Add water to get the gravy thickness preferred. Bring to boil.

4. Place the laksa with the garnishing in individual bowls. Pour over the gravy.

5. Serve with prawn paste or otak udang/petis which has been mixed with a little warm water.