ReCIpE CoLLecTioNs;pOpuLaR AsiaN FooD

 Prawns in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Ingredients :

800g prawns
3 tomatoes
30g galangal
some cooking oil
120ml tomato puree
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons water

Paste Ingredients
20 dried chillies
4 cloves garlic
150g shallots
5 red chillies
2 teaspoons belacan 

Method :

1. Rinse and de-vein prawns. Cut tomatoes into quarters each. Flatten galangal. Soak dried chillies in hot water for 15 minutes, squeeze dry and grind with the rest of the paste ingredients.
2. Heat up a little oil and pan-fry the prawns till cooked. Set aside.
3. Heat up more oil and saute ground paste till fragrant. Add galangal and tomato puree and stir-fry briefly. Then add salt, sugar, lemon juice, water, prawns and tomatoes and fry well.

 Fried Mutton Satay

Ingredients :

800g mutton

11/2 teaspoon meat tenderizer

about 250g grated coconut

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 tablespoon sugar

11/2 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons cooking oil

Paste Ingredients

10 dried chillies

8 red chillies

150g shallots

1/2 tablespoons belacan

5 candlenuts

3 stalks lemon grass

Method :

1. Rinse mutton and cut into slices. Marinate with meat tenderizer for 10 minutes. Squeeze grated coconut for thick coconut milk. Soak dried chillies in hot water fro 15 minutes, squeeze dry and grind with the rest of the paste ingredients.
2. Marinate mutton with ground paste, pepper, coriander powder, sugar, salt and coconut milk for 1 hour.
3. Heat up cooking oil and pan-fry marinated mutton over medium heat till cooked.

Notes : If you are using beef or mutton for this dish, it is advisable to marinate them with some meat tenderizer. You can skip it however, if using tenderer meat like chicken or pork. Also, the meat tenderizer is used for marinating meat slices and not meat chunks, as the bigger pieces of meat will become tender when cooked over a longer period of time.

 Pickled Mixed  Vegetables with Fried Eggs

Ingredients :

6 hard-boiled eggs
some cooking oil
150ml water
some salt
1 tablespoon sugar
30ml thick coconut milk
150g pickled mixed vegetables
1/2 tablespoon chopped peanuts

Pickled Mixed Vegetables Ingredients
1/2 cucumber
1 carrot
1 green chilli
1 red chilli
some pineapple chunks

Pickled Mixed Vegetables Seasonings
150ml rice vinegar
150ml water
60g sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Paste Ingredients
80g shallots
4 cloves garlic
5g fresh turmeric
3 red chillies
1 stalk lemon grass

Method :

1. To make pickled mixed vegetables : Cut cucumber and carrot into strips, marinate them with a little salt for about 10 minutes, rinse and drain. Chop green and red chillies. Bring pickled mixed vegetables seasonings to a boil and set aside to cool. Add cucumber, carrots and chillies and marinate for 4 hours.
2. Deep-fry hard-boiled eggs in hot oil till golden brown, prick holes with a toothpick and set aside. Grind paste ingredients.
3. Heat up cooking oil and saute ground paste till fragrant. Pour in water and bring to a boil. Add salt and sugar to taste.
4. Add fried eggs and simmer over low heat till the gravy is slightly dry. Add thick coconut mild and cook briefly. Remove then scatter pickled mixed vegetables around and peanuts on top.

Notes : Pricking some hoes on deep-fried eggs will enable the gravy to seep through entirely.

Squids Stuffed With Sambal Fish Paste

Ingredients :

800g squids
1 stalk lemon grass
3 chillies
5 cloves shallots
350g fish meat
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
500g grated coconut
5 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon tamarind juice
1 teaspoon sugar

Paste Ingredients
10 dried chillies
150g shallots
5 cloves garlic
10g galangal
15g belacan 

Method :

1. Clear squids intestines and rinse. Flatten lemon grass. Chop chillies and shallots (from ingredients) then mix well with fish meat, 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper and set aside. Mix 250ml of water with grated coconut to extract coconut milk. Soak dried chillies in hot water for 15 minutes, squeeze dry and grind with the rest of the paste ingredients.
2. Stuff squids with fish paste and secure their heads with toothpicks.
3. Heat up cooking oil and saute ground paste till fragrant. Add tamarind juice, lemon grass and coconut milk and cook till the gravy thickens.
4. Toss in the squids and cook well. Add sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt to taste.

Notes : The problem of the fish paste getting cooked slower than the squids may occur. Hence, readers are advised to use smaller squids for this dish for more even cooking.

 Peiking Duck

Serves : 6

Ingredients :

1 Duck
1 tablespoon light soya sauce
2 cup of hot water
3 tablespoons honey
4 slices ginger
20 spring onions
1 cucumber
1 packet of frozen small spring roll pastry

Sauce :
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar

 

Method :

1. Marinate the duck inside and out with light soya sauce and refrigerate overnight, uncovered . the cold air will dry out the skin .
2. An hour before dinner , mix honey into hot water until it dissolves. Baste thr duck with the honey glaze , place ginger slices inside cavity and roast in a pre-heated 200 deg C oven for 1 hour until the skin is crisp.
3. While the duck is roasting , cut each spring onion into 10cm-long stalks, discarding the green tops. Slice a cross at both ends and put stalks in iced water until edges curl .
4. Julienne the cucumber and discard the skin and seeds.
5. To make the sauce , put all the ingredients into a small saucepan and bring gently to a boil.
6. Thaw the spring roll pastry by leaving it out for about 15 minutes . Spread a thin layer of sauce on a piece of pastry , then a slice of crispy duck , a slice of cucumber and a stalk of spring onion . Roll and serve.

tip !

If the duck is not dry enough after overnight refrigeration , blow it with a hot hairdryer . Or microwave the duck on low for 30 minutes.

Beef with Broccoli

Quick stir-frying ensures that the calves' liver remains pink and tender inside.

Serves : 2-3
Preparation time : 25 minutes
Cooking time : 4 minutes

Ingredients :

450g rump steak, partially frozen
4 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornflour
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 teaspoon sugar
225g fresh broccoli
6 tablespoons oil
2.5cm piece ginger, peeled and shredded
salt and pepper

 

Method :

• Trim any fat from the meat and cut into very thin strips across the grain.
• Combine the meat with the soy sauce, cornflour, sherry and sugar. Stir well and leave long enough for the meat to completely defrost.
• Cut the broccoli into even-sized florets. Peel the stalks of the broccoli and cut into thin, diagonal slices.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok. Add the broccoli and sprinkle with salt. Stir-fry until the broccoli is dark green. Do not cook for longer than 2 minutes. Remove from the wok and set aside.
• Place the remaining oil in the wok and add the ginger and beef. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Return the broccoli to the pan and mix well. Heat through for 30 seconds then serve.

 Prawns with Mixed Vegetables

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time : 10 minutes

Ingredients :

4 sliced shelled raw Pacific prawns
3 teaspoons cornflour
Pinch each pepper and sugar
Salt
Good pinch Ve-Tisn
1 dessertspoon sesame oil
3 oz. carrot
3 oz. cucumber
3 oz. bamboo shoots
2-3 water chestnuts
2 tablespoon peanut oil
1/4 pint ( U.S. 2/3 cup) chicken stock (preferably hot)
1 dessertspoon water

Method :

1. Put the sliced prawns (black intestinal lines removed) in a basin and sprinkle them with 2 teaspoons cornflour, a pinch of salt and other seasoning and sesame oil. Mix well together.
2. Cut the vegetables into thin strips and season them with salt only. Fry them, moving them about, for 3 minutes in 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil. Add the stock and cook for another 3 minutes. Transfer all to a heated dish.
3. Wipe clean the pan and in it heat the remaining oil. Cook the prawns in the oil for 11/2-2 minutes, moving them about.
4. Drain the liquid from the vegetables into the pan and bring to the boil. Add 1 teaspoon cornflour, blended with the water. Bring to the boil again and simmer for 1-11/2 minutes.
5. Add the vegetables and turn all into a deep heated serving dish.

 Deep-Fried Tofu Appetizer

Serves : 4
Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 5 minutes

Ingredients :

300g firm tofu
1 teaspoon potato starch or corn starch, for coating
oil for deep-frying
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon thinly sliced spring onions (scallions)
2 tablespoons bonito flakes
dark soy sauce, to taste

Method :

1. Drain tofu and cut into 4 pieces widthways. Place each piece between 2 clean tea towels and gently place a light weight on top, to help drain excess liquid. Let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Remove weight from tofu and dust with potato or corn starch, shaking lightly to remove excess.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan or wok over high heat and fry tofu slices until lightly browned, turning once, then drain on absorbent paper. Serve immediately in a small dish topped with ginger, green onion, bonito flakes and drizzled with soy sauce to taste.

Firm tofu is usually sold in blocks in sealed plastic tubs of water. Once opened, store tofu in the refrigerator in a sealed container that has enough water to cover it.

 Miso Soup with Tofu and Shitake Mushrooms

Serves : 4

Ingredients :

4 dried shitake mushrooms
21/2 cups Katsuo Dashi
2 tablespoons white miso
2 tablespoons red miso
1 tablespoon mirin
150g kinugoshi-dofu (silken tofu)
1 whole spring onion (scallion), finely chopped
1 teaspoon chichimi (Japanese seven-spice powder)

Method :

1. Reconstitute the dried shitake mushrooms by soaking in cold water for 30 minutes or until the caps are soft. Cut and discard the stems and reserve the caps.
2. Place the dashi and mushrooms into a pan and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, combine the white miso , red miso and mirin in a bowl. Add the miso to the dashi and mushrooms, and simmer until dissolved. Avoid boiling, or the soup loses its umami (deliciousness).
3. Cut the tofu into 1 cm cubes and add to the soup. Simmer until hot without stirring. Turn off the heat and pour the soup into serving bowls. Add the chopped spring onions on top, and serve hot, with shichimi . 

 Sashimi Tuna on Rice with Roasted Seaweed

Serves : 4
Preparation time : 15 minutes

Ingredients :

5 cups freshly cooked Japanese rice
1/2 teaspoon dashi powder dissolved in 400ml water
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons mirin
2 teaspoons wasabi paste, or to taste
1 sheet nori, toasted and cut in thin strips
350g fresh, sashimi-quality tuna, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons red pickled ginger
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

 

Method :

1. Divide rice among 4 medium bowls.
2. Combine dashi mixture, soy sauce, mirin and wasabi in small bowl and pour over the rice. Sprinkle with nori, reserving a little for decoration.
3. Arrange tuna on top of the rice and serve topped with reserved nori, pickled ginger and sesame seeds.

Teriyaki Soba

Serves : 4

Ingredients :

12 ounces soba (buckwheat noodles)
11/2 teaspoons sesame oil
10 ounces turkey (or chicken) breast
12 small whole scallions
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup teriyaki sauce, homemade (recipe follow) or bottled
shichimi (Japanese pepper condiment)

Teriyaki Sauce :
1/3 cup sake (Japanese rice wine)
1/2 cup tamari or light soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin ( Japanese sweet rice wine)
2 tablespoons fine sugar

Method :

1. If you were preparing the teriyaki sauce, combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Bring 1 quart of water to a boil, add the noodles, and return the water to a boil. Add 1 cup of cold water, then again return the water to a boil, reduce heat slightly, and simmer until the noodles are barely tender. Test them frequently after 21/2 minutes. Pour into a colander to drain, sprinkle with sesame oil, and set aside.
3. Cut the turkey or chicken into thin slices and then into shreds. Trim the scallions and cut into 2 inch pieces. Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat. Fry the chicken shreds until done, 11/2 minutes. Remove.
4. Fry the scallions for 1 minute. Add the teriyaki sauce and cook until the scallions are glazed and tender. Add the chicken and glaze with the sauce.
5. Bring a large kettle of water to a boil. Pour over the noodles in a strainer to reheat. Divide the noodles among four appetizer plates or small lacquered wooden trays. Arrange the chicken and scallions over the noodles and sprinkle sparingly with shichimi. Serve.

 Classic Thai Fried Rice

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 20 minutes

cooking time : 12 minutes

Ingredients :

500g cooked rice
4 tablespoons oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
250g chicken, pork or beef, thinly sliced
2 eggs
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced, to serve
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges, to serve
1 lime, halved to serve

Chilli Dipping Sauce
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 bird's-eye chillies, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced

Method :

1. Make the Chilli Dipping Sauce first by combining all the ingredients in a bowl, stirring to mix well. This makes about 175ml of sauce. Transfer to a serving bowl and set aside.
2. Place the rice in a large bowl and toss it gently to separate the grains. Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a wok over high heat, turning to grease the sides. Add the garlic and stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the meat and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes until the meat changes color, then add the eggs and mix well. Add the rice and stir-fry for several minutes, mixing and tossing constantly until the rice is heated through. Finally add the soy sauce, sugar and pepper. Stir-fry for a further1 to 2 minutes and remove from heat.
4. Arrange the rice on a serving platter and scatter spring onions on top. Serve immediately with cucumber, tomatoes, lime and Chilli Dipping Sauce.

Notes : This dish always works better with cooked rice prepared a day or two in advance. So consider making extra rice whenever you cook for another meal.

 Thai Fried Chicken Wings

Serves : 6
Preparation time : 15 minutes

Ingredients :

12 chicken wigns
1.25 litres cooking oil

Marinade ( blended )

3 coriander roots, finely ground
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely ground
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
11/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fish sauce ( nan pla )
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon monosodiem glutamate
1 tablespoon crushed pal sugar ( jaggery ) or brown sugar

Dipping Sauce ( Blended )

60ml lime juice
60g sugar
4 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
60ml fish sauce ( nam pla )
1 tablespoon powdered chilli
1 tablespoon crushed palm sugar ( jaggery ) or brown sugar

Method :

1. Rub the chicken wings with the marinade and leave in the refrigerator for 6 hours.
2. Heat the cooking oil and deep-fry about 6 chicken wings at a time for 2-3 minutes. Drain.
3. Serve with Dipping sauce.

Chef's note : The longer the chicken is marinated the more flavorful it is . At a minumum, it should be marinated for atleast one hour. The dipping sauce can also be used to season fish prior to barbecuing.

Tom Yam Soup

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 15 minutes

cooking time : 30 minutes

Ingredients :

11/2 liters chicken stock or 3 chicken stock cubes in 11/2 liters boiling water
2 stalks lemongrass, thick bottom part only, outer leaves removed, sliced
4 to 6 bird's-eye chillies, sliced
3cm galangal root, thinly sliced
8 kaffir lime leaves, sliced
4 tablespoons fish sauce
12 to 16 fresh medium prawns (250g)
250g fresh or canned straw or button mushrooms
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoons Roasted Chilli Paste (see below)

Roasted Chilli Paste
12 dried red chillies
5 whole shallots, unpeeled
8 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 tablespoons dried shrimp paste
2 tablespoons dried prawns, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes to soften
2 tablespoons shaved palm sugar or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons tamarind juice
1 tablespoon oil

Method :

1. To make the Roasted Chilli Paste, dry-fry the dried chillies in a wok or frying-pan over low heat until dark and fragrant, taking care not to burn. When cool, remove the stems from the chillies, discard the seeds and cut the chillies into lengths. Set aside.
2. In the same pan, dry-fry the shallots and garlic over low heat until soft and blistered. This should take about 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Peel and slice the garlic and shallots.
3. Roast the shrimp paste over low flame using tongs or aluminium foil.
4. Place the dried prawns into a mortar or blender and grind to a coarse powder. Add the chillies, garlic and shallots and grind until fine. Add the shrimp paste, palm sugar, fish sauce and tamarind juice and grind to a smooth paste.
5. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the chilli paste and stir-fry until deep brown and very fragrant. This makes about 125ml of paste. When cool, the paste can be stored in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
6. To make the soup, bring the chicken stock to a boil in a stockpot over high heat. Add the lemongrass, chillies, galangal and lime leaves and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Then add the fish sauce, prawns and mushrooms. Reduce heat to medium and gradually stir in the lime juice and Roasted Chilli Paste. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the prawns turn pink, but do not overcook. Check seasoning, adding more fish sauce or lime juice for a hot and piquant soup. Serve immediately.

Steamed Omelet

Serves : 3
Preparation time : 20 minutes
Cooking time : 3 minutes

Ingredients :

2 tablespoons raw lean pork
1 tablespoon canned water chestnuts
2-3 spring onions, depending on size small pinch each salt, sugar and Ve-Tsin
2 beaten eggs

Method :

1. Very finely chop the pork, chestnuts and onions. Add the three seasoning and mix together on a plate.
2. Very sparingly oil a shallow heatproof dish, about 6 inches in diameter. Sprinkle the meat mixture into it and very carefully pour in the eggs so as not to disturb it. Place in the steamer and gently steam for 15-20 minutes.

Chicken and Mushroom Soup

Serves : 4
Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 5 minutes

Ingredients :

4 oz raw chicken breast
2oz cultivated mushrooms
3 oz canned bamboo shots
1 1/2 pints ( U.S. 3 3/4 cups) chicken stock or 1 chicken bouillon cube and water
Pinch salt
Pinch Ve-Tsin

 

Method :

1. Cut the chicken into small haricot bean-sized pieces. Slice the mushrooms and the bamboo shoots. Keep all three separate. Bring the stock to the boil. Drop the chicken into it and cook for 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for 1/2 minute, then add bamboo shoots and cook together for a further 1/2 minute. Add seasonings and serve.
   

 Indonesian Green Peas with Potatoes

Ingredients :

120g sliced meat or shrimps
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
some salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch
some pepper
200g potatoes
100g Indonesian green peas ( stick peas or petai )
1 large onion
2 red chillies
1 tomato
some cooking oil
3 teaspoons sweet dark sauce

  

Method :

1. If using meat slices, marinate with 1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce, some salt, cornstarch and pepper for 10 minutes. Peel, dice and deep-fry potatoes. Rinse and halve petai. Cut onion into thick shreds. Remove chilli seeds then slice. Dice tomato.
2. Blanch petai in hot oil and remove. Heat up cooking oil and stir-fry the meat till cooked. Set aside.
3. Heat up more oil and saute onions till they turn transparent. Add potato, petai and meat and stir-fry evenly. Then add tomatoes and red chillies.
4. Add 2 teaspoons of dark soy sauce, some salt and Sweet dark sauce and stir evenly.