Kerabu Kay, Nyonya Poached Chicken And Prawns Salad

Hello everyone! It has been almost 7 months since my last post and I am ready to come out from my all too long hiatus. 

A long hours and stressful job, daily gym routine and other works and projects on the side made me rather selfish with the little spared time I am left with - spending time with friends and love ones or catching up on my reading became my priorities for the last few months.

I have missed talking about food; one would have thought working in a kitchen gives me plenty of opportunity to do that but unfortunately that is not the case. A decision was made to modify my daily routine a little to enable me to start blogging about food again and I can already feel the joy of blogging as I type....

I posted a kerabu dish (Nyonya's answer to Thai yam or salad) a while back and this is another variation using chicken and prawns and dress with a slightly different dressing.

F.Y.I kay = chicken in Hokkien, unlike Nyonya dishes from other part of the country, those from Penang are often named in the Hokkien dialect rather than Malay.

serves 4 as part of a Malaysian meal

you'll need;

1 chicken breast (~350 g), poached, cooled and shredded

10 banana prawns, poached, peeled and halved lengthwise

15 green beans, finely sliced diagonally 

1 large shallot, peeled and sliced lengthwise

6 tbs of desiccated coconut, dry fried until golden

1 stalk of coriander, picked (optional)

for the dressing;

4 tbs of sambal belacan (see below)

1/2 a very juicy lime

2 tbs of sugar

2 tbs of coconut milk

a pinch of salt

sambal belacan;

200 g of dried chilies

80 g of toasted belachan

salt and sugar to taste

Prepare the green beans and shallot and set aside.

Prepare the chicken and prawns and set aside.

For the kerisik - dry fry the desiccated coconut in a pan over moderate heat, stirring constantly until it turns golden.

Prepare the dressing by mixing all the dressing ingredients in a bowl, taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and pour the dressing over and mix well. Check for seasonings before serving.

A quick and delicious salad is ready.

Serve as part of a Malaysian meal or it will go very well as a snack with some cold beers.

Ayam Goreng Mamak, Mamak (Indian Muslim) Style Fried Chicken - "Malaysian Monday 100"

It was a stressful and frustrating end to the week hence the lack of activity at the 3 hungry tummies', I sincerely apologize for that. However, after an all too short but blissful Sunday, I am in the right frame of mind again to compose something for the blog.

I have been on a mamak (Indian Muslim) phase recently, cooking up all the classics whenever I have the opportunity and this delicious mamak style fried chicken is just one of them. Traditionally the chicken skin is removed but for me the chicken skin is the best part of any type of fried chicken, so it stayed. If you are a diehard traditionalist, by all means remove the skin.

This is a super simple recipe especially if are able to obtain some Malaysian meat curry powder, if all attempts to locate the curry powder failed, Madras curry powder is a good substitute.

P.S I would like to thank all my friends and loved ones who turned up at the restaurant last week to lend me some much needed moral support! 

serves 6 to 8 as part of a Malaysian meal

you'll need;

1 free range chicken, cut into 12 pieces

2 stalks of curry leaves, picked

oil for frying

for the marinade;

1 brown onion, sectioned*

4 cloves of garlic*

5 cm of ginger*

1 tbs of turmeric powder

1 tbs of chili powder

2 heaped tbs of Malaysian meat curry powder (burung nuri brand)

salt and black pepper to taste

* to be blended

Cut chicken into 10 to 12 pieces, cut a few slits on each chicken piece.

Place onion, garlic and ginger and blend until fine and set aside.

Place chicken pieces in a large bowl and marinate with the marinade for at least an hour.

Heat up about 2.5 cm of cooking oil in a frying pan, when the oil is hot enough, throw in the curry leaves (stand back as the oil may split), then fry chicken pieces in batches until golden and crispy.

Drain well and top with the delicious solids (curry leaves and crispy fried spice bits) from the frying pan.

Serve as part of a Malaysian meal.

The crazy season has started, we decided a combined Nov/Dec roundup should work better for everyone during the busiest period of the year. I will be hosting the next event, so please send all your entries to me at sureshchong@yahoo.com . To find out more about MMM and on how to enter please click here

Char Swee, Stir Fried Prawns And Cucumber With Vinegar Sauce

I don't start work until 4.30pm on Saturdays, however I do start my day very early to make use of my precious time off from work. If I am diligent enough, I would make a quick shopping trip and cook a simple meal at home for myself.

This is another everyday Nyonya dish I cooked during one of those very productive Saturdays.  It resembles a much more colourful and vibrant version of stir fried cucumber with prawns, a favourite childhood dish of mine, needless to say this is now a new favourite.

This refreshing sweet and sour dish is a great accompaniment to the other Nyonya dishes with big and complex flavours. Some recipes asked for liver and gizzard as well, feel free to chuck a few in if you are an offal fan.

F.Y.I - char swee = (炒酸) sour stir fry in Hokkien, unlike Nyonya dishes from other parts of the country, those from Penang are often named in the Hokkien dialect rather than Malay.

recipe adapted from Nyonya Flavours
serves 4 as part of a Malaysian meal
you'll need;
oil for cooking
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
400 g of banana prawns, shelled (retaining the tails)
2 tsp of sugar
1/2 a continental cucumber, peeled and seeds removed
1/2 a red onion, peeled and sliced
1 red chili, halved lengthwise, removed seeds and diagonally sliced
1 green chili, halved lengthwise, removed seeds and diagonally sliced
1 carrot, peeled, halved lengthwise and diagonally sliced

for the sauce;
150 ml of stock
4 tbs of white vinegar
1.5 tbs of plum sauce
1 tbs of sugar
salt to taste
1 tsp of white pepper
2 tsp of corn flour

Remove heads and shell prawns (save them for other uses), butterfly and removed the veins. Marinate prawns with sugar, rinse prawns before adding to the wok.

Prepare the cucumber, carrot and the rest of the ingredients.

Place all sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well, check for seasonings and adjust accordingly.

Saute garlic with 2 tbs of cooking oil in a hot wok and stir fry until is fragrant.

Add cucumber and carrot and continue to stir fry for another minute, add sauce mix, mix well and continue to stir fry until the sauce thicken.

Add onion and chillies and mix well, cook a little longer or until the onion is soften. Check for seasonings, it should be sour, sweet and savoury.

Serve as a part of a Nyonya or Malaysian meal with plenty of steamed rice on the side.

The crazy season has started, we decided a combined Nov/Dec roundup should work better for everyone during the busiest period of the year. I will be hosting the next event, so please send all your entries to me at sureshchong@yahoo.com . To find out more about MMM and on how to enter please click here

Kerabu Bok Nee, Nyonya Wood Fungus And Poached Chicken Salad - "Malaysian Monday 98"

Having only Sunday off means I often try to fit in too much on my only day off. With that I get a huge dose of blues come Monday. Fortunately, my lovely reader Angela returned to the restaurant with her whole family which made my day a whole lot sweeter, thank you again!

If you are looking for evidence of Thai influence in Nyonya cooking especially that of Penang, look no further than the huge array of kerabu (cold salad) dishes on offer. The Nyonyas borrowed the concept of yam (Thai salad) from neibouring Thailand and turned it into something uniquely Nyonya, using mainly local and Chinese ingredients and a sambal belacan based dressing.

Like their Thai cousin, kerabu is a refreshing addition to a Nyonya meal and helps to cut through the many rich dishes of the cuisine. 

There are a few terrific kerabu dishes that I want to share with you in the coming weeks but I shall start off with this Nyonya classic using wood fungus and tender poached chicken breast that is nothing short of a texture and taste haven. Each explosive bite reveals the complexity of such a simply prepared dish, it is a perfect summer dish that will go well as part of a Malaysian meal or a snack with a few cold beers.

F.Y.I - bok nee = (木耳) wood fungus in Hokkien, unlike Nyonya dishes from other part of the country, those from Penang are often named in the Hokkien dialect rather than Malay.

Announcement! -I officially left my job on the 10th of August 2013 having spent almost 10 months cooking the food that I know and love best. Unfortunately the lack of support from skilled staff and management's direction (or the lack of it)  for the restaurant had made my position untenable.

It is all good on my end; my new job does not required me to work on nights or weekends and it is only a 10 minute bike ride from home leaving me plenty of time to cook and blog again! 

serves 4 as part of a Malaysian meal
you'll need;
1 chicken breast (~350 g), poached, cooled and shredded
1/2 a cup of wood fungus, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, drained
1 large shallot, peeled and sliced lengthwise
1 ginger flower, removed petals and sliced finely
6 tbs of desiccated coconut, dry fried until golden
1 stalk of coriander, picked (optional)

for the dressing;
4 tbs of sambal belacan (see below)
1/2 a very juicy lime
3 tbs of sugar
a pinch of salt

sambal belacan;
200 g of dried chilies
80 g of toasted belachan
salt and sugar to taste

To poach the chicken - bring a pot of water to a boil with a pinch of salt, place the chicken breast into the pot, when the water return to a simmer, cover and turn off the heat. Remove the pot from the heat source and allow the chicken breast to steep for 20 to 25 minutes. When it is done, remove the chicken breast from the pot and allow to cool, hand shred into fine slivers.

Remove all the large petals from the ginger flower and finely slice with a sharp knife.

Finely slice the shallot.

For the kerisik - dry fry the desiccated coconut in a pan over moderate heat, stirring constantly until it turns golden, 

For the dressing - place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well, you might want to adjust the seasonings according to your taste.

Have all ingredients ready and you are almost there.

Place all ingredients together with the dressing in a large bowl and mix well. Check for seasonings before serving.

Serve as part of a Malaysian meal or it will go very well as a snack with some cold beers.

The crazy season has started, we decided a combined Nov/Dec roundup should work better for everyone during the busiest period of the year. I will be hosting the next event, so please send all your entries to me at sureshchong@yahoo.com . To find out more about MMM and on how to enter please click here

Kari Ikan Mamak, Mamak (Indian Muslim) Style Fish Curry - "Malaysian Monday 97"

I know it is already Wednesday but it is better late than never right? 

This is a popular Indian muslim style fish curry that can be found at every corner of our beautiful country. It is extremely simple to recreate this delicious dish at home especially if you are able to obtain some Malaysian fish curry powder (look for burung nuri brand curry powder for fish). I made this in just under 40 minutes during my afternoon break, just to give you an idea of how easy it is.

Spanish mackeral is the fish of choice and cutlet is preferred rather than fillet, if your are unable to find Spanish mackeral, snapper is a good substitute. With the added eggplant and okras means you can save yourself from making another side dish, just make sure you have plenty of steamed rice or roti to mop up the delicious sauce!

P.S remember to check out my prawn version (kari udang mamak) and if you are after Nyonya fish curry (gulai ikan) please click here.

serves 6 to 8 as part of a Malaysian meal

you'll need

1 kg of spanish mackeral cutlets

oil for cooking

1 tsp of funegreek seeds (halba)

1 small eggplant, cut into wedges (optional)

10 okras

2 long green chillies, sliced

2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

1 brown onion, chopped*

6 garlic cloves*

5 cm piece of ginger*

4 tbs of Malaysian fish curry powder (I used burung nuri brand)**

1 tbs of chili powder**

500 ml of coconut milk

500 ml of stock cup stock

2 stalks of curry leaves

4 tbs of tamarind concentrate

Blend ingredients * in the food processor, set aside

Mix ingredients ** with a little water to form a paste, set aside

Blend or chop onion, garlic and ginger and set aside.

Brown eggplant with a little oil until half done and set aside.

Heat up a little more oil in the pan, add funugreek seeds and curry leaves, be careful as the oil might splits, after 30 seconds add the blended ingredients and mix well. Cook the spice mixture on low heat for another 30 to 60 seconds.

Add in the curry paste and mix well. Continue to stir until oil starts to split.

Add coconut milk and stock and let it simmer for 10 minutes before adding the eggplant and tomatoes and green chilies and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add fish cutlets and cook for a further 3 to 5 minutes or until the fish is done. A minute or two before the fish is ready add in the okras and tamarind concentrate. Check for seasonings before serving.

Serve with plenty of steamed rice or some flaky homemade roti canai.

The crazy season has started, we decided a combined Nov/Dec roundup should work better for everyone during the busiest period of the year. I will be hosting the next event, so please send all your entries to me at sureshchong@yahoo.com . To find out more about MMM and on how to enter please click here

Laksa Kelantan/Laksa Putih, Kelantan Laksa - "Malaysian Monday 96" And Happy Deepavali !

I must confess catching up with my dear friend A over a few drinks was a delight after a not overly pleasant evening. Feeling happy and alive again, I decided to compose this post before my much needed beauty sleep.

However I did start my Saturday on a high note; after my breakfast in bed with my reading materials and composing a quick post for my blog, I cycled down to Victoria Street in Richmond to gather some ingredients for a very special dish that I have been planning to cook for ages.

Yes! The special dish is yet another laksa but this time from the Malay heartland of Kelantan. I first tasted this beautiful dish during my first trip to the capital of Kelantan, Kota Bahru as an innocent and youthful 13 year old. I fell in love with the charming town and its friendly people immediately; the local food also left a lasting impression on me even at that tender age. Everything was so different from what I was used to, yet many dishes also reminded me of Thai food that I was so familiar with and laksa Kelantan also known as laksa putih (literally translates as white laksa for the pale appearance of the broth) is a very good example of that.

I have mentioned previously about the similarities between asam laksa and keang som (a fish based Thai dish from the south, recipe up soon) and as a closed cousin of the former, Kelantan laksa with it's trademark ulam* (a wonderfully refreshing selection of raw vegetables and herbs that also accompanied many Thai meals. It appears on the dinner tables all across the northern states) really shows you the cross cultural influences between Kelantan and its northern neighbour.

This very colourful dish is based on a recipe by my favourite blogger friend Makcik Manggis, a  native Kelantanses whose blog Jom masak.. jom makan-makan has been an inspiration for me to cook authentic Malay food since I started blogging 3 years ago.

Apart from being utterly delicious, this is also the most democratic dish in the world.... well if there is such a thing. One is able to decide on the thickness of the broth, the selection of the ulam that suits one's taste and omit the coconut milk if you are after something something a little lighter.

Without further ado please look at what is needed and the very simple preparation for this deliciously obscure dish!

P.S I would love to wish all my Hindu friends and readers a safe and happy Deepavali!

recipe adapted from jom masak... jom makan-makan
serves 4 to 6
for the broth you'll need;
500 g of mackeral or sardine
3 to 5 pieces of asam gelugur (asam peel)
about 2 l of water
1/2 a ginger flower, halved lengthwise
a small bunch of daun kesom (Vietnamese mint)
250 ml of coconut milk (optional)

for the spiced paste;
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
a small knob of galangal
a small knob of ginger
4 dried chillies, soaked in hot water for 10 min (I used 6, hence the slightly reddish appearance)

and my selection for the all important  ulam;
1 red onion, finely sliced into half rings
half a ginger flower, finely sliced
a small bunch of long beans, finely sliced
a handful of bean sprouts, tails removed
1 small cucumber, julienned
a small bunch of mint, picked and finely sliced
a small bunch of daun kesom (Vietnamese mint), picked and finely sliced
a small bunch of daun xxx (water parsley), finely sliced

you'll also need;
1 bag of laksa noodles/lai fen/ fresh thick round rice noodles
chopped chillies
sambal belacan
hard boiled eggs, halved

Place the fish of your choice in the pot together with the water, asam gelugur and a pinch of salt. Bring it to a simmer and cook until the fish is completely cooked (about 10 minutes). Remove the fish and allow to cool.

Meanwhile prepare the spice paste by blending all the ingredients until smooth.

When the fish is cool enough to handle, remove the heads and separate the flesh from the bones. Remove the asam gelugur from the cooking water, blend the flesh with the fish cooking water and set aside.

Place spice paste in a pot and bring it to a simmer. cook gently for 10 minutes, to cook off the rawness and to enhance the flavour of the spices.

Add the blended fish broth to the pot follow by the reserved asam gelugur, ginger flower and vietnamese mint. Let it simmer slowly for 20 to 30 minutes. Add coconut milk if using and check for seasonings.

While the broth is simmering away, cut, dice and chop the all important ulam. Finely sliced cabbage, lettuce, pineapple, Thai basil are often used.

Ladle the aromatic fish broth over some thick rice noodles in a shallow bowl and add the ulam of your choice, hard boiled  egg and a wedge of lime. Don't forget to add a little sambal belacan on the side if a hotter dish is desired.

Squeeze a wedge of lime or two over, mix well and enjoy one of the most delicious noodle dishes in the world!

The crazy season has started, we decided a combined Nov/Dec roundup should work better for everyone during the busiest period of the year. I will be hosting the next event, so please send all your entries to me at sureshchong@yahoo.com . To find out more about MMM and on how to enter please click here