Curry Laksa

Curry Laksa is another one of my favourite dishes that I like to introduce to you.

Curry Laksa

Curry Laksa (in many places referred to simply as “laksa”) is a coconut-based curry soup. The main ingredients for most versions of curry laksa include tofu puffs, fish sticks, shrimps and cockles. Chicken is often used instead of shrimp. Laksa is commonly served with a spoonful of sambal chilli paste and is traditionally garnished with Vietnamese coriander, or laksa leaf, which is known in Malaysia as 'Daun Kesum'.

Curry Laksa Recipe (Serves 6)

Rempah Paste:

• 20 Asian shallots
• 10 cloves garlic
• 10 dried chillies, soaked in warm water
• 10 fresh red chillies
• 2 tsp toasted belacan
• 3 tbsp dried shrimps, soaked in warm water
• 6 candlenuts (buah keras)
• 3 tbsp curry powder

• 5 tbsp oil
• 3 stalks lemon grass, bruised
• 3 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 1 litre thick coconut milk
• salt to taste
• 200 g tofu puffs, cut into halves
• 300 g bean sprouts, blanched
• 3 hard boiled eggs, halved
• 2 pieces fried fish cakes, sliced
• 12 large cooked king prawns
• 12 seared fresh scallops
• 600 g rice vermicelli noodle (Bee Hoon), blanched

Method

1. To make Rempah Paste: Mix all ingredients and pound into a paste with mortal and pestle , blender or food processor.
2. Heat up oil in a soup pot, saute rempah paste, lemon grass and curry leave until fragrant.
3. Add chicken stock and bring to boil.
4. Lower heat and leave to simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
5. Add thick coconut milk and bring to a boil again, stirring all the time to prevent it from curdling.
6. Add tofu puffs and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste.
7. To serve: Divide rice vermicelli noodle and bean sprouts into individual bowls. Spread prawns, scallops, eggs and fish cake on top. Pour curry gravy and tofu puffs over and serve immediately.

Pandan Chiffon Cake

Do you have a kitchen disaster story? I have a lot. I had a total cooking disaster with this pandan chiffon cake. There were a few of my lucky twitter followers who had witnessed the disaster live on twitter as I was tweeting it away as it happened.

Pandan Chiffon Cake

Pandan chiffon cake is something very nostalgic to a lot of Malaysians and Singaporeans. We basically grew up with it. We ate so much that sometimes we got sick of it. Now, many years later, I begin to miss it. I miss the smell of the pandan leaves flavour when the cake was baking in the oven. I miss the silky soft texture of the chiffon cake. I miss the shade of green that reminds me of home.

It was a last minute decision. It was a cold rainy evening. I was craving for pandan chiffon cake. I didn't have a chiffon cake pan. I didn't have a proper pandan chiffon cake recipe. I had never baked one before but I had all the ingredients in my pantry to make one.

I flipped to the page of vanilla chiffon cake recipe from an old trusty cookbook and started to look for a suitable cake pan. I thought bundt cake pan should do the trick but this was one of the two mistakes I made that day. It turned out that the bundt cake pan I have was smaller than I thought. Not that much smaller though. The biggest blunder I found out later was that I mistakenly used baking soda instead of cream of tartar. The two boxes were standing side by side in the pantry and I didn't know how and why, I picked the wrong box without realising it.

What happened to the cake as a result of my mistakes?

It kept rising and rising. How I wish I was making a souffle. It would be a mega success :) Nevertheless, the cake turned out to be as good as it should be. The smell of the pandan flavour was as good as my childhood. The texture was good except for some small air pockets caused by the use of baking soda.

** The worst part of the disaster is cleaning up the aftermath. The cake dough overflew from the bundt cake pan. Burnt bits sticked to the wire rack and bottom of the oven. It took me a good couple of hours of scrubbing to get rid of them.

There was nothing one can't do with some clever knife work to give the cake a good trimming. Looking at these pictures, you won't have a clue about the disaster.

Pandan Chiffon Cake (Makes 16 servings)

(Loosely adapted from The Good Housekeeping Step-By-Step Cookbook)

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour (not self-raising)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1 tbsp pandan essence
• 1 tsp pandan paste
• 7 large egg whites
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325F. In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and 1 cup granulated sugar. Make a well in center and add oil, egg yolks, pandan essence, pandan paste, and 3/4 cup cold water; whisk into flour mixture until smooth.
2. In another large bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Beating at high speed, gradually sprinkle in remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 tbsp at a time, beating well after each addition, until whites stand in stiff peaks when beaters are lifted. With rubber spatula, gently fold one-third of whites into yolk mixture; fold in remaining whites. Pour batter into ungreased 9- to 10-inch tube pan.
3. Bake 1 1/4 hours, or until top springs back when lightly touched. Invert cake in pan on funnel or bottle; cool completely in pan. Carefully run metal spatula around side of pan to loosen cake; remove from pan and place on cake plate.

Christmas Coconut Ice / Candies with Pandan and Rose Syrup

It all started with a comment from my reader kat of Suum Cuique: "Do you also know how to make coconut candy? Those colorful cubes that we used to sell in school during canteen days. I think it contains condensed milk."

Christmas Coconut Ice / Candies with Pandan and Rose Syrup

Coconut ice is a no-cook classic that's extremely easy to make. All it takes is a little mixing and an hour in the fridge.

Christmas Coconut Ice (Coconut Candies) with Pandan and Rose Syrup Recipe

Makes 40 pieces

Ingredients

• 395 g can condensed milk
• 3 1/3 cups (300 g) desiccated coconut
• 2 cups (330 g) icing sugar
• 1/ 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 drops pandan paste (or green food colouring)
• 1 tsp rose syrup (or red food colouring)

Method

1. Grease an 18 x 28cm lamington pan and line with baking paper, leaving some overhanging on the sides.
2. Place the condense milk, coconut, icing sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl and mix with a metal spoon until well combined (it will be quite stiff). Divide the mixture into half and place them into 2 separate bowls.
3. Add rose syrup to first half of the mixture and stir well to combine. Spoon the mixture into the pan and flatten the top using damp fingers.
4. Add pandan paste to the remaining mixture and stir well to combine. Spoon the mixture over the top of the red layer and flatten the top with damp fingers.
5. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour to set.
6. Invert the coconut ice onto a board and peel off the baking paper. Cut into 5 strips lengthways, then 8 strips widthways to make 40 squares.
7. Pack the coconut ice into jars or wrap in cellophane to give as gifts - it will keep in the fridge for 3 weeks.

Claypot Chicken Rice with Lap Cheong (Chinese Sausage)

I love a good rice dish cooked in a claypot. This is the second rice dish I have made using a claypot. I have posted the Tom Yum Prawns Claypot Rice recipe back in May.

Claypot Chicken Rice with Lap Cheong (Chinese Sausage)

Claypot rice dishes make easy and wonderful one-pot dinners. It's very popular in Malaysia and it's a must try whenever you visit Malaysia.

Two of the essential ingredients in the Claypot Chicken Rice are Shitake Mushrooms and Lap Cheong (Chinese Sausage ??).

Lap Cheong is a dried, hard sausage usually made from pork and a high content of fat. It is normally smoked, sweetened, and seasoned. When I was young, my mum used to steam the Lap Cheong and served it with plain rice for dinner. It's one of the best comfort food from my childhood.

Claypot Chicken Rice Recipe

(Adapted from My Kitchen Snippets)

Ingredients

• 1 Chinese sausage
• 4 chicken thighs – cut to bite size pieces
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy
• 2 tbsp light soy
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 2 tbsp of rice wine
• 1 inch ginger, julienned
• 1 tsp of salt
• ½ tsp of pepper
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 spring onions, chopped finely
• 5 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes
• 2 cups rice
• 3 cups chicken stock

Method

1. Mix the chicken with all the ingredients except the rice, mushrooms, spring onions and stock. Leave to marinade for at least half an hour.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok and stir-fry marinated chicken meat for 1 minutes. Add mushroom slices, sliced Chinese sausage. Dish out and put aside.
3. Put the rice and chicken stock in the cold claypot and place it over a medium heat with the lid on. Bring to the boil and immediately reduce the heat to a low simmer, then leave the rice to steam for 15 minutes. The rice should be nearly cooked, with little holes in the flat surface.
4. Spread the chicken mixture all over the top of the rice, and put the lid back on. Continue to steam over a low heat for another 15 minutes, until the chicken is white and cooked through. Give it a few stir and sprinkle the spring onions over the top and serve piping hot.

Nasi Kunyit (Turmeric Glutinous Rice)

For the Chinese, it is usually served with chicken curry, "Ang Koo" (it literally means "red tortoise", a Nyonya cake) and pink-dyed hard-boiled egg(s) as a gift of appreciation in celebration of the 1st month of a newly-born child.

The Indonesian usually cook it during their festive seasons, weddings and kenduris (feasts).

It is cooked with turmeric and can be served with any type of curry during breakfast (eat curry for breakfast), tea time, lunch or dinner.

Nasi Kunyit (Turmeric Glutinous Rice)

Nasi Kunyit (Turmeric Glutinous Rice) Recipe

Ingredients

• 500 g glutinous rice
• 2 slices tamarind pieces
• 3 tbsp turmeric powder
• 2 litres + 150 ml water
• 200 ml thick coconut milk
• 1 tsp black peppercorn
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 pandan (screwpine) leaf

Method

1. Wash glutinous rice and then add the tamarind pieces, turmeric powder and 2 litres of water. leave to soak overnight.
2. Drain and remove the tamarind pieces and rinse the rice once with tap water.
3. Put the rice into a steamer. Mix coconut milk, 150 ml water, black peppercorn, salt and pandan leaf and pour into the rice.
4. Steam over high heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and give it a good stir with a pair of chopstick, then return to steamer and steam for a further 15 minutes.
5. Remove the pandan leaf and serve with chicken curry or beef rendang.

Cantaloupe (Rockmelon) Sago Pudding

Sago desserts are very popular in Asia. This Cantaloupe Sago Pudding is my absolute favourite especially when it's served with this Shanghai Pancake. This fresh tasting chilled dessert is a perfect finish to any asian meal.

It's a very versatile recipe - you can use the melon of your choice, sago or tapioca can be used in this recipe and it can be made and refrigerated a day before serving. Great to prepare ahead for party!

I served this cantaloupe sago pudding for a lunch party I have hosted for some Sydney food bloggers last Saturday.

Cantaloupe (Rockmelon) Sago Pudding

Cantaloupe (Rockmelon) Sago Pudding Recipe (Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sago
• 2 cups water
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup pureed cantaloupe or honeydew or watermelon
• 1/3 cup coconut milk

Method

1. Bring water to the boil in pan, add sago, simmer uncovered 10 minutes or until sago is clear.
2. Add sugar, stir until dissolved.
3. Stir pureed cantaloupe into sago mixture with coconut milk.
4. Refrigerate covered, until cold.
5. Serve in a cup or bowl with spoon. Drizzle with more coconut milk.

Note: This pudding does not set; serve it with a spoon.

Grilled Sambal Fish with Banana Leaf (Ikan Bakar)

You haven't fully appreciated the beauty of Malaysian cuisine if you haven't tasted sambal. Sambal can be a condiment, an ingredient or a dish which will always contain a large amount of chilis. Sambals are popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the southern Philippines and Sri Lanka, as well as in the Netherlands and in Suriname through Indonesian influence. It is typically made from a variety of peppers, although chili peppers are the most common. Sambal is used as a condiment and as an ingredient for a variety of dishes. It is sometimes a substitute for fresh chilis. It can be extremely spicy for the uninitiated. Some ready-made sambals are available at exotic food markets or gourmet departments in supermarkets in many countries. A sambal can also be a pungent dish of its own in which a large amount of chili peppers is used. Dishes called a sambal include sambal sotong (with cuttlefish), sambal udang kering (with dried prawns) and sambal lengkong (with ikan parang/wolf herring).

This recipe is without a doubt the best grilled sambal fish I have tasted so far. This is the 3rd time I have made it during a luncheon I have hosted with some of the Sydney food bloggers. You can read more about the party here: 1) Here Comes The Food - Almost Bourdain Blogwarming, 2) Hungry.Digital.Elf - Malaysian & Dutch luncheon at Almost Bourdain, and 3) Raspberri Cupcakes - Almost Bourdain's Malaysian and Dutch Feast.

Grilled Sambal Fish with Banana Leaf (Ikan Bakar)

Grilled Sambal Fish (Ikan Bakar) with Banana Leaf Recipe

(Adapted from Rasa Malaysia)

Ingredients

• 1 x 800 g / 1.8 lb red snapper (cleaned and scales removed)
• A few sheets of banana leaf (rinsed with water thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels)

Sambal Paste:

• 6 oz. / 170 g fresh red chilies (seeded and cut into small pieces)
• 1 tablespoon toasted belacan (Malaysian shrimp paste)
• 4 oz. / 113 g shallots
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar (or to taste)
• 1/2 lime (extract juice)
• 2 lemongrass (cut into thin slices)
• 4 tablespoons oil

Method

1. Prepare the sambal by grinding chilies, shallots, belacan and lemongrass in a food processor. Make sure the sambal paste is well blended and smooth.
2. Heat up a wok and stir-fry the sambal paste until aromatic or when the oil separates from the sambal paste. Add the seasonings: salt, sugar, line juice and fish sauce and do a quick stir, dish out and set aside.
3. Grease a flat pan (I use our barbie) and then lay a few sheets of banana leaves in the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil on top of the banana leaves and spread the oil evenly. Lay the fish on top of the banana leaves and add half of the sambal paste on top of the fish.
4. Heat up the pan on your stove top over medium heat and cover it with a lid.
5. Wait for 8 minutes or so and flip the fish over to the other side. Add the other half of the sambal paste on the other side. Cook for another 8 minutes or so. By then, you can smell the sweet aroma of burnt banana leaves and grilled fish.
6. Dish out and serve immediately.

Note: Special thanks to Lorraine for sharing these beautifully taken pictures (Picture 1, 2 and 5).

Kaya (Coconut Custard Spread / Coconut Jam)

Kaya (Coconut Custard Spread / Coconut Jam)

Kaya is Malaysia's favorite spread, usually serves at breakfast with toast, or as filling for pastry, bun, or even made as part of popular kuih (Nyonya desserts) including pulut taitai or pulut tekan, a dessert of sweet glutinous rice coloured blue with butterfly pea flowers (bunga telang), and pulut seri muka, a similar dessert but coloured green with pandan leaves (screwpine leaves).

Kaya means 'rich' in Malay language because of its golden colour. What makes kaya so wonderfully delicious is the richness of coconut cream combining with the distinctive taste of the caramelised sugar. It's also common to enhance the flavour further by adding pandan (screwpine) leaves or honey.

A typical Malaysian Kopitiam (a traditional Malaysian coffee shop) breakfast consists of Kopi-O (black strong coffee), soft boiled eggs and roti baker (thick soft white bread toasted on charcoal burner) with thick layer of butter and kaya spread.

Cooking kaya is like making custard the Malaysian way with 3 basic ingredients: coconut cream, egg and sugar. It's then steamed or boiled in low heat. It sounds easy but all the risk factors associated with failed custard are there. It may 'burnt' and it may 'turn' (overcook and curdle).

There are many ways of making kaya. Google it and you will find many different recipes. What I have here may not be the best but it provides a simple, no fuss way of making kaya.

Kaya (Coconut Custard Spread / Coconut Jam) Recipe

Ingredient

• 4 eggs, beaten and sieved
• 250 g sugar
• 50 ml pandan / screwpine water (blend 5 pandan/screwpine leaves with 50 ml water in a blender and sieve the mixture)
• 250ml coconut cream (or thick coconut milk), sieved

Method:

1. Put sugar and pandan water in a heavy-based pan and boil until sugar dissolved and caramelised.
2. Remove from heat and pour in coconut cream / milk and eggs.
3. Cook and stir constantly in low heat for 25-30 minutes until the mixture is smooth and thicken.
4. Remove from heat and leave to cool.
5. Serve with toast.

Note: If you'd like to can your jam: Simply place three clean jam jars and lids on the middle rack of your oven. Turn oven to 225F (110C). Leave the jars there until your kaya is ready (the heat will sterilize the jars).

Chinese Roast Pork Belly with Crackling

Look at that Roast Pork Belly! Look at that Crackling! Can you believe it's done by someone who has never cooked in his life (not that I know of)? It's cooked by my dear cousin who is currently living in Seattle. Let's call him Mr. Chocolate. When we met in the UK at my brother's house two years ago, he brought a lovely packet of handmade chocolates for little Miss C. It impressed her so much that she started calling him "Uncle Chocolate" ever since.

Chinese Roast Pork Belly Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 kg pork belly (with skin on)
• 2 tbsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp Chinese rice wine vinegar

Marinade:

• 3 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 3 pieces red fermented bean curd, use 2 if the cubes are bigger
• 1/2 tbsp five spice powder
• 1/2 tbsp chopped garlic

Method:

1. Clean the pork belly and pat dry all over with kitchen towel.
2. Score (both diagonally and horizontally) the inner portion of the meat (Do not score the skin).
3. Rub the skin with the sea salt all over .
4. Rub the marinade evenly into the meat right down into the scored areas. (Do not rub the marinade on the skin)
5. Marinate for about 30 minutes or longer.
6. Bake the marinated pork belly with skin side up in pre-heated oven at 220C for 20 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and prick all over the surface of the skin with a fork. (The more holes you prick the better because that's where those pop-up "bubbles" appear on the skin)
8. Brush the skin with the rice wine vinegar.
9. Bake again with the skin side up at 250C for another 20-30 minutes, or until pop-up "bubbles" have formed on the skin.
10. Remove and let the pork belly rest for 15-20 minutes before chopping it up.

Ampang Hakka Yong Tau Foo - Cheat Version

Ampang Hakka Yong Tau Foo - Cheat Recipe Version

Ingredients

• 1 packet of frozen Hakka fish paste, thawed in fridge overnight* (see note at bottom of post)
• 6 x square semi-firm tofu
• Dipping sauce of your choice* (see note at bottom of post)
• Chopped spring onions and chillies for garnish

Method

1. Cut the square tofu into 2 triangles. Use a sharp knife, make a slit in the centre to create a pocket and stuff the fish paste with a small teaspoon. Continue with the rest of the tofu.
2. You can either steam or poach the tofu in chicken stock for 5 minutes or until the fish paste is cooked.
3. Garnish with spring onions and chillies.
4. Serve with steamed rice or rice noodle in chicken stock and dipping sauce.

Note: Dipping sauce - I use the combination of MasterFoods Barbecue Sauce and Indonesian ABC Brand Chili Sauce as seen in many Vietnamese Pho Restaurant.

Malaysian Chicken Curry with Roti Canai

I came across the Chicken Curry Recipe on Seasaltwithfood, another talented cook from Malaysia. I always like the drier version of Malaysian chicken curry. Without hesitation, I printed the recipe and made this curry for dinner.

Malaysian Curry Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 Chicken Breast (about 650 to 700 g) Bone In, cut into smaller pieces
• 4 Medium Yellow Wax Potatoes
• 6 Large Eggs, boiled
• 60 g Chicken Curry Powder
• 10 g Chili Powder
• 2 Sprigs Fresh Curry Leaves
• 1 Medium Yellow Onion, chopped
• 1 Can (400 ml) Coconut Milk
• 1 1/2 Cup Water
• 5 Tbsp Of Peanut Oil
• Salt To Taste

Method

1. Cut the chicken into smaller pieces and marinate with 1 Tbsp of curry powder.
2. Marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
3. Boil the eggs, cool and shelled.
4. Then boil the potatoes until they are cooked but still firm. Peel and quarter.
5. In a heavy pot, heat the oil and add the chopped yellow onion, together with the curry leaves. Cook until the onions are lightly brown.
6. Add the curry and chili powder. Cook until they are fragrant.
7. Mix in the marinated chicken and cook for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is almost cooked.
8. Add the coconut milk with 1 1/2 cups of water.
9. Bring the curry sauce to a boil and then lower the heat and continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes.
10. Then, add the eggs and potatoes and cook further, for about 15 to 20 minutes.
11. Season the curry with sea salt and serve warm or at room temperature.

The curry turned out to be marvelous. I have to warn you that the 10g of chili powder is a killer. If you can't take the heat, I strongly advise you to reduce it by half or omit it.

You should also use the Malaysian curry powder available from Asian grocery stores (not the kind from the supermarket shelf) as it uses a different blend of spices and gives you the distinct taste.

I serve it with Roti Canai (it's called Roti Paratha in Singapore) which is a type of flat bread found in Malaysia, often sold in Mamak stalls (Food stalls own by Indian Muslims). Most of us don't have the skill to make Roti Canai. We usually purchase the frozen packets (I use Kawan brand) from Asian grocery stores and pan fry them.

Iced Lime and Mint Tea

Cool mint, fresh lime, ice tea... perfect combinations for a refreshing summer drink.

Iced Lime and Mint Tea

Ingredients

• 2 tea bags (I use Lipton black tea)
• 1 litre boiling water
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 springs mint leaves, crushed
• Sugar

Method

1. Make 1 litre of tea with boiling water.
2. Add lime juice and mint leaves in tea while it's still hot.
3. Add sugar to taste.
4. Cool and chill in fridge.
5. Add ice before serving. Garnish with extra lime wedges and mint leaves.

Pineapple Relish

The sweetness of pineapple combined with fresh chillies and spices makes this relish a perfect side dish for a curry meal.

The recipe is so simple and you can make it in advance, refrigerate for up to a week.

Pineapple Relish

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 small fresh red chillies, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 pineapple, chipped

Method

1. Heat oil in pan, add onion and chillies, cook, stirring for a few minutes.
2. Add ginger, nutmeg, sugar and pineapple. Cook, stirring occasianlly, for 8-10 minutes.
3. Cool, place into a jar, cover, refrigerate.
4. It's best served cold directly from the fridge.

Singapore Chilli Crabs Prawns

If you are a foodie and you live in Australia, you will know about the current popular TV series "Masterchef Australia "on Channel 10 - the country's biggest and toughest amateur cooking competition. If you are not here, you still can watch the shown episodes on the Official MasterChef Australia website.

You must be wondering what this dish having to do with "MasterChef Australia"?

Firstly, I have to rant. Please excuse me, but I have to do it! Why do they need to show MasterChef Australia at the time slot of 7 pm daily??????? They don't think about us: The Mums!!! 7 pm -8 pm is the busiest time for us. Dinner time, cleaning after dinner mess time, bath time, changing to PJs time, story time, bed time, making sure their school bag is ready for school the following day time. GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Thank goodness I can catch up all the episodes on their official website. Although I am not totally up to date, at least I won't miss out on any episode.

As I was watching the first episode, when one of the top 20 contestants Lucas Parson, an ex professional golfer who has played with Tiger Woods and who currently owns a coffee shop, impressed the judges by cooking his favourite dish "Singapore Chilli Mud Crab", I thought, "It's been a while since I cooked this dish."

Lucas steamed his mud crab, but the traditional way to prepare this popular dish is to coat the crab in flour and deep fry it in hot oil. This cooking process is to enable the thick eggy sauce to cling to the floury layer of the crab shell, so you can lick the sauce off the shell before continuing the treasure hunting to find the crab meat.

When judge Matt Preston questioned Lucas about one of the ingredients in her dish, "Tomato sauce from the bottle?", Lucas answered, "Yes, from the bottle, can't get the sauce right without it". Matt nodded with approval. Lucas and Matt were absolutely right! That's the 'SECRET' of this Singapore Chilli Crab dish. It's the bottled tomato sauce (we actually use Tomato Ketchup in Malaysia, it's thicker and sweeter) and also.... the Maggi Chilli sauce (the Malaysian version, quite close to Australian Maggi Sweet Chilli sauce but not exactly the same).

Note: In Australia, we call this dish "Singapore Chilli Crab" but back in Malaysia, we call it "Sweet and Sour Chilli Crab".

Mr J is too lazy to eat crab (unless it is peeled) and it's no fun to eat the whole crab by myself. "Good food needs good company" is my motto. I thought "Why don't I replace the crab with prawns so we can still enjoy mopping up the sauce with soft white bread?"

There are many different recipes for Singapore Chilli Crab, but the basic ingredients and cooking methods are the same. You can deep fry or steam your crab. You can adjust the ingredients to suit your taste (more sweet, less sour, more spicy, less garlicky....). This dish is very versatile and that's the fun part about cooking. Don't stick to the recipe 100%. Get hold of the basic recipe and be brave, be adventurous to play with the ingredients. A good example is when Lucas mentioned lime and palm sugar as some of the ingredients in his sauce. Traditionally we use rice wine vinegar and sugar. That's the concept.

I don't pretend this is the most authentic or the best tasting recipe. But this is how we like it. If you want a quick fix of Singapore Chilli crab or prawns or squids at home, this is a quick and easy recipe to get your hands on.

Singapore Chilli Prawns Recipe

Ingredients:

• 20 large king prawns, shelled, deveined, scored on back
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp chopped ginger
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 2 chilli, seed removed and finely chopped
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 4 tbsp Tomato sauce (I use Heinz Tomato Ketcup)
• 2 tbsp Maggi Sweet Chilli Sauce
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp cornflour

Method:

1. Mix tomato sauce, sweet chili sauce, water, lime juice and corn flour in a bowl.
2. Add 1 tbsp oil in a wok or pan, fry garlic, ginger, chilli and onion until fragrant.
3. add prawn and give it a good stir.
4. Add the sauce mixture and bring it to a boil.
5. Quickly stir in lightly beaten egg and continue stirring until egg is well mixed and cooked, about 1 minute.
6. Remove and serve immediately with steamed rice.
7. Mop the leftover sauce from the plate with soft white bread.

Note: If you are interested in Lucas Parson's Chilli Mud Crab recipe. Someone from the MasterChef forum has managed to get his actual recipe from his wife (Apparently his recipe printed on Sydney's Sunday Telegraph newspaper is incorrect). Here is the recipe:

Lucas Parson's Singapore Chilli Mud Crab Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 Cooked Mud Crab
• Salt, coriander leaves and lime wedges to serve

Chilli Base:

• 2-2.5 fresh small red chillies, coarsely chopped
• 2 large cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
• 10g piece of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup peanut oil

Chilli Sauce:

• 300ml canned tomato paste
• 30g coarsely grated palm sugar dissolved in 75ml warm water
• Juice of 2 limes
• ¼ cup tomato sauce
• ¾-1 tbsp black bean sauce

Method

1. For chilli base, place chilli, garlic and ginger in a mortar and, using a pestle, pound to a paste, then add ¾ -1 tbsp peanut oil and combine well.
2. For chilli sauce, place ingredients in a bowl and stir until well combined.
3. Prepare crabs by lifting tail flap, then, using fingers, ease off the back shell. Remove and discard the gills, liver and brain matter and rinse crab well and, using a cleaver or heavy knife, cut crab into 6 pieces. Heat remaining peanut oil in a wok until hot and smoking, add crab and cook for 30 seconds, stirring continuously, add chilli base and stir for 30 seconds, then add chilli sauce and cook for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. To serve, arrange crab in a large bowl, then pour over sauce scatter with coriander leaves and serve with lime wedges.

I will give this recipe a try soon although I am very sceptical about the awful lot of 300ml tomato paste! p/s where is the egg???

Malaysian Chicken Floss Curry

This is a sequal to my earlier post Malaysian Lacy Coconut Pancake.

Australia is buzzing with Poh Fever with her two back-to-back wins in the final week of MasterChef Australia.

As promised, here is the recipe of my take on Poh's Malaysian Chicken Floss Curry which is a dried curry, best served with Roti Jala (Lacy Coconut Pancake):

Malaysian Chicken Floss Curry Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 x chicken breasts (approximately 500 g)
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finally chopped
• 1/2 tbsp minced ginger
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 lemongrass, bruised
• 1/2 tbsp turmuric powder
• 1 tbsp Malaysian curry powder
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp salt (adjust seasoning to suit your taste)
• Corinader leaves for garnish

Method

1. Poach or microwave chicken until the meat is just cooked through. Pull the meat with hands to form chicken floss.
2. Heat the frying pan or wok with 2 tbsp of oil, stir fry shallots, gralic, ginger, curry leaves and lemongrass until frangrant.
3. Add turmuric powder, curry powder and salt. Continue to stir fry for a minute.
4. Add coconut milk, water, mix well and cook until the curry mixture is boiling.
5. Add chicken floss and mix until it is well coated with the curry mixture.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Malaysian Lacy Coconut Pancakes (Roti Jala)

It is currently the final week of Masterchef Australia. Six contestants are battling it out to become the first Masterchef Australia winner this week.

One of the finalists, Poh, who has a Malaysian Chinese background, decided to cook this interesting combination of Lacy Coconut Pancakes and Chicken Floss Curry during last week's challenge. The challenge was to dish up dinner for four mystery special guests - who turned out to be four of Australia’s most respected chefs (Margaret Fulton, Jacque Raymond, Amando Percuoco and Cheong Lui) - and Masterchef judge Matt Preston.

I have special interest in Poh because we share a similar background and she has cooked some interesting Malaysian dishes during her Masterchef journey. Two of her most notable dishes are: Hakka Abacus Beads Yam Dumpling (???) and Sweet Potato in Coconut Custard (Bubur Cha-Cha). These dishes are not readily available in Australia and probably most Australians have not yet tasted them.

For some reason I can't explain, I was expecting Poh to cook this Malaysian Lacy coconut pancake (it's called Roti Jala in Malaysia) and when she finally did it last week (you can watch the episode HERE), I was ecstatic. She also did a Malaysian Chicken Floss Curry to pair with the pancakes. I couldn't resist but to recreate the same dishes for our Sunday dinner: I was very very happy with the results.

The name Roti Jala is derived from the Malay word 'Roti' (Bread) and 'Jala' (Net). It is usually eaten spicy with curry or sweet with serawa. Serawa is made from a mixture of boiled coconut milk, brown sugar and pandan leaf.

We use a Roti Jala Mold - A special ladle with a five-hole perforation - to make the pancake look like a fish net:

This roti jala mold is easily available in Malaysia but if you can't get hold of it, don't be put off. Poh cut a tiny hole from the corner of an empty fresh cream container and used it to make her pancakes!

Here is the recipe for the Roti Jala. Chicken Floss Curry recipe can be found HERE.

Malaysian Lacy Coconut Pancakes (Roti Jala) Recipe

Ingredients

• 100 g all purpose flour, sieved
• 100 ml water
• 100 ml coconut milk
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method

1. Mix all ingredients well to form a smooth batter and strain it through a fine sieve.
2. Add more water if the batter is too thick.
3. Grease the frying pan with oil, then add in some batter into the roti jala mold and sing a circular motion, let it drip to form a thin layer of pancake.
4. When cooked, fold it into desired shape and serve with curry or sugar.

Agedashi Tofu with Chilli, Basil and Crispy Ginger Shreds

Japanese Agedashi Tofu is made of silken firm tofu, cut into cubes, coated with potato flour (Note: do not use cornflour as it gives a less than desired result) and deep-fried. It is then served in a hot dashi based stock and topped with spring onions and bonito flakes.

What I like about Agedashi Tofu is its golden and crisp outer coating which creates a wonderfully unique texture that’s the perfect balance between silky and crispy.

I am being playful here. Instead of making the traditional Agedashi Tofu, I have added a touch of Malaysian flavour by serving it with fresh red chillies, deep-fried basil leaves and crispy ginger shreds.

You may like to add a dipping sauce to it but I like it without, so I can taste the freshness of the tofu which is further enhanced by the ginger, chili and basil. Think the popular Yum Cha dessert Tau Fu Fah (Tofu Pudding ???) with gingery sugar syrup. The flavour of tofu and ginger come together beautifully.

If you have not tried deep-frying ginger shreds and basil leaves, do give it a try. It adds a new textural dimension and you will be surprised with the results.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and have a good weekend.

Agedashi Tofu with Chili, Basil and Crispy Ginger Shreds Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tub silken firm tofu (cut into 6 cubes)
• Potato flour for coating
• Oil for deep-frying
• A handful of Basil leaves
• 1 fresh red chili, sliced diagonally
• 2 inches long ginger, finely shredded

Method

1. Season potato flour with salt and pepper.
2. Coat tofu in potato flour.
3. Heat oil in a pan and deep-fry tofu until golden. Remove and drain on paper towels.
4. Place tofu in serving plate.
5. Deep fry ginger shreds until golden and crispy. Remove and drain.
6. Deep fry basil leaves for 10-20 seconds. Remove and drain.
7. Top tofu with sliced red chili, basil leaves and ginger shreds.
8. Serve immediately.

Malaysian Pumpkin and Coconut Pudding

We had entrusted our next door neighbour Miss N and her family with custodianship of our mail while we were on holiday in Malaysia. This pudding was made as our small and simple token of appreciation to them.

Miss N, a French native married to her Australia husband and moved to Australia 12 years ago, she is a fabulous French cook with a passion for good food and wine. I thought I could not have outdone her with any Western desserts. Hence, I resorted to making an Asian style pudding. She and her son are both gluten intolerant, so this gluten-free pudding is perfect for the family.

Malaysia is famous for the colourful strong-tasting, sweet and exotic Nyonya Kuih. They are especially famous for their tropical accents. The word "Nyonya" is used to describe the daughter's of Chinese men & Malaysian women in the early years. Their inborn cooking talent is passed from generation to generation, and they skillfully combined the essence of Chinese and Malaysian cuisines to create unique Nyonya dishes.

This pudding is one of my many favourite Nyonya desserts. It is originally made of sweet potato (kumara) but I have replaced the sweet potato with pumpkin because I find that pumpkin has a particular affinity with coconut milk or cream. The texture is a little more chewy than the usual pudding but the great sweet pumpkin gets an intriguing new flavor from coconut milk that makes this pudding remarkable.

Malaysian Pumpkin and Coconut Pudding Recipe

Ingredients

• 270g pumpkin
• 270g tapioca (or potato) flour * (See note at bottom of post)
• 1 tbsp rice flour
• 225g sugar
• 1 /2 tsp salt
• 300g coconut milk
• 270g water
• shredded coconut

Method

1. Sliced pumpkin. Steam or microwave until soft and mash.
2. Mix in tapioca flour, rice flour, sugar and salt.
3. Slowly add in coconut milk and water, mix evenly.
4. Cook the mixture in a pan until warm, stirring continuously.
5. Pour the mixture into a steamer and steam over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.
6. Remove and let it cool slightly.
7. Cut into pieces and coat with shredded coconut.

Note: Tapioca (or potato) flour are frequently used in Asian cooking. You can find it in most Asian grocery stores. Japanese Agedashi Tofu is a classic example of how tapioca (or potato) flour is used in Asian dishes. Recipe will be posted tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Homemade Tofu

Growing up in Asia, I ate a lot of tofu. My family loves tofu and my mum has many lovely tofu recipes. I will share with you here some of my favorite tofu recipes.

Let's start with making tofu in your own kitchen. It's extremely easy and involves only two main ingredients: Egg and Soy Milk.

Note: The commercial tofu doesn't have egg unless it's labelled as 'Egg Tofu' or 'Japanese Egg Tofu'. The commercial tofu uses other setting agents usually calcium chloride or calcium sulphate instead of egg to coagulate soy protein to make tofu.

Homemade Tofu (Beancurd) Recipe

Ingredient

• 6 eggs
• 500 ml unsweetened soy bean milk
• 1/4 tsp salt

Method

1. Break eggs into a big bowl, lightly beat with a fork.
2. Pour in soy milk and salt. Mix thoroughly.
3. Strain egg and soy milk mixture into a 7" dish (lined with cling wrap).
4. Steam over low heat for 20 minutes.

There are many ways to cook tofu. My favourite way of serving it is to drizzle the tofu with soy sauce and sesame oil, sprinkle it with chopped spring onions, fresh red chillies and deep-fried shallots.

More tofu recipes coming your way....

Kapitan Chicken Curry

Kapitan Chicken Curry, commonly known as Curry Kapitan is a popular Malaysian Nyonya dish originated from the state of Malacca.

Nonya cuisine was developed by the Peranakan - the descendants of early Chinese immigrants to Malaysia, and as a result is a fusion of Chinese and Malay culinary traditions, but has a flavour all its own.

Kapitans were appointed chiefs or headmen of the various ethnic communities during the Portuguese and Dutch colonial rule in what are now present-day Indonesia and Malaysia. Kapitan China was originally a Malay title for the representative of a Chinese enclave. The fifteenth century rulers of Southeast Asia, chose to deal with a single individual from each ethnic group under their rule.

Chicken kapitan is a thick spicy chicken curry dish which conjures up some of the cosmopolitan atmosphere of old Malacca and recalls the traditional role of the 'Kapitan China' as the functionary who stood between the Malay Rulers and the Chinese communities.

In addition to coconut milk and lemongrass, the dish makes liberal use of "belacan", a shrimp paste that is the hallmark of Nonya cuisine. While belacan has a sharp odor by itself, when used in cooking it acts as a flavour enhancer, adding texture and boldness to the dish's other ingredients, rather than drawing attention to itself.

Although this curry dish is originated from Malacca, I have used a Nyonya recipe developed by Penang chef Philip Yoong. The ingredients and cooking steps may be slightly different from the original Malacca version but nonetheless it's a wonderful curry dish worth trying.

Kapitan Chicken Curry Recipe

Ingredients

• 600 g chicken thigh fillets
• 5 tbsp oil
• 100 ml thick coconut milk

Marinade:

• Juice from 1 lime
• 100 g grated coconut, stir-fried (without oil) on low-heat for 10 minutes until golden brown and fragrant
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce

Lemongrass Stock:

• 500 ml water
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 8 kaffir line leaves, sliced

Spice Paste (ground all ingredients into a paste with a food processor):

• 250 g shallots, peeled
• 100 g garlic, peeled
• 3 stalks lemongrass
• 10 dried chillies, soaked in warm water to soften
• 6 red fresh chillies

Seasonings:

• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 4 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp toasted belacan powder

Method:

1. Mix chicken with marinade in a bowl. Cover with cling film and marinate overnight in the fridge.
2. Put ingredients for lemongrass stock into a pot and bring to boil. Cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Heat up the oil in a wok and saute spice paste until fragrant. Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry until aromatic. Add in lemongrass stock and seasonings. Continue cooking until the sauce has has thickened and chicken is cooked.
4. Pour in coconut milk and bring to boil. Dish up and serve with rice.