MALAYSIAN RECIPES NICE TO TRY GOOD TO EAT

Recipe: Assam Pedas Pomfret Ingredients: 1 pomfret (1/2 pound to 1 pound) 10 small okras 1 tomato (cut into wedges) 1 teaspoon of fish curry powder 2 sprigs of daun kesum (Vietnamese mint/Vietnames coriander) 5 tablespoons of cooking oil 1 tablespoon of palm sugar/sugar Salt to taste Spice Paste: 1 clove garlic 1 stalk of lemon grass (white part only) 4 shallots 8-10 dried chillies (depends how spicy you like) 1/2 tablespoon of belacan (prawn paste) Tamarind Juice: 1 1/4 cup of water Tamarind pulp (size of a small ping pong ball)

Method: 1. Pound the spice paste with mortar and pestle or grind them in a food processor. Set aside. 2. Soak the tamarind pulp in warm water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind pulp constantly to extract the flavor into the water. Drain the pulp and save the tamarind juice. 3. Heat oil and fry the spice paste for 2 minutes or until fragrant. 4. Add the tamarind juice, fish curry powder and bring to boil. 5. Add the tomato wedges and okras and bring to boil. 6. Add the fish, salt, and palm sugar/sugar. 7. Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes or until the fish is cooked. 8. Serve hot.

Ingredients

1.5 lb crab (You can use a whole dungeness crab, or just crab claws) 4 whole star anise 1/2 cup sliced onions lots of curry leaves 1.5 tbsp tamarind paste 1 tbsp sugar salt to taste 1.5 tbsp oil For the Spice Paste 8 dried red chilies 3 cloves of garlic 1 piece ginger white part from two lemongrass stalks 1/4 cup sliced shallots

Method Clean the crab and cut into 6-8 pieces if using a whole crab. Remove the top shell.

Make the spice paste by grinding all the ingredients in a food processor, or pound using a mortar and pestle to form a somewhat smooth paste. Place a large pan on the stove and heat up the oil. Saute the sliced onions and curry leaves till onions start to soften. Remove and keep aside. Add the star anise to the same oil and saute for a few seconds. Add the spice paste to the pan and saute till fragrant. Add the crab and 1/4 cup of water and do a quick stir. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and cook for about 5-6 minutes. Add the sugar, tamarind paste and salt and mix well. Cook uncovered for 4-5 minutes stirring frequently until the crab pieces turn red. Add the sauteed onions and curry leaves to the pan and mix well to combine. Serve with steamed rice.

Mee Udang (Malay Prawn Noodle) Serves 2 Ingredients: 250-300gm yellow noodle 600gm of big-sized sea prawns (I got 8 big prawns) 5 tbsp of tomato sauce 200gm of tomatoes, diced 400ml of water 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped 6 shallots, peeled and sliced Cooking oil 2 tbsp of sugar 1 tbsp of chili paste Light soy sauce to taste Garnishing: 3 leaves of lettuce, thinly sliced 2 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and halved 2 calamansi lime, halved 1 stalk of spring onion, chopped 1/4 of onion, thinly sliced Fried crispy shallot Method:

1. Blend the diced tomatoes with 400ml of water. Set aside. 2. Blanch the yellow noodle and set aside. 3. Heat enough oil in a wok, deep fried sliced shallot till golden brown, set aside. 4. Leave about 2 tbsp of oil in the wok, saute garlic till fragrant. Add prawns and stir fry with 1 tbsp of light soy sauce for 1 minute. 5. Pour in the tomato puree. Add tomato sauce and chili paste. Bring the gravy to simmer under medium heat. Add sugar and light soy sauce to taste. 6. Add in the yellow noodle to the simmering gravy. Mix well. 7. Serve up and garnish with onion, spring onion, egg, lettuce, calamansi lime and fried shallot.

Sesame Oil Chicken Recipe Ingredients: 3 chicken drumsticks (chop into 3-4 pieces each, bone-in) 2-3 inches knob of ginger (peeled and cut into thin strips) 1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or Chinese rice wine 2 tablespoons sesame oil 1/2 cup water 3 dashes white pepper powder Method: Heat up a wok over high heat and add the sesame oil. When a swirl of smoke appears from the wok and the oil is fully heated, add the ginger strips and stir fry until light brown or aromatic. Add chicken to the wok and stir fry for about 10-15 seconds before adding the soy sauce, oyster sauce, wine, and white pepper powder. Continue to stir-fry until the chicken is 70% cooked. Add water and do a few quick stirs. Cover the wok with the lid and turn the heat to medium to low heat and let the chicken cook for a few minutes or until the sauce thickens and the meat becomes tender. Dish out and serve immediately.