PERUT IKAN (Spicy Herbal Goulash With Preserved Fish Roe & Tripe)

(From Y3K Recipes Issue No.5 – March/ April 2002)

Copyright of Y Three K Publisher. All rights reserved.

Ingredients:
60g preserved fish tripe
60g preserved fish roe
455g prawns
1 pineapple
2 egg plants/ brinjals
10 long beans
1 pink ginger bud (bunga kantan)

Seasoning:
1 tbsp tamarind pulp (assam Jawa)
Salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
1.35L water

Aromatic leaves:
10 stalks of mint leaves
30 stalks of kaduk leaves (daun kaduk)
20 cekor leaves(daun cekur)
10 sprigs polygonum (daun kesum)
2 turmeric leaves (daun kunyit)
7 fragrant lime leaves (daun limau purut)

Curry paste:
20 dried chillies (soaked till soft, seeded)
10 shallots
1 sliced lemon grass
2.5cm turmeric or 1 tsp turmeric powder
2.5cm galangal or 1 tsp galangal powder
4 candlenuts (buah keras)
5cm x 2.5cm x 0.6cm belachan

Method:
1. Wash fish roe and tripe thoroughly.
2. Shell and devein prawns
3. Remove pineapple skin, eyes and core. Cut into 2.5cm strips.
4. Peel brinjals and cut into 2.5cm strips. Soak in cold water.
5. Cut long beans into 2.5cm strips
6. Chop pink ginger bud finely.
7. Mix tamarind pulp with water and sieve. Add salt and sugar.
8. Shred all aromatic leaves finely.
9. Grind or pound all curry paste ingredients until smooth. If powdered substitutes are used, blend into a paste.
10. Boil curry paste and pink ginger bud in 225ml water until fragrant and soft. Then add 1.1L water to boil further.
11. Add prawns, pineapple, brinjals and long beans. Simmer for a while.
12. Add fish roe and tripe.
13. Add in aromatic leaves and tamarind juice. Stir well and add salt. When aromatic leaves are soft, sprinkled mint leaves and serve.

NOTE: Preserved fish roe and tripe are available in the wet market. However, these are easily prepared at home. When cleaning fish (Red John or Snapper), save the tripe and roe. Leave to dry in colander. Mix in 2-3 teaspoons of salt and bottled up tightly. Add in extra tripe, roe and salt to the preserved bottle each time they are available. Preserve the fish roe and tripe for at least two weeks though they keep indefinitely.

Chin Kiang Spare-ribs

(From Y3K Recipes Issue No.8 – Sept/ October 2002)

Copyright of Y Three K Publisher. All rights reserved.

Ingredients:
700g spare-ribs
1/2 capsicum (cut into pieces)
2 mushrooms (soaked, sliced into pieces)
6 water chestnuts (peeled,diced)
1 piece pineapple (sliced into pieces)
1/2 carrot (sliced into pieces)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
A little coriander

Marinade:
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
A pinch of pepper

For deep-frying:
1 egg white
Some tapioca starch

Seasoning:
5 tbsps ChinKiang vinegar
3 tbsps tomato sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp LP sauce

Thickening: Mixed well
1/2 tbsp tapioca starch
1 tbsp water

Method:
1. Chop spare-ribs into pieces. Marinate with marinade for 2 hours.
2. Steam spare-ribs over high heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Dip in egg white and coat with tapioca starch. Deep-fry over medium heat till golden brown. Remove and set aside.
3. Heat up 2 tbsps oil. Sauté garlic and ginger. Add in mushrooms to fry for a while. Add in capsicum, water chestnuts and carrots. Stir-fry till well mixed.

4. Add in seasoning and thickening. Bring to a boil. Add in spare-ribs to fry for a while. Dish up and serve.

Tips: Steam spare-ribs before deep-frying will soften the texture meat.

Zhu Jiao Chu (Pig's Trotter in Vinegar)

(From Y3K Recipes Issue No.8 – Sept/ October 2002)
Copyright of Y Three K Publisher. All rights reserved.

Ingredients:
1 pig’s fore trotter (Chop into pieces)
150g old ginger
Dried chillies (optional)

Seasoning:
200ml white vinegar
500ml black vinegar
180g palm sugar/ gula melaka


Method:
1. Clean pig’s trotter. Blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove trotter from the pot.


2. Wash old ginger. Smash with blade of cleaver. Put into a pot and fry lightly over low heat for a while without oil.


3. Put fried ginger, pig’s trotter and seasoning into a stainless steel pot or a clay pot. Boil on high heat, then turn to low heat. Simmer for 1 hour till meat is tender. Serve warm.


Tips: Blanching trotter in boiling water will remove any unpleasant odour and fatty scums that may surface.
Extra water is not needed to cook trotter for above recipe as Yuen Chun’s range of vinegar give this dish a balanced taste.

Pickled Ginger, Green Chillies & Papaya

(From Y3K Recipes Issue No.8 – Sept/ October 2002)

Copyright of Y Three K Publisher. All rights reserved.

Pickled Ginger
Ingredients:
250g young ginger (sliced thinly)
1 tbsp salt

Seasoning:
150ml vinegar
150ml water
8 tbsps sugar

Method:
1. Marinate ginger with salt for 1 hour. Squeeze off excess liquid.
2. Bring the seasoning to a boil. Set aside to cool.
3. Put ginger into a glass jar. Add in seasoning. Marinate for at least 3 days before serving.

Tips:
Serve with century egg slices or hard-boiled egg slices.

Pickled Green Chillies

Ingredient:
15-20 green chillies (sliced)

Seasoning A:
500ml water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Seasoning B:
150ml vinegar
150ml water
1/2 tsp salt

Method:
1. Bring seasoning A to a boil. Turn off heat. Blanch chillies for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
2. Bring seasoning B to a boil. Turn off heat and set aside to cool.
3. Put green chillies into a glass jar. Add in (2). Seal the jar. Serve the following day.

Tips:
Normally served as a condiment doused with soy sauce for noodles.

Pickled Papaya
Ingredients:
1 green papaya (unripe)
1 tbsp salt
2 red chillies (sliced)

Seasoning:
300ml vinegar
300ml water
10 tbsps sugar

Method:
1. Cut papaya into 1 inch thick slices. Cut each piece into fan shaped-like. Marinate with salt for 1 hour till soft. Squeeze off excess liquid.
2. Bring the seasoning to a boil. Set aside to cool.
3. Put papayas and chillies into a glass jar. Add in seasoning. Marinate for 2 hours before serving.

Acar - Nyonya Style Pickle

(From Y3K Recipes Issue No.8 – Sept/ October 2002)

Copyright of Y Three K Publisher. All rights reserved.

Ingredient A:
1.3kg cucumber (cut into long strips)
5 red chillies (cut into thin strips)
5 green chillies (cut into thin strips)
12 chilli padi (cut into thin strips)
50g salt

Ingredient B:
1 carrot (cut into long strips)
250g cabbages (cut into small pieces)
200g cauliflowers (cut into small pieces)

Ingredient C:
100g shallots (pound)
10 red chillies (pound)
2 tbsps chilli giling/ chilli boh
1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
500ml white vinegar
500ml water
450g sugar
2 tbsps salt

Ingredient D:
300g groundnuts (toasted, pound fine)
3 tbsps sesame seeds (toasted)

Ingredient E: for scalding vegetables
300ml white vinegar
300ml water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt

Method:

1. Mix well ingredient A. Marinate for 2 hours. Squeeze out excess water.

2. Heat up 3 tbsps oil. Saute shallots, red chillies and chilli giling/chilli boh of ingredient C. Add in the remaining ingredients of ingredient C. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat. Set aside to cool.

3. Bring ingredient E to a boil. Scald ingredient A and B separately for one minute. Remove, drain and set aside to cool.

4. Put Ingredient A and B into a big bowl. Add in above (2) and mix well. Keep aside for 2 hours to let taste develop.

5. Keep acar in clean, dry glass jars. Add in pounded groundnuts and sesame seeds just prior to serving. Mix well.

Tips:
Acar is an appetizer.
Do not use non-anodised aluminium ware to prepare acar as vinegar can cause the metal to leach onto acidic food.
Groundnuts and sesame seeds should be kept in airtight containers.
Acar keeps well in the refrigerator, provided, no excess moisture seeps in.

RED BEAN PASTE BREAD

(From Y3K Recipes Issue No.7 – July/ August 2002)
Copyright of Y Three K Publisher. All rights reserved.

Ingredient A:
250g high protein flour
2 tbsps sugar
3 tbsps soya bean powder
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp bread improver
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp salt

Ingredient B:
150ml water
10g instant yeast

Ingredient C:
250g red bean paste

Ingredient D:
30g sesame seeds

Method:

1. Mix well ingredient B (yeast).

2. Pour ingredient A into food processor.

3. Add in yeast gradually. Beat for 7-8 minutes.

4. Divide dough into 50g portions. Roll into round balls.

5. Cover with a piece of cling film. Rest for 5 minutes.

6. Roll out the doughs.

7. Add in 20g red bean paste.

8. Fold and seal up the sides. Rest for 5 minutes.

9. Roll out the doughs. Cut strips using a scrapper.

10. Brush some butter onto one side.

11. Spread out the lines slightly.

12. Twist from both ends.

13. Turn into a floret. Seal the ends.

14. Coat the butter side with sesame seeds.

15. Let them rest for another 5 minutes.

16. Put into preheated oven. Bake at 120 degrees celsius for 10 minutes.

SAUSAGE AND MIXED PEAS BREAD

(From Y3K Recipes Issue No.7 – July/ August 2002)

Copyright of Y Three K Publisher. All rights reserved.

Ingredient A:
250g high protein flour
2 tbsps sugar
2 tbsps milk powder
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp bread improver
1/2 tsp salt

Ingredient B:
150ml water
1 tbsp instant yeast

Ingredient C:
10 sausages
300g grated Mozzarella cheese
1 egg (beaten)
1 bowl mixed peas
Chilli sauce (optional)
Tomato sauce (optional)
Mayonnaise (optional)

Method:
1. Mix well ingredient B. Put ingredient A into a food processor. Gradually add in ingredient B. Beat for 7-8 minutes.

2. Remove the dough from food processor. Divide into 50g portions. Roll into balls and cover with a piece of cling film. Let it proof for 10 minutes.

3. Roll out the doughs into 5 inches diameter.

4. Place in a piece of sausage to each piece of dough and roll up. Put onto a baking tray.

5. Snip with a pair of scissors as shown above. Press to the left and the right sides lightly. Leave the last 1cm uncut.

6. Let it proof for 30 minutes. Brush a layer of egg fluid on the surface.

7. Spread some mixed peas onto them, follow by grated cheese.

8. Preheat oven at 120¢J . Put in baking tray. Bake for about 10 minutes till the bread turns golden brown.
Brush a layer of butter on the surface of bread. Pipe on some chilli sauce, tomato sauce and mayonnaise if desired.