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Nonya Pancakes (Kudh Dadar Nonya)
Makes 8 pancakes.
Pancakes
1 large egg
1-1/2 cups water
1/4 cup milk
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 or 4 drops green food color
Filling
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon butter
Sauce
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Getting Ready
- In a bowl, blend egg, water, and milk with a wire whisk. Add flour
and salt; mix until smooth. Add color to tint batter pale green. Pour
batter through a strainer into a bowl.
- To make filling Melt butter in a wide frying pan over medium heat.
Add coconut and cook, stirring, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add water, brown sugar, vanilla, and nuts. Continue to cook until water
has evaporated and mixture is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
Cooking
- Heat a nonstick 8-inch frying pan over medium heat. Brush with about
1/4 teaspoon butter. Add 1/4 cup batter to pan; tilt pan in all directions
so batter covers entire surface. Cook until pancake is set and bottom
is lightly brown, about 2 minutes; turn over and cook until lightly
browned, about 1 minute longer. Remove from pan; repeat to make remaining
pancakes.
- To prepare sauce In a small pan, combine coconut milk, water, and
sugar. Cook, stirring, over medium--ow heat until sugar dissolves. Add
cornstarch solution and cook, stirring, until sauce bubbles and thickens
slightly. Remove sauce from heat.
- To assemble, place about 1/4 cup filling in center of each pancake.
Roll to enclose filling; place on a serving plate. Drizzle sauce over
pancakes; garnish with chopped nuts, if used.
Noodles In Rich Coconut Milk
(Laksa Lemak) Top
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Ingredients
8 ounces fresh Chinese egg noodles
4 ounces dried rice stick noodles
1/2 of a 14 oz. pac large regular tofu
Cooking oil for deep-frying
1 teaspoon cooking oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Spice Paste
1 stalk lemongrass
3 walnut-size shallots
2 fresh red jalapeno chilies, seeded
3 candlenuts or 6 almonds
1 teaspoon galangal powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon dried shrimp paste (blachan)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
4 cups water
1/4 cup soy sauce
Garnishes
1/4 pound bean sprouts, blanched
1/4 pound cooked medium shrimp
1 large chicken breast half, poached and shredded
1/2 of an English cucumber, cut into matchstick strips
2 fresh red jalapeno chilies, thinly sliced
Lemon or lime wedges
Getting Ready
- Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse, and
drain again. Soak rice stick noodles in warm water, for about 30 minutes;
drain.
- Drain tofu; cut into 1-inch cubes. Place between paper towels and
gently press out excess water. In a wok, heat oil for deep-fryingto
350*F. Deep-fry tofu. turning once, until golden on all sides, 3 to
4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- Place a nonstick 8- to 9-inch frying pan over medium heat until hot.
Brush with 1/2 teaspoon cooking oil. Add half of eggs and cook until
lightly browned on bottom and set on top, about 1 minute. Turn over
and cook for 5 seconds; remove from pan. Repeat with 1/2 teaspoon oil
and remaining egg. Roll omelets into cylinders and cut into 1/4-inch-wide
strips.
- Thinly slice bottom 6 inches of lemongrass. Place in a blender with
remaining spice paste ingredients and process until smooth.
Cooking
- Place a wok over medium-low heat. Add oil, swirling to coat sides.
Add spice paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add coconut milk and cook for 3 minutes. Add water and soy sauce.
- To serve, put noodles in a serving bowl.Pour soup over and arrange
garnishes decoratively on top.
Satay (Sate) Top
Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
Spice Paste
2 stalks lemongrass
4 walnut-size shallots
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon galangal powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce or 1/4 teaspoon salt
firm soy tofu cut into chunks
20 bamboo skewers
Satay Peanut Sauce (recipe follows)
Lettuce leaves
Sliced cucumber, onion, and red chili
Getting Ready
- Thinly slice bottom 6 inches of lemongrass. Place in a blender with
shallots, garlic, fennel seed, and water; process until smooth. Pour
into a medium bowl. Add brown sugar, cumin, coriander, turmeric, galangal,
and soy sauce; mix well.
- Cut meat across the grain into thin diagonal slices, then cut crosswise
into 2-inch pieces. Add soy chunks to spice paste and stir to coat.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or as long as overnight.
- Soak skewers in water for l5 minutes or until ready to use.
Cooking
- Thread pieces of soy chunks on each skewer. Place skewers on a preheated,
oiled grill. Cook, turning skewers frequently, until soy chunks are
seared, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Serve with satay sauce for dipping, and garnish with lettuce leaves,
cucumber, onion, and chili.
Note: This recipe has been modified to substitute firm soy chunks for
chicken. In Kuala Lumpur, Gopala Vegetarian Restaurant at 59 Jalan Thambipillai,
in Brickfields, serves a similiar dish which is very popular.
Satay Peanut Sauce (Kuah Kacang)
Top
Makes 2 cups.
Ingredients
Spice Paste
1 stalk lemongrass
1 walnut-size shallot
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon galangal powder
1/4 cup water
1 cup roasted peanuts
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1 cup water
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce or 1/2 teaspoon salt
Getting Ready
- Thinly slice bottom 6 inches of lemongrass. Place in a blender with
remaining spice paste ingredients and process until smooth.
- In a food processor, chop peanuts very fine.
Cooking
- Place a wok over medium-low heat until hot. Add oil, swirling to coat
sides. Add spice paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add water, peanuts, brown sugar, chili garlic sauce, and soy sauce;
stir until evenly blended. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer,
stirring frequently, until sauce is slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Serve with satay for dipping.
Fragrant Lentil Rice (Nasi Parpu)
Top
1/3 cup lentils
1 cup long-grain rice
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 walnut-size shallot, chopped
1 green onion, sliced
2-1/4 cups water
1/2 carrot, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
8 green beans, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons soy sauce or 1/2 teaspoon salt
Getting Ready
- Soak lentils in warm water to cover for 30 minutes; drain. Wash and
drain rice.
Cooking
- Heat oil in a 2-quart pan over medium heat. Add ginger, shallot, and
green onion. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Add lentils and rice; mix well. Add water and bring to a boil. Cook,
uncovered, until craterlike holes appear on the rice, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Add carrot and green beans; cover and continue
cooking until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
- Add soy sauce and mix well
Scented Rice (Nasi Minyak) Top
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 whole star anise
1 cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
2 cardamom pods, crushed
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon minced green onion or cilantro
2 tablespoons golden raisins
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
Getting Ready
- Wash and drain rice.
Cooking
- Melt butter with oil in a 2-quart pan over medium heat. Add ginger,
garlic, red onion, star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, and cardamom.
Cook, stirring. for 2 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, until lightly
toasted, about 2 minutes.
- Add water and coconut milk. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and
simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, 18 to 20 minutes.
- Place rice in a serving bowl and sprinkle with green onion, raisins,
and almonds.
Eggplant Sambal (Sambal Terong)
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Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
Spice Paste
2 teaspoons dried shrimp
2 walnut-size shallots
4 cloves garlic
3 fresh red jalapeno chilies, seeded
1/4 cup water
8 fresh basil leaves
3/4 pound Asian eggplants
4 tablespoons cooking oil
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup water
Getting Ready
- Soak dried shrimp in warm water to cover until softened, about 20
minutes; drain. Place in a blender with remaining spice paste ingredients
and process until, smooth.
- Cut 6 basil leaves into thin strips; set aside 2 whole leaves for
garnish.
- Cut eggplants into wedges about 1/2 inch wide and 2-1/2 inches long.
Cooking
- Place a wok over medium-low heat until hot. Add 2 tablespoons oil,
swirling to coat sides. Add spice paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant,
6 to 8 minutes. Add basil strips, coconut milk, hoisin sauce. sugar,
and salt to taste. Place in a bowl.
- Place a wok over medium-high heat until hot. Add remaining 2 tablespoons
oil and eggplant wedges; stir-fry until pieces are brown on outside,
3 to minutes, then add water. Reduce heat to medium; simmer, covered,
until tender-crisp, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Spoon sauce in center of a serving plate, arrange eggplant pieces
on top, and garnish with whole basil leaves.
Top
Mango Sambal
(Sambal Mangga) Top
Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste (blachan)
1 or 2 fresh red jalapeno chilies, seeded
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon plum sauce
1 firm-ripe mango (about 1 lb.)
Cooking
- Wrap shrimp paste in foil; place in a frying pan over medium heat
and toast for 1 minute on each side. Let cool.
- Place shrimp paste in a blender with chilies, sugar, salt, and plum
sauce. Process until smooth.
- Peel mango. Coarsely cut flesh into matchsticks. Add plum sauce
mixture and stir until mixed. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
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