Lontong

Ketupat

INGREDIENTS

6 stalks young

coconut leaf

185g unpolished

rice, soaked for an

hour and drained

METHOD

1. Slice each coconut leaf in half, lengthwise, to remove the centre vein.

2. Loop each half of the leaf around the second to fourth fingers on each hand to form three coils with one end of the leaf pointing down and the other up. The free ends should be about a third of the length of the leaf in each direction, and opposing on each hand - that is, if the leaf tip points up on the left hand, it should be pointing down on the right.

3. Starting with the outermost coil on the right hand, weave it under and over the outermost two coils on the left hand.

4. Weave the second coil on the right hand over and under the outermost two coils on the left hand.

5. Weave the innermost coil on the left under and over the two outermost coils from the right.

6. Weave the innermost coil on the right under, over and under the three left coils. Then weave the loose end on the top right corner around the reverse side in an alternate pattern.

7. Weave the loose end on the bottom left corner around the reverse side in an alternate pattern.

8. The loose ends should be paired and on opposing ends. Pull the ends to tighten.

9. Snip off a portion of a pair of ends and tuck the loose ends in. Fill rice into the casing at the other end to about three-quarters-full. Tighten. Repeat.

10. Knot the loose ends of the six ketupat together and immerse in a pot of boiling water. Allow the ketupat to boil for four hours, making sure that the water level covers the ketupat.

11. Remove the ketupat from the pot when done and set aside to cool.

Lontong gravy

INGREDIENTS

6 shallots

4 cloves garlic

5cm turmeric,

coarsely chopped

30g ikan bilis

11/4 litres water

1/2 carrot, sliced

100g turnip, cut to

bite-size chunks

5 stalks long bean, cut to bite-size lengths

100g cauliflower, cut to bite-size chunks

100g cabbage, coarsely chopped

15g glass vermicelli, soaked till soft and drained

100g beancurd sheets

50g bamboo shoots, sliced

5 button mushrooms, sliced

5 pieces black fungus, soaked till soft and drained

3 stalks baby corn, cut to bite-size lengths

1 small eggplant, sliced

1 piece tempeh, cut to bite-size chunks

2 squares firm beancurd, cut into quarters

400ml evaporated milk

1 fresh red chilli, sliced

salt to taste

METHOD

1. Pound the shallots, garlic, turmeric and ikan bilis in a mortar until a coarse paste forms.

2. Bring the water to a boil and stir in the paste. Bring the mixture to a boil again on high heat.

3. Add the carrot, turnip, long beans, cauliflower, cabbage, glass vermicelli, beancurd sheets, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, black fungus, baby corn and eggplant. Bring to a boil on medium heat.

4. Pan-fry the tempeh with a little oil until crisp. Remove and set aside.

5. Pan-fry the firm beancurd using the same pan from before without adding oil, until the surface chars a little.

6. Add the tempeh, firm beancurd and evaporated milk to the stew and bring to a boil again on medium heat.

7. Stir in the fresh red chilli and salt. Mix well.

The Straits Times 26/09/2009

Nasi Lemak (Lee Wee’s recipe)

Nasi Lemak

Serves five

Ingredients

370g rice, rinsed

625ml water

10 tsp thick coconut milk

3g salt

4g ginger, sliced

3 pandan leaves, knotted

Method

1. Put rice, water, coconut milk, salt, ginger and pandan leaves in an electric rice cooker. Mix well, cover and cook.

2. When the rice is done, stir it gently with a pair of chopsticks to fluff it up.

3. Serve with roasted peanuts, fried ikan bilis and cucumber slices on the side.

Sambal chilli

Ingredients

70g fresh red chilli

1 large red onion

6 cloves garlic

3 Tbs cooking oil

80g ikan bilis, ground to a fine powder

8g salt

18g sugar

Method

1. Blend fresh red chillies, red onion and garlic to form a smooth paste.

2. To a heated wok, add cooking oil and stir-fry the ground ikan bilis for about two minutes till fragrant.

3. Add the ground chilli paste, salt and sugar and stir-fry for another 15 minutes.

The Straits Times 26/09/2009

Laksa Nyonya (Mr JollyWee’s recipe)

Serves six

Ingredients

120g shallots

5g galangal

8g turmeric

30g lemongrass

10g white belacan,

available at wet markets

30g chilli paste

15g laksa leaves, chopped

6 Tbs cooking oil

20g dried prawns, soaked till soft and drained

200ml coconut milk

200ml water

200ml fresh milk

salt to taste

1kg laksa bee hoon, blanched

30g fishcake, sliced

50g cucumber, julienned

400g bean sprouts, blanched

6 medium-sized prawns,

boiled and shelled

6 tsp sambal chilli

2 Tbs chilli oil

Method

1. Blend shallots, galangal, turmeric, lemongrass, belacan, chilli paste and 5g laksa leaves until a smooth paste forms. Set aside.

2. Stir fry dried prawns in a heated wok without oil until the prawns are dry and crisp. Remove, cool, then blend to a coarse powder.

3. Stir fry the powdered prawn with 3 Tbs oil in a pot until fragrant.

4. Add the remaining oil and the blended spice paste. Mix well and stir fry over medium heat until fragrant.

5. Mix coconut milk with water and add to the pot. Pour in fresh milk and 5g laksa leaves. Cook the gravy over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring regularly. Add salt to taste.

6. To serve, place a portion of laksa bee hoon in a bowl and ladle the gravy over. Top with fishcake, cucumber, bean sprouts, prawn, sambal chilli, chilli oil and laksa leaves.

The Straits Times 26/09/2009

Bak Kut Teh (Ya Hua’s recipe)

Serves five

Ingredients

4 l water

400g pork bones

200g garlic, separated into small cloves but with skin intact

11/2 Tbs ground white pepper

11/2 Tbs rock sugar

21/2 Tbs salt

2kg pork ribs, washed and cut

into single ribs

1 Tbs dark soya sauce

Method

1. Bring water to a boil and add pork bones, garlic, pepper, rock sugar and salt. Bring to a boil again on high heat.

2. Add pork ribs and bring to a boil on high heat. Once it reaches a boil, lower the heat to medium. Allow pork ribs to cook for between 45 and 60 minutes.

3. To test if the pork ribs are done, poke the meat with the end of a chopstick. The meat should be soft.

4. Add dark soya sauce, stir well and if necessary, adjust the seasoning to taste.

5. Serve with a dipping sauce of cut fresh red chilli mixed with dark soya sauce.

The Straits Times 26/09/2009

Chicken Rice

Serves six people

INGREDIENTS
1 whole chicken, about 1kg, cleaned and with the skin removed from its neck and rear end
2Tbs Chinese cooking wine
3/4 tsp salt
4 cups rice, about 750g, rinsed and drained well
1Tbs sesame oil
8 slices ginger
3 cloves garlic, peeled, kept whole
12 fresh red chillies
1/2 tsp sugar
1 cucumber, washed and sliced

METHOD
1. Steam the chicken in a steamer for about 20 minutes till cooked. Retain the chicken stock which is formed when the meat juices seep into the water used for steaming. (photo B)
2. When the chicken has cooled slightly, rub Chinese cooking wine and 1/4 tsp of salt on both the outside and inside. (photo C)
3. Allow the chicken to cool completely before cutting it up into serving slices. Set aside.
4. Add sesame oil, four slices of ginger and rice to a heated wok. Stir fry the rice for around 12 minutes until it turns translucent and the moisture has evaporated from it. (photo D)
5. Transfer the rice to a rice cooker. Add five cups of the reserved chicken stock, 1/4 tsp of salt and two cloves of garlic, and cook the rice.
6. Blend the chillies with four slices of ginger and a clove of garlic.
7. To the chilli paste, stir in sugar and 1/4 tsp of salt.
8. Serve the chicken slices with the cucumber and chilli sauce on the side.

The Straits Times 27/07/2008

Chicken Rice

Chicken Rice (Boon Tong Kee’s recipe)

Serves five

Chicken

Ingredients

1 whole chicken weighing 1.6kg to 1.8kg

20g salt

20g old ginger, smashed

3 tsp shallot oil, drained from frying

shallots with oil

3 Tbs soya sauce

3 Tbs water

15g sugar

1 tsp sesame oil

Method

1. Place chicken in a pot, pour in enough water to cover the bird. Remove the chicken and bring the water to a boil.

2. Add salt and ginger to the boiling water. Bring to a boil again.

3. Hold the chicken by the neck, slowly immerse then lift it from the boiling water. Repeat five times.

4. Place it in the pot, cover and turn off the heat. Allow it to cook for about 45 minutes.

5. Remove the chicken and rinse under cold tap water for a few minutes until the inside is no longer too hot to touch.

6. Immerse the chicken in an ice bath and set aside for about 10 minutes or until it is cooled.

7. Cut it up into serving sizes.

8. Drizzle shallot oil over.

9. Dissolve the sugar in water then mix in soya sauce. Pour this mixture over the chicken before drizzling sesame oil over it.

Hainanese flavoured rice

Ingredients

700g Thai fragrant white rice

60g chicken fat, available from wet market poultry stalls

40g old ginger

40g shallots

20g garlic

900ml chicken stock

7g monosodium glutamate (optional)

5g chicken essence powder

3g sugar

10g salt

3 pandan leaves, tied into a knot

Method

1. Rinse rice, drain and set aside for 30 minutes before use.

2. Blend ginger, shallots and garlic to a smooth paste.

3. To a heated wok, stir fry the blended paste with chicken fat till fragrant.

4. Add the rice and stir fry until well mixed. Transfer to an electric rice cooker. Turn the rice cooker on.

5. Add chicken stock, monosodium glutamate, chicken essence powder, sugar and salt. Stir continuously until enough moisture has evaporated and the rice is no longer covered by stock.

6. Add pandan leaves, close the cooker lid and allow the rice to cook.

7. Wait five minutes after the cooker has automatically switched off when the rice has cooked, before turning on the cooker again. Re-heating the rice ensures that it is dry and fragrant.

Chilli sauce

Ingredients

60g fresh red chilli

30g chilli padi

10g dried red chilli, soaked till soft then drained

10g salt

15g ginger

10g shallots

7g garlic

4g monosodium glutamate (optional)

4g chicken essence powder

5g sugar

3ml vinegar

2ml sesame oil

10ml cooking oil

5ml lime juice

Method

1. Scald fresh red chilli and chilli padi briefly.

2. Blend fresh red chilli, dried red chilli and chilli padi until a smooth paste forms.

3. Place the chilli paste in a jar, mix well with salt and cover. Keep the jar in a cool, dark place for between 10 and 15 days. Mould may form naturally as part of the fermentation process.

4. Blend ginger, shallots and garlic to form a smooth paste.

5. Remove the layer of mould from the chilli paste and pour the remaining fermented paste into a pot.

6. Add the ginger-shallots-garlic paste, monosodium glutamate, chicken essence powder, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil and cooking oil. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over low heat, stirring regularly to prevent the paste from burning.

7. Turn off the heat when the mixture reaches about 90 deg C and leave to cool before adding lime juice. Mix well. If the paste is too thick, dilute with a little chicken stock.

The Straits Times 26/09/2009

Chilli crab

Chilli crab (Dragon Phoenix’s recipe)

Serves four

Ingredients

30g ginger

70g fresh red chilli

50g chilli padi

800g to 1kg Sri Lankan crab, live

1l chicken stock

12ml white vinegar

1/2 tsp lemon juice

30g sambal chilli

30g bottled chilli sauce

30g tomato ketchup

1 egg

4tsp sugar

1Tbs cooking oil

Method

1. Blend ginger, fresh red chilli and chilli padi until a smooth paste forms. Set aside.

2. Kill the crab, remove the top shell and chop the body into quarters.

3. Bring the chicken stock to a boil and add the crab.

4. When the crustacean starts turning red, add the chilli paste, white vinegar, lemon juice, sambal chilli, chilli sauce and tomato ketchup.

5. Stir-fry the mixture over medium heat until the sauce mix reduces to a thick gravy.

6. Add egg white, sugar and oil and mix well.

The Straits Times 26/09/2009