AYAM KARI

1 INCH PIECE GALANGAL, SLICED
6 SHALLOTS, SLICED
2 MACADAMIA NUTS
5 STALKS LEMONGRASS,BOTTOM 4 INCHES, WHITE PART, SLICED THIN
5 CLOVES GARLIC,SLICED
2 MEDIUM ONIONS,SLICED
1/2 TSP TURMERIC
4 DRIED CHILLIES
1 TSP BELACAN,TOASTED
1 TSP SALT
1 TSP SUGAR
1/4 TSP PEPPER
1/4 CUP WATER
1/3 CUP VEGETABLE OIL
3 POUNDS BONELESS CHICKEN PARTS, SUCH AS BREASTS AND THIGHS
3 KAFFIR LIME LEAVES
2 CUPS CHICKEN BROTH
1/2 CUP "THICK" COCONUT MILK
1 TBSP LEMON JUICE
1/4 CUP MINT LEAVES,FOR GARNISH

PROCEDURE:

5) GARNISH WITH THE MINT LEAVES. SERVE WARM WITH STEAMED RICE.

PROCEDURE:

Procedure:

1) MARINATE THE CHICKEN PIECES IN THE REST OF THE INGREDIENTS FOR 8
HOURS, COVERED.

AYAM TEMPERA

2 TBSPS SOYA SAUCE
400 G ONION, FINELY SLICED
30 G FRESH RED CHILLI, FINELY SLICED
1.2 KG CHICKEN, SKINNED AND CUT INTO 10 PIECES
1 TBSP SUGAR
2 TBSPS THICK BLACK SOYASAUCE
4 TBSPS FRESH LOCAL LIME JUICE
250 ML WATER

PROCEDURE:

1) IN A NON-STICK FRYING PAN OR WOK, HEAT OIL OVER MODERATE HEAT AND FRY ONIONS AND CHILLI FOR 2 MINUTES.

2) ADD CHICKEN PIECES AND FRY 10 MINUTES LONGER, STIRRING OCCASIONALLY. ADD SUGAR AND FRY FOR 2 MINUTES.

3) ADD THE SOYASAUCE, LIME JUICE AND WATER, SIMMER, UNCOVERED UNTIL THE CHICKEN IS TENDER AND THE SAUCE IS SLIGHTLY THICKENED

AYAM PONGTEH

3 SHALLOTS, SLICED
1-INCH PIECE GINGER, SLICED
5 CLOVES GARLIC,SLICED
2 CUPS WATER
5 TBSPS VEGETABLE OIL
1 TSP BLACK SOY SAUCE
1 TBSP GROUND BROWN BEAN PASTE
3 POUNDS CHICKEN PARTS, CUT INTO 20 PIECES, WITH OR WITHOUT BONE
1/2 TSP SALT
1 TBSP SUGAR OR MORE TO TASTE
1 POTATO, PEELED AND CUT INTO 1-INCH CUBES

PROCEDURE:

SAMBAL SOTONG

500 G LARGE SQUIDS, CLEANED AND SKINNED, CUT INTO HALF
2 TSP SHRIMP PASTE
12 DRIED CHILLIES, SOAKED UNTIL SOFT, SEEDED
10 SHALLOTS
3 CLOVES
GARLIC
2 TSPS OF SOYA SAUCE
2 ONIONS, CUT
1 LEMON GRASS, BRUISED
WATER
4 TSPS OF TAMARIND MIXED WITH WATER AND STRAINED
2 TSPS OF PALM SUGAR

PROCEDURE:

5) STIRRING FREQUENTLY, COOK FOR 2-3 MINUTES, UNTIL JUST
DONE. DON'T OVERCOOK -- THE SQUID TOUGHENS EASILY.

SAMBAL UDANG

15 DRIED CHILLIS, SOAKED AND SEEDED
10 SHALLOTS
4 CLOVES GARLIC
1/2 PIECE GINGER
1 TSP SHRIMP PASTE
2 TBSPS SOYA OIL
150G ONIONS, FINELY SLICED
500 G PRAWNS, PEELED AND CLEANED
1 TOMATO, QUARTERED
1 TSP SUGAR
2 TBSPS TAMARIND MIXED WITH 125 ML WATER AND STRAINED

PROCEDURE:

1) POUND TOGETHER: CHILLIS, SHALLOTS, GARLIC, GINGER AND SHRIMP PASTE.

2) HEAT OIL IN A WOK AND ADD POUNDED INGREDIENTS AND ONION SLICES. FRY OVER MODERATE HEAT FOR 4 MINUTES, UNTIL ONIONS ARE SOFTENED AND THE GROUND INGREDIENTS ARE FRAGRANT.

3) ADD THE PRAWNS AND FRY FOR 1 MINUTE, UNTIL THEY BEGIN TO TURN PINK; ADD THE TOMATO, SUGAR AND TAMARIND ANS SIMMER GENTLY UNTIL THE PRAWNS ARE JUST DONE.

UDANG MASAK NANAS

3-4 HOT RED DRIED CHILLIES, TO TASTE, SEEDED
5 MACADAMIA NUTS
1/4 TSP TUMERIC
1/4 TSP BELACAN, TOASTED
1/2 INCH PIECE GALANGAL, SLICED
1 MEDIUM ONION, SLICED
1/4 TSP SALT
1 CUP "REGULAR" COCONUT MILK
2 TBSPS CORN OIL
1/4 CUP WATER
2 STALKS LEMON GRASS, BOTTOM 5 INCHES, CRACKED
2 CUPS CUBED FRESH RIPE PINEAPPLE (1-INCH PIECES)
1 POUND MEDIUM SHRIMP, PEELED AND DEVEINED

PROCEDURE:

NONYA BAK CHANG

Glutinous Rice (to be soaked for 2 hours. Drain and add salt)
Dried Shrimps (soaked in hot water)
Dried Chinese Mushrooms (soaked in hot water and sliced)
Sweet Winter Melon Strips (cut into small pieces)
Minced Pork (to be marinated with chopped onions, soya sauce, sugar, salt, pepper and corn flour)
Garlic (chopped)
Chestnut (to be boiled and peeled)
Dried Bamboo Leaves (to be wet)
String

Filling:
1. Grease a big wok and fry the garlic until light brown.
2. Squeeze the dried prawns free of water and add them in the wok. Fry.
3. Add the mushrooms. Fry.
4. Add the minced pork. Fry, occasionally adding the water used from soaking the dried prawns and the mushrooms.
5. Add dark soya sauce, sugar and pepper to your liking. Fry until the filling is almost dry.

Methods: 1. Wrap some glutionous rice using bamboo leaves. Each dumpling has to look like little 3D pyramids. First, grease the right side of the leaves and fold in such a way so that you get a pocket.
2. Hold firmly. Scoop 2 tablespoonfuls of rice and put it into the pocket, carefully making sure that they are spread against the sides.
3. Scoop in about 3 or more spoonfuls of the filling. Press to make sure it is compact.
4. Follow this with another 2 tablespoonfuls of rice, again making sure the dumpling is compact before wrapping.
5. Close the "lid" of the "pocket", folding both sides down and lastly, fold the tip. Tie the dumpling tight with a string.
6. After wrapping all the dumplings, submerge them into a big pot of boiling water and boil for about 1 hour 30 minutes. After that, let them drip dry.

NONYA LAKSA

750g fresh rice Vermicelli (laksa noodles), scalded & drained
1 or 2 boxes Kara coconut milk
100 ml oil
1 tbsp coriander powder or fish curry powder
35 g dried prawns, softened and ground
300 g medium-sized prawns
2 fish cakes, sliced
5 sprigs Vietnamese mint (daun kesom), stalks removed
150 g bean sprouts, scalded briefly and drained
1/2 cucumber, skinned, seeded and cut into strips
8 red chillies, ground'
1/2 tsp salt
sugar, to taste (optional)

1 whole garlic
2 or 3 medium onions
1 tsp shrimp paste (belacan)
1/2 thumb-sized tumeric (kunyit)
3 slices galangal (lengkuas)
3 candlenuts (buah keras)
10 dried red chillies, soaked in water to soften
1 stalk lemon grass (serai)
What to do:

Heat oil in a large pot.
Fry spice paste till oil separates.
Add coriander powder, followed by dried prawns.
Stir-fry for a few minutes and transfer spice paste to a pot.
Add coconut milk and 2 cups of water.
Bring to a boil.
Simmer for a few more minutes before adding prawns, vietnamese mint leaves and simmer till red oil surfaces.
Season to taste with salt and sugar.

TULANG BABI MASAK PEDAS

Using a pair of scissors, trim visible fat from 1 kg pork ribs, already chopped into small pieces.
Place pork in a pot and pour boiling water over it to rid it of surface fat and scum. Discard the water and leave pork aside.
Place generous half cup of titek mixture (made from processing 1 large onion, 4 chillies and 1 Tbs belacan together) in a pot with about 8 cups of water. Add 1 tsp turmeric powder and 1 Tbs galangal powder (or 7-8 slices of fresh galangal, pounded fine). Boil for about 30 minutes.
Add 2 tsps sugar and 1 Tbs salt (or to taste). Then add the pork ribs. Bring gravy to the boil again and then reduce heat to simmering.
In the meantime, chop a bundle of kelur (about 600 g) into 6-cm lengths. Add vegetable to the pot. It does not take long to cook. When pork is tender, the dish is ready. Serve hot with plenty of rice and freshly-pounded sambal chilli on the side.

TEE HAR CHA REBONG

CLEAN one whole pig's lung (about 500g) by rubbing it thoroughly with salt, then washing it with lots of running water. Trim off the tough bits.

Place whole lung in a pot of water with the windpipe hanging over the edge to drain out into an empty pot. Bring pot to the boil, and then simmer for 20 - 25 minutes, allowing the scum in the lung to drain out through the windpipe.

When the water drains out clear and clean, the lung is clean. Remove lung; leave to cool and cut into strips. In the meantime, place the 200 g piece of belly pork in another pot and just cover with water. Bring to the boil. Remove meat. When cool, cut the pork into strips. Keep pork stock aside for use later.

Heat 4 Tbs of oil in a wok. When oil is hot, brown 1 tsp chopped garlic, 2 Tbs of ginger strips and 2 Tbs of soya bean paste (tou cheow) till fragrant.

Add the lung and the pork strips, mix thoroughly, then, two tins of winter bamboo shoots, first cut into thin strips. Stir well, adding some of the pork stock from time to time if it all seems to be too dry.

Season mixture with 2 tsp sugar and 1 Tbs light soya sauce, or taste, stirring all the time to prevent burning.

Keep frying over low heat till strips are brown and flavoured intensely. Serve either hot or at room temperature with white rice or crusty bread, and yes, those fresh green chillies. And remember, they must be snapped and never sliced.

NONYA CAP CHYE

Ingredients: (for 10, as part of a meal)
1/2 cup of lily buds (kim chiam)
1/2 cup black cloud's ears (bok gee)
1/2 cup bean threads (tang hoon)
10 dried Chinese mushrooms
300 g belly pork
300 g medium prawns
1/2 cup brown soya bean paste (tau cheow)
2 Tbs chopped garlic
1 medium head of cabbage (quartered)
Oil to fry
Salt and sugar to taste
Black soya (optional)

Method:

1. Soak dried ingredients in a basin of water -- -1/2 cup each of lily buds (kim chiam), black cloud's ears (bok gee) and bean threads (tang hoon), 5 pieces sweet bean curd sheets (tau kee) and 2 lengths of soya bean sticks. Soften then drain.

2. Cut off the hard bits from the kim chiam and the bok gee. Cut the soya bean sticks and sheets into bite-sized pieces.

3. In a separate bowl, soak 10 dried Chinese mushrooms. When softened, cut into half and reserve soaking water.

4. Boil 300 g belly pork in 4 cups of water till it comes to the boil. Remove meat from pot, slice and reserve stock. Peel 300 g medium prawns. Reserve flesh and boil shells in pork stock till they turn pink. Strain and reserve stock.

5. Heat 4 Tbs oil in a wok large enough to accommodate the ingredients. Saute -1/2 cup brown soya bean paste (tau cheow) and 2 Tbs chopped garlic till fragrant.

6. Add pork and brown, then add all the dried ingredients except the bean threads. Continue to fry till lightly browned, before adding the stock and mushroom water.

7. Cook over a medium fire till ingredients soften, then add 1 medium head of cabbage (quartered) prawns and finally the bean threads.

8. Add 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar or to taste. Simmer till tender, adding more water if it seems too dry or a swirl of black soya sauce if it seems too pallid.

SAYUR LODEH

300 grammes (10 oz) jicama
300 grammes (10 oz) long beans
240 grammes (8 oz) French beans
300 grammes (10 oz) cabbage
4 hard bean curd cakes
180 grammes (6 oz) small prawns, peeled
60 grammes (One-and-a-half oz) galangal, peeled and smashed
One lemon grass, cleaned and smashed
One cup dried prawns, washed, soaked and pounded or ground
20 shallots, peeled
2 tsp shrimp paste (belacan)
One-and-a-half to two coconuts, grated or one-and-a-half cups processed coconut milk
6 cups water
2 tsp salt
One tsp sugar
6-10 dried chillies
One cup vegetable oil

Directions

Cut cabbage into bite-sized pieces. String French beans and cut into finger lengths diagonally. Cut long beans into finger lengths. Peel jicama and shred into finger lengths.
Soak dried chillies till soft for half hour in warm water. Pound till fine. Cut each bean curd diagonally. Place wok over high heat and when smoking, add oil. When hot, deep fry the bean curd cakes till golden. Drain. Remove all but 6 Tbs oil and stir fry the pounded chillies till fragrant. Keep aside.
Mix coconut with half cup water and squeeze for thick milk. Set aside. Mix with remaining water and squeeze fot thin milk. Or mix half cup processed coconut milk with water.
Pound or grind shallots and shrimp paste coarsely.
Place thin coconut milk in a suacepan and turn on high heat. Add shallot mixture, dried prawns, galangal and lemon grass. When boiling, add jicama, long beans, French beans, cabbage and prawns. When boiling again, add bean curd and seasoning. Add thick coconut milk and chillies and oil mixture. Boil 10 minutes and serve.

NONYA MEE SIAM SAMBAL

water for scalding vermicelli
1 packet coarse rice vermicelli (Hokkien: bee hoon)
250 9 beansprouts
100 g Chinese chives (Hokkien: koo chye)
500 9 small prawns
3 tablespoons oil
4 firm soybean cakes (Hokkien: taukwa)
5 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, sliced
250 millilitres water
2 tablespoons tamarind powder mi e
4 hardboiled eggs, sliced
Rempah
5 tablespoons dried prawns (pounded separately)
5 large onions
4 cloves garlic
6 candlenuts
20 dried chillies
3 tablespoons belacan powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Gravy
2 litres water
4 tablespoons tamarind powder
3 tablespoons fried rempah (see method)
2 tablespoons preserved soy beans (Hokkien: taucheo), mashed a little
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 coconut, grated
150 millilitres water

Directions

Boil a large kettle of water and scald vermi- celli for 10 minutes, longer if necessary to soften until strands are pliable and soft to the touch. Wash and tail beansprouts. Cut chives into 4 cm lengths. Wash and drain. Wash and peel prawns. Heat 3 tablespoons oil and fry firm soybean cakes until brown. Cut into pieces 1 x2x 1/2 cm.

Sambal Heat 5 tablespoons oil and fry pounded dried prawns for 3 minutes. Add all other rempah ingredients except sugar and salt and fry until oil seeps out again. Add sugar and salt and stir once. Remove about half the amount of rempah and put aside. In remaining rempah, add sliced onion and fry for 2 minutes. Add prawns and tamarind liquid and simmer for five minutes. Remove and set aside.

How to Fry Vermicelli Putting all but 3 tablespoons of the reserved rempah in a kwali, fry vermicelli and bean- sprouts for 8-10 minutes, stirring all the time until cooked. Moisten occasionally with tamarind liquid from the gravy allow- ance if vermicelli gets dry during frying. Add about 3 tablespoons of fried soybean pieces and half the chives to this fried vermicelli. Dish up and arrange on a large plate with sliced hardboiled eggs, remaining chives and remaining soybean pieces for garnish.

Gravy Bring tamarind liquid to a boil. Put all ingre- dients in. Adjust seasoning to suit your taste. Serve Mee Siam with sambal prawns and as much gravy as each person wants from a gravy boat.

KUEH DADAR PANDAN

half teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon oil
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
225g flour
1 tablespoon sago flour
565g grated fresh coconut, white, for No.1 milk
2 teaspoon Pandan flavouring

Directions

1. Squeeze grated coconut to get No.1 milk, should get 225ml. Set aside. Add 455ml water to grated coconut and squeeze again to obtain 225ml No.2 milk. Set aside.
2. Blend the two types of coconut milk together with other ingredients and mix till smooth. Strain into another bowl. Add pandan flavouring. Stir well. Let stand for half hour.

3. Heat a non-stick pan. When hot, remove pan from heat and grease base. Pour enough batter to cover the base of the pan thinly. Fry pancake till edges curl slightly upwards.

4. Pile pancakes on a plate to cool before filling.

5. Fill each pancake with 2 tablespoonfuls of coconut filling. fold to enclose filling, then roll

COCONOUT RICE BALLS (KELEPON)

1½ cups glutinous powder
¾ cup lukewarm water
2-3 drops green food coloring
8 tsp. grated Java dark brown sugar
1 cup fresh-grated coconut, mixed with ½ tsp. salt

Directions

Mix the rice powder with the lukewarm water and green food coloring into a firm but flexible dough.
Pull off one full teaspoon of the dough and shape it into a ball with approximately 1-inch in diameter.

Push a finger into the center of the ball to make a hole, and put in approximately ½ tsp. of the grated sugar. Seal, and roll it back into the ball shape with the palms of your hands. Prepare all the balls and set them aside.

Prepare a pot half filled with water and bring it to a boil.

Drop the balls into the boiling water. Remove the balls with a spoon once they float to the water surface and then roll the balls in the grated coconut.

Serve at room temperature. Makes 30 rice balls.

BUBUR CHACHA (BOBOCHACHA)

300g yam (taro as it's known in California) - remove skin and cubed
300g sweet potatoes (sometimes known as yam in California) - remove skin and cubed
coconut milk - from one coconut.
Pandan (screwpine leaves) - a few leaves crushed and tie into a knot.
Sugar.
Salt.

Directions

Cover yam and sweet potatoes with just enough water and bring to a boil, add pandan, reduce heat and cook till yam is soft. add sugar and a pinch of salt. When sugar is dissolved, add and stir in coconut milk, remove from heat. Do not boil the milk. Served hot or cold from the fridge. (adjust thickness by adding water or coconut milk)

SAGO PUDDING

8 oz. of sago (half a packet)
6 oz. of sugar (variably)
6 oz. coconut milk
32 oz. of water
Pandan leaves (optional)
Fruits (optional, you could have bananas, honey melon, water melon, or canned peaches)

NONYA FISH HEAD CURRY

Brinjal
Ladies' fingers
Tomatoes
Green and Red chillies
Curry leaves
Curry powder
Coconut milk
Tamarind juice
Garlic
Shallots (or small red onion)
Tumeric
Chili powder
Lemon grass
Gelangal
Don't forget the fishhead!

1. Ground shallots, garlic and tumeric.
Crush lemon grass and gelangal.
Prepare coconut milk and tamarind juice.
Slice diagonally brinjal and ladies' fingers, quarter tomatoes.

2. Heat oil and fry grounded shallots, galic and tumeric till fragrant.
Add in lemon grass, gelangal, curry powder, curry leaves and chili
powder, fry briefly. Take care not to burn the ingredients.

3. Add in tamarind juice, half of the coconut milk, ladies' fingers
brinjal, some salt and let it cook, when half cooked, add in fishhead,
tomatoes and green and red chillies. When it's cooked, add in the
rest of the coconut milk, remove from heat before it start to boil

NONYA LAKSA

Shollots )
Candle nuts )
Garlic ) make a paste
Tumeric )
Dried Chillies )

dried shrimps
lemon grass - bruised
laos - bruised
tomatoes
fish sauce
fried bean curd (tao pok) - quartered up
laksa leaves - absolutely crucial
fish balls (or sliced boiled chicken)
cockles - fresh
stock
salt
prawns
coconut milk
thick rice noodle (spaghetti noodle is a great replacement)

Boil shrimp and devein, shell and set aside.
(boil chicken, remove bones, skin and slice into desired size)
soak rice noodle in hot water. boil briefly if necessary.
Fry paste in oil, add dried shrimp and fry till fragrant.
add stock, lemon grass, laos and bring to boil.
Add tao pok, fish balls, coconut milk and cook..
Season with salt and fish sauce. Add tomatoes,
cook a further few minutes and the sauce it's ready.

Briefly cook cockles in the sauce before serving.
Put noodles in bowl, add sauce together with tao pok,
fish balls/chicken and chopped laksa leaves and serve
hot.

TAHU TELOR

eggs, beaten
smooth, firm tahu (beancurd), cubed
peper
salt
lettuce sliced fine
cucumber sliced fine
bean sprouts

for sweet sacues:

Indonesian sweet soya sauce
chili sauce (to taste)

Beat eggs, add peper and salt . Heat oil in pan, fry tahu till a little crispy,
then pour in egg mixture.

Arrange lettuce, cucumber and bean sprouts on plate, put tahu on top and pour
sauce over.

Served as a salad.

ASSAM PRAWNS

Shelled prawns,Lemon grass,Galangal, Tamarind Juice, Curry leaves, Pineapple, Sugar,Salt, Lemon/orange juice

Ground the following:

6 shallots or 1 red onion, 3 cloves garlics, 4 candle nuts,Kunjit (Yellow Ginger), Terasi (Shrimp paste), Fresh chilies, Soaked dried chilies

Fry ground ingredients in a little oil till fragrant, add tamarind juice, lemon grass,

curry leaves and sliced galangal. Add the prawns, pineapple and season with

sugar and salt. When prawn is just cooked, turn off heat and add in fresh juice.

NONYA BEEF RENDANG

beef cut into big cubes, shredded coconut, pan fried till brown, cocount milk,lime leaves,tumeric leaves

rempah:

onions, dried and fresh chillies, ginger, lemon grass
galangal, garlic

seasoning:

dark soya sauce, salt, msg, palm sugar

marinade:

tamarind juice, salt,palm sugar,msg

Marinade cubed beef for several hours.

Fry rempah with hot oil till fragrant, add the rest of the ingredients
together with the beef.

Pour in coconut milk and simmer half covered for about one hour
till done. Stir it once in a while to prevent burning. The gravy should
be thick but not dry.

NONYA CHICKEN CURRY

fresh chillie )
dried chillie )
kunjit (yellow ginger) ) make a paste
galangal (blue ginger) ) (thai red curry paste can be used instead)
candle nuts )
garlic )

chicken, potatoes , lemon grass (bruised), curry leaves
curry powder, coconut milk(thin and thick), salt, sugar

Fry spice paste in oil till fragrant, add chicken, potatoes and thin coco milk.

Add lemon grass, curry powder, curry leaves.

When chicken and potatoes are done, add in thick coconut milk and season
with salt and sugar. Do not overboil the coconut milk to retain it's natural
flavour.

Served with French bread.

Assam skin and juice, garlic, chilli paste (mine's homemade, consist of shallots, chilli padi, garlic,serai and bua belamning - a sour fruit green in colour), salted leafy vegetables, dried chilli, whole fish, sugar, salt

1. Heat oil in pan and fry garlic till fragrant and golden brown.

2. Add salted vege and fry for a while till tender. Add assam skin, dried

chilli, assam juice and stir fry for a while.

3. Add fish in and cook till done.

4. Add salt and sugar to taste.

KUEH PULOT SERI KAYA

3 cup glutinous rice (sweet rice/sticky rice)
3 cups coconut milk
6 pandan leaves - extract juice
pinch of salt
1 1/2 sugar(or to taste)
green food coloring
1 tsp vanilla sugar or vanila essence
3 tablespoon flour
5 eggs

Method:

1. Cook glutinous rice in rice cooker with one cup coconut milk and pinch of salt. Use the usual recommended amount of water including the cocounut milk. No pre-soaking of rice is necessary.

2. Combine sugar and eggs and mix till sugar dissolves. Add and mix in the rest of the ingredients.

3. Get ready steamer.

4. Oil a metal baking container, put in cooked rice and compress the rice, then roughen the surface and pour in the liquid mixture.

5. Steam for about 10 - 15 minutes, break the cooked top layer and let the liquid flow to the top. Steam for a further 30 minutes.

6. Let it cool completely before attempting to cut.

5-6 turnips (cut into thin slices)

4-5 carrots (cut into thin slices)

1 tin bamboo shoots (also sliced thinly)

bowlful of beansprouts (roots removed)

1 Tbs minced garlic

1 Tbs minced ginger

2 Tbs mashed preserved soya beans (tau cheo)

Seasoning:

dark soya sauce,light soya sauce,oyster sauce,pepper

Ingredients for rolls:

lettuce,spring roll pastry (pohpiah skins), minced garlic

chillie sauce, thick sweet soya sauce

Ingredients for garnishings:

cooked cocktail prawns, omelette (sliced), cucumber (sliced) fried sliced tow kua (hard tofu)friend shallotscoriander leaves(Optional: friends who are good with knives to help with all the mincing and the slicing

Method for frying main ingredients:

1. Heat oil then add minced garlic, ginger and mashed tau cheo.

2. When fragrant and brown, add turnips, carrots and bamboo shoots

3. When ingredients are semi-soft and wet with the gravy, add beansprouts and seasoning to your taste.

4. Fry till gravy has dried and ingredients are all soft.

Method for making rolls:

1. Microwave packet of spring roll pastry or pohpiah skins (Must read instructions on packet. Overheating makes pastry toocrispy to roll!)

2. On a sheet of pastry, place lettuce and spread thick soya sauce, chillie and garlic over lettuce (lettuce helps to keep pastry dry)

3. Place enough main ingredients on lettuce (too much would make this into

"spring parcel" rather than spring roll)

4. Add garnishings

5. Use imagination and some dexterity to fold in edges of pastry and roll it.

Nasi Ulam

600g cooked rice, cold
20g dried shrimp
20g dried fish
40g shallots, diced finely
3 stalks mengkudu leaf
3 stalks kadok leaf
5 stalks pagaga leaf
5 stalks ulam raja leaf
3 stalks sekentut leaf
1 tbsp kerisik (fried ground coconut)
1 tsp black pepper
1 stalk lemon grass, sliced

Method: Stir-frying

1. Wash and clean all the greens, including the lemongrass, and slicefinely.
2. Fry the dried shrimps without oil and grind.
3. Break up any lumps in the cold rice and mix well with all the other ingredients, making sure that the rice does not stick together.
4. Add seasoning to taste.

AYAM CINCHALOK

Stir-fried dish, 50 minutes to prepare, 40 minutes to cook, serves six
180ml cooking oil
15 shallots, peeled and sliced
7 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1kg chicken breast, cut into pieces
140g preserved shrimps (cencaluk), juice drained
3 kaffir lime leaves
400ml tamarind juice, extracted from 100g tamarind pulp and 400ml water
3 3/4 tbsp sugar
3 red chillies, halved lengthways, seeded and cut into three pieces
3 green chillies, halved lengthways, seeded and cut into three pieces

Method:
Heat the cooking oil and sauté shallots and garlic until crisp. Drain and set aside.

In the same oil, fry the finely ground paste until aromatic. Add the chicken, preserved shrimps and lime leaves.

Add the tamarind juice. Season with sugar. Cook until the gravy thickens.

Stir in chillies and half of the crisp-fried shallots and garlic.

Garnish with the remaining crisp-fried shallots and garlic just before serving.Chef’s note: Taste the gravy first before adding salt as some brands of preserved shrimps can be extremely salty.

400g glutinous rice flour
1 1/2 tbsp cornflour
150g steamed sweet potato, mashed
5 tbsp castor sugar
3 tbsp corn oil

Combine
250ml boiling water
A little orangy red colouring (mix a little of red and orange colouring)
Banana leaves trimmed into small round circles to line the angkus, lightly oiled.

Filling
400g split, skinned mung beans (green beans), wash and soak overnight, drain well.
300g castor sugar
2 tbsp corn oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt

Add mung beans and salt and stir-fry until it doesn’t stick to the sides of the pan. Remove and set aside to cool. Divide into small equal balls for the filling. Refrigerate until required.

The skin
Put sifted ingredients and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre, add sweet potatoes, corn oil and coloured water. Mix and knead into a shiny and pliable dough.

Divide dough into equal portions. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten slightly. Place some filling in each piece of dough. Pinch and seal the edges to form round shapes.

Lightly dust angku mould with glutinous rice flour. Press the base of filled dough into the mould. Knock or tap mould lightly on the surface of the table to dislodge the angku.

Place angku on oiled banana leaf circles and steam, covered, over rapid boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the lid from the steamer and continue to steam for a further 6 to 7 minutes or until cooked.Remove and brush lightly with corn oil. An angku mould has three different patterns. Use the angku or peach-shaped pattern

Ingredients:
(A) Mix these ingredients together and leave aside to soak for 10 minutes:

500g rice flour
25g glutinous rice
300ml coconut water
(B) Mix these ingredients, leave aside for 15 minutes. Cook over low flame until it turns gluey to make "Ebu":
50g rice flour
150ml water
(C) Mix these ingredients and leave aside to froth:
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tbsp instant yeast
(D)
160ml pati santan

Note: If you do not have the apom mould, you can use a 15cm-diameter, non-stick pan.

Sauce ingredients:
(A)

75g brown sugar
50g gula Melaka
175ml water
3 pandan leaves
(B) Mix these ingredients together and allow the rice to expand:
2 tbsp glutinous rice flour
25ml water
(C)
50ml pati santan
1/4 tsp salt

Ingredients:
1kg ikan belanak (mugilidae)
200g young ginger
100g garlic
3 red chillies
3 green chillies
2 inches fresh turmeric
100ml vinegar
salt and sugar to taste
oil for frying

Remove seeds and cut chillies into quarters.

Pound turmeric and fry in 4 tbsp oil until colour is absorbed into oil. Fry sliced ginger and garlic till golden brown. Add vinegar, salt and sugar to taste. Add red and green chillies and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Reduce heat further and ease in the fried fishes.Cover kuali and turn off the fire.Remove cover and let the dish cool before storing.

Ingredients:
200g salt fish (flesh only)
Ground finely:
20g coriander (ketumbar)
5g fenugreek (halba)
5g fennel (jintan manis)
5g cummin (jintan putih)
10 dried chillies (remove seeds and soak in water)
2 inches fresh turmeric
10 shallots
3 pips garlic
3 cloves
3 star anise
3 tbsp vinegar
120g sugar
2 stalks curry leaves
oil for cooking

Add salt fish, vinegar, curry leaves, salt and sugar to taste. Reduce heat and simmer for another half hour. Cool and store in air-tight jar.

Ingredients:
400g ikan merah (red snapper)
(A)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Maggi Ikan Bilis granules
A dash of pepper
(B) -- Spice Ingredients pound together
3 fresh red chillies, seeded
3 cm lengkuas
2 cm fresh turmeric root
or replace with 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
5 buah keras (candlenuts)
2 stalks serai (lemon grass) -- sliced thinly
10 shallots
4 cloves garlic
(C)
1 tbsp chilli boh
1 tsp Maggi belacan powder
1/2 tbsp rice f1our
1 tbsp cornflour

Ingredients:
600g beef topside, cube

Grind together:
4 tbsp chilli boh
7 shallots
5 cloves garlic
4cm piece ginger
2 onions
4 stalks lemon grass, finely slice
3cm piece galangal
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp fennel powder
1 litre thick coconut milk (extract from four grated coconuts)
1 litre water
1/2 cup kerisik (pounded dry-fried grated coconut)
1 tbsp finely-shredded daun limau purut (lime leaves)

Method:
Combine beef, coconut milk, water and ground ingredients in a deep saucepan. Simmer over low heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until beef turns tender. Add kerisik and continue to cook until the gravy turns thick and dry. Add seasoning and daun limau purut. Cook until beef is almost dry.

MY mother-in-law loves chutney and she has requested that I get a favour from you to share its recipe with us.

KARI KAPITAN UDANG
Curry Kapitan Prawns

Ingredients:
750g large prawns
1 tomato, quartered
1 green chilli, seeded and cut into big slanting slices
3 tbsp oil
1 onion, diced
2 stalks lemon grass, lightly smashed
1 stalk curry leaf

Grind
2cm piece fresh turmeric
3 candlenuts (buah keras)
½ tsp belacan granules
10 shallots
3 cloves garlic

Combine with:
2 tbsp chilli boh
1 tbsp fish curry powder
½ cup thick coconut milk
1 cup thin coconut milk
Juice of 1 large lime

Method:
Trim prawns and cut a slit at the back of prawns. Set aside. Heat oil in a microwave-safe casserole, fry onion, lemon grass, curry leaves and ground ingredients, uncovered on Power High for 2 to 3 minutes. Add a little thick coconut milk and stir well once in between frying.

Pour in thin coconut milk and cook uncovered on Power Medium High for 6 to 7 minutes.

Add prawns and remaining thick coconut milk, tomato and green chilli. Cook on Power Medium High, covered for 4 to 5 minutes. When curry boils, add lime juice and seasoning to taste.

Ingredients
600–700g siakap or garoupa fish
Enough oil for deep-frying
Sauce ingredients
5 tbsp lime juice
4 fresh red chillies
4 bird’s eye chillies (cili padi)
2 tbsp sweet plum sauce
1 tbsp chilli sauce
1/2 tbsp belacan stock granules Seasoning
4 tbsp castor sugar
Pinch of monosodium glutamate
1/2 tsp salt or to taste

Garnishing
Finely sliced kaffir lime leaves

Lower the heat to medium and fry fish in the hot oil until it turns crispy and golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on crumpled kitchen paper.

Whiz all the sauce ingredients in a blender until fine and well combined. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wok and sauté the blended ingredients over a low heat until fragrant and oil rises to the top. Add seasoning to taste and simmer for 3–4 minutes.

Pour the sauce over the fried fish and serve immediately with a sprinkling of finely sliced kaffir lime leaves.

Ingredients:
This is a main course salad with plenty of bite and vibrant flavours. 4 pcs firm white tofu
250 g block tempe
1 cup (250 ml) oil for frying
3 cups coarsely shredded green cabbage
300 g long beans, cut into 4 cm lengths
300 g beansprouts
1 small jicama (sengkuang), peeled and cut into thin strips
1 small cucumber, cut into thin strips
4 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and quartered

Spicy peanut sauce
150 g peanuts
2 tbsp oil
2 fresh red chillies, cut into 3 cm lengths
5 bird chillies
4 shallots, peeled and thickly sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and thickly sliced
1 tsp crumbled shrimp paste *
100 g finely chopped palm sugar
2 level tsp salt
1 rounded tbsp tamarind paste( squeeze well with the fingers and discard seeds)
300 ml water

3. Arrange salad ingredients in a large serving platter or in individual bowls. Serve peanut sauce separately.

4. To make peanut sauce: Toast peanuts by 'dry frying' in a wok over low heat (about 20 minutes or until lightly browned). Stir nuts every now and again to prevent nuts from burning. Cool peanuts for 10 minutes before whizzing up finely in a chopper/food processor. Alternatively, pound in a mortar and pestle. (It is not necessary to remove the papery brown skins before grinding.) 5. Heat oil in a small pan and fry the chillies, shallots and garlic for about 3 minutes or until their edges are brown. Add shrimp paste, frying over low heat for another 2 minutes. (Be warned: the shrimp paste will stink to high heaven!)

6. Take pan off heat and cool slightly before putting contents of pan into a chopper/food processor together with the palm sugar and tamarind juice. Whiz finely.

7. Combine this mixture with the chopped peanuts, adding enough cool boiled water to get a thick sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings(adding salt or additional white sugar to taste). The sauce tends to thicken upon standing - thin down with a little water if necessary.

Gula Melaka syrup (A)

250g gula Melaka (palm sugar)
50g soft brown sugar
500ml water
2 pandan leaves, shredded and knotted

B
100g tapioca flour
180g rice flour
450ml water
1 tsp alkaline water
1/2 a grated coconut, use only the white of the coconut
1/2 tsp salt

Spoon batter into greased small Chinese teacups. Steam over rapid boiling water for about 15 minutes.

Mix grated white coconut with salt and steam for 4 – 5 minutes. Remove and spread on a big plate to cool.

Leave the steamed kuih kosui to cool completely before removing from the teacups. Toss kuih kosui in grated coconut and serve.

400g tapioca flour
4 pandan leaves, cut into 5 – 6cm lengths
2 egg yolks
175g castor sugar
150ml thick coconut milk
1 tbsp butter

Add thick coconut milk a little at a time. Knead well into a firm dough. Add in the butter and continue to knead until the dough is pliable.

Use a wooden mould to press out desired shapes or roll out dough to a thickness of 3/4cm on a lightly-floured tabletop. Stamp out desired shapes with cookie or kuih bangkit cutters.

Place on a baking tray (lightly floured with tapioca flour). Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for 20 – 25 minutes or until the kuih bangkit turns dry. Cool before storing.

Ingredients:

250g glutinous rice flour
230ml water
Pink and red colouring
Syrup:
200g sugar
1,200ml water
3 pandan leaves, knotted
2 thin slices of old ginger

Roll each portion out into a long strip, then pinch off small, equal portions; roll each small portion between the palms of both hands to form round balls.

Bring the water to a boil and add the balls. When the kuih ee is cooked, they will float to the surface. Remove the balls with a wire mesh ladle or slotted spoon and drop into a basin of cold water; leave to cool, then drain.

To make syrup:
In a large saucepan, mix water and sugar and bring to a slow boil. When the sugar dissolves, add pandan leaves and ginger slices.

Boil over low heat for 5 minutes, then add the cooked kuih ee. Bring the syrup to a boil, remove from heat, and serve as a hot or cold dessert.

Ingredients:
125g rice flour
35g plain flour
155g granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups coconut milk (from 1 coconut)
2 eggs
2 egg yolks

When heated, place the moulds open over a bowl of batter and pour a ladelful of batter onto the mould. Close the mould tightly and bake over charcoal fire for about half a minute on each side.

When golden in colour, remove and immediately fold into a quarter. Press lightly with a tin cover to level the surface.

Ingredients:
Filling:
50g roasted peanuts, grind coarsely
100g grated white coconut
60g brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
300g glutinous rice flour, sifted
(A)
1 1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil
Preparation of banana leaves:
Cut into 20 pieces of 10cm diameter rounds. Scald in hot water, wipe dry and brush lightly with oil.

Arrange kuih on a steamer and steam over rapidly boiling water for 15 minutes

NONYA CHICKEN (Loon Pah Chin)

1 kg chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 – 3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
30g young ginger, sliced thinly Pound
12 shallots
3 cloves garlic
800ml water

Ingredients (A)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
Pinch of pepper

Ingredients (B) (combine)
2½ tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp preserved bean paste (tau cheong), pounded
1½ tbsp pounded cekur roots

Method
Marinate chicken with ingredients (A) for an hour.

Heat oil and sesame oil in a saucepan. Fry ginger and pounded ingredients for 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in ingredients (B) and fry until fragrant.Add marinated chicken and ingredients (C). Bring to a boil.As soon as it boils, lower the heat and add water. Allow to simmer until chicken is tender and gravy has thickened. Serve hot with rice.(Chef’s note: This dish tastes better if duck meat is used.)

NYONYA VEGETABLES (Char Chap Chye)
Nyonya Mixed Vegetables

5 dried mushrooms, soaked and halved
2 tbsp black fungus (bok nee), soaked
3 strips dried bean curd skin (tau kee), soaked for 1 to 2 minutes
25g dried lily buds (kin chiam), soaked; cut off the hard tips and tie each strand into a knot
100g button mushrooms, halved or quartered
150g white cabbage (wong nga pak), cut into large pieces
200g prawns, shelled
20g glass noodles, soaked

4 tbsp oil
1 tsp chopped garlic
1½ tbsp preserved soy bean paste (tau cheong), mashed
1 litre water

Pour in water and cover wok with a lid. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over a moderately low heat for 15 minutes.

Add glass noodles and cook covered for 6 to 7 minutes. Add seasoning to taste, then dish out.

NYONYA ACHAR (Spicy Mixed Vegetable Pickle)

Ingredients:
500g cucumber -- quartered lengthwise, remove soft centre and cut into 4cm strips
150g cabbage leaves -- cut into 2 1/2cm squares
150g carrots -- cut into 4cm strips
150g long beans -- cut into 4cm strips
200g cauliflower -- cut into small pieces
Halved and cut into 4cm strips:
3 red chillies
3 green chillies
Slice thinly:
50g young ginger
3 cloves garlic
3 shallots
50g dried prawns -- soaked and pounded
Ground ingredients:
10 fresh chillies
5 dried chillies
10 shallots
5 cloves garlic
2cm fresh turmeric root
1 tbsp sliced galingale ( lengkuas )
3 candlenuts ( buah keras )
2cm cube toasted belacan or 1 tsp belacan powder
1 stalk lemon grass -- sliced finely

Vinegar mixture
100ml vinegar
200ml water
5 to 6 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
125g crushed peanut candy or 100g roasted peanuts -- skinned and pounded 4 tbsp roasted sesame seeds

Method:
RUB cucumber slices with 1 tbsp salt. Leave aside for 1 hour. Wrap in clean towel or muslin cloth and squeeze out excess liquid. Place cucumber slices on a tray and sun for 2 to 3 hours. (This makes the cucumber crunchy.)
For the other vegetables, sun them separately in trays for 1 to 2 hours.

Bring water, vinegar, salt and sugar for scalding vegetables to a rapid boil. Blanch the vegetables, one type at a time: Dip cucumber and cabbage in boiling mixture for 2 to 3 seconds; scald the rest of the vegetables -- except chillies -- for 8 to 10 seconds. Drain vegetables at once in a colander.

Heat oil in wok and fry the ground ingredients until fragrant and the oil begins to separate. Stir in vinegar and water. Add sugar and salt and bring to a boil then leave to cool completely.

Stir in dried prawns, ginger, shallots and garlic and all the prepared vegetables. Remove and store in a porcelain jar or a clean, dry glass jar. When about to serve, mix in peanuts and sesame seeds.

Footnote: The acar will keep for two weeks in the fridge if peanuts have not been mixed in.

NONYA IKAN ASSAM

1 ikan siakap (800g)
60g dried chilli paste
To blend:

20g turmeric (kunyit)
20g galangal (lengkuas)
30g lemon grass (serai)
10g shallot
10g garlic
To cut into small pieces:
20g ladies fingers
20g eggplant
20g onion
20g tomato
10g belacan
20ml assam jawa juice
1 lime (squeeze for juice)
salt and sugar to taste

NYONYA ASSAM FISH CURRY

600–700g Spanish mackerel (ikan kembung), cleaned
3–4 tbsp oil
1 tomato, quartered
6–7 lady’s fingers
Ground spices (A), combined
7–8 shallots
5 cloves garlic
2 candlenuts
2cm piece galangal
2cm piece fresh turmeric
2cm square piece belacan, toasted or 1 tsp belacan granules
4 tbsp chilli paste (chilli boh)

(B)
2 stalks lemon grass, smashed lightly
2 stalks karupillay (curry leaves), use leaves only
1 wild ginger flower (bunga kantan), halved

100g tamarind (asam jawa)
850ml water

150ml coconut milk

Garnishing
1 wild ginger flower, sliced finely
Some mint leaves

Combine tamarind paste and water. Squeeze and strain to obtain tamarind juice. Set aside.

Heat oil in an earthenware pot or non-stick pan and fry ground spices (A) for one minute then add ingredients (B) and fry till fragrant.

Add tamarind juice and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Put in lady’s fingers and simmer for 4–5 minutes.

Add fish and tomato and boil till fish is cooked. Season to taste.

Dish out and serve with a sprinkling of sliced wild ginger flower and mint leaves

NYONYA HUAT KUEH (Penang style)

Ingredients
350g rice flour
25g green bean flour (lek tau hoon)
250ml coconut water
350g sugar
150ml toddy
50ml santan
A few drops of pink colouring

Add santan and mix well. Prepare small patty cups by steaming them empty for five minutes. Pour batter into cups three-quarters full and steam for 20-25 minutes in high heat over rapid boiling water.

NYONYA FRIED RICE

Ingredients:
450g overnight cooked rice
3-4 tbsp oil
Ground ingredients (A):
4 shallots
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp chilli paste
50g dried prawns — pounded
150g prawns — diced
2 dried Chinese black mushrooms — soaked and diced
Seasoning:
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp sugar
A few drops dark soy sauce for colour
2 eggs — lightly beaten
2 stalks spring onions — chopped

Footnote: For best results, always use cooked rice that has been completely cooled or better still, use overnight rice. Break up lumps of rice by hand before adding to the wok.

Ingredients:
(A)

150g rice flour
570ml water
(B)
75g sago — soak for 5 to 10 minutes, drain well
350g sugar
600g radish — shred finely and squeeze out any excess juice or water
(C)
4 tsp salt
80g frosted winter melon strips (tung kwa) — chopped

Immediately after steaming, garnish with pounded groundnuts. Leave to cool, preferably overnight, then cut into diamond-shaped slices.

Ingredients
600g mee
250g beehoon
600g prawns
3kg chicken bones or pork-rib bones (optional)
lkg flower crabs -- remove the shells and cut into halves
2 pieces rock sugar
Grind these ingredients together
5 dried chillies
1/3 cup shallots
5 cloves garlic

Garnishing
200g water convolvulus (kangkong), blanched
150g cooked meat, sliced thinly
2 hard boiled eggs, quartered
150g beansprouts
Fried shallot crisps
Cooked prawns
Chilli oil -- stir-fry 2 tbsp chilli boh with 1/2 cup cooking oil till fragrant and aromatic and oil rises to the top. Add a pinch of salt and set aside.

Fry the ground chillies, shallots and garlic in 3-4 tbsp cooking oil till aromatic. Then pour into the main stock and simmer over a slow fire till ready for serving.

To serve, scald required amounts of beansprouts, kangkong and mee or beehoon and place them it into a bowl. Scoop generous ladles of soup over the mee and beehoon and vegetables.

Garnish with meat, prawns and hard-boiled egg slices. Sprinkle some fried shallot crisps and serve with chilli sauce and a dash of chilli oil.

PENGAT UBI KAYU

Ingredients
300g tapioca
300g yam
300g sweet potatoes
1 1/2 grated coconut
3 litres water
For the syrup:
100g gula Melaka
75g castor sugar
200ml water
3 pandan leaves--knot
1/2 tsp salt

PULUT HITAM

Ingredients:
300g black glutinous rice (pulut hitam), washed and soaked overnight

(A)
3 pieces or blocks gula melaka
2 litres water
2 pandan leaves, knotted
150g dried longan flesh, washed

Topping
375ml thick coconut milk (pati santan)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp brandy (optional)

Combine gula melaka syrup, cooked glutinous rice and longan flesh in a deep saucepot; cook until consistency is just right. (If it is too thick, add water to dilute it.) Turn off the heat and add the brandy (optional) for better flavour and taste.

For the topping, combine the coconut milk and salt. To serve, dish out into individual serving bowls and top with the coconut milk.

PULUT DURIAN

Pulut Durian is one of those dishes that people are passionately divided about – they either love it or loathe it …. Well, if you’re a fan, now’s the time to take advantage of the durian glut.

Rice:
300 g glutinous rice, soaked for at least 3 hours or overnight.
120 ml water
3 tbsp thick coconut milk
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
2 pandan leaves, tied into a knot

Durian sauce:
1 cup (250 ml) good-quality durian flesh
2 ½ cups (625 ml) thin coconut milk, diluted from ½ coconut
2 pandan leaves, tied into a knot
Pinch of salt
100 g white sugar * (or more or less to taste – quantity will depend on sweetness of durian)

2. Place rice in a shallow cake tin. Place water, coconut milk, salt and sugar in a small bowl and stir until well combined. Pour over the rice and bury the pandan in it.

3. Steam rice (in a steamer tray) over rapidly-boiling water for 20 – 30 minutes or until rice grains are transluscent. Taste for doneness – there should be no gritty bits.

4. To make durian sauce, remove durian flesh from the seeds – I gently pry the flesh away using a knife and fork. Pack durian flesh loosely into a measuring cup – you want roughly 1 cup (250 ml) of durian. (Discard seeds.)

5. Place durian, coconut milk, pandan, salt and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, until the sauce comes to the boil. Simmer for 5 – 7 minutes, taste and if necessary, add a little more sugar. Take pan off the heat and serve sauce with the steamed glutinous rice. This dessert can be served warm (or cold).

For filling:

50g sago — washed and soaked for 10 minutes
2 pandan leaves — knotted
2 1/2 cups water
(A) Gula Melaka syrup
75g brown sugar
50g gula Melaka
2 pandan leaves — knotted
200ml water
(B) For "angku" skin
25g sago — washed and soaked for 10 minutes
(C)
1 1/2 tbsp agar-agar powder
1 tbsp instant jelly powder
1/4 tsp salt
200ml pati santan from 1 coconut
150ml gula Melaka syrup from (A)
(D) Mix together:
1 tbsp Hoen Kwe flour
100ml water

How to prepare the filling: Bring water and sago to a boil in a saucepan. Add the pandan leaves. Cook for 5 minutes until sago turns transparent. (Stir every now and then when the sago is cooking to prevent the sago from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan.) Turn off the heat and close saucepan with a lid and leave aside for 5 minutes. Pour sago into a wire mash strainer and put through running tap water to wash off the starch. Drain well and put in a small bowl. Add 1 tbsp gula Melaka syrup and stir well to mix. Leave aside.

How to prepare gula Melaka syrup: Combine brown sugar, gula Melaka, pandan leaves and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; when both sugars have dissolved, strain and leave aside for use later.

How to prepare angku skin:

Cook sago in 1 1/2 cups water until it turns transparent. Wash sago through running tap water. Drain well and put aside.Combine agar-agar powder, instant jelly powder, salt, pati santan and gula Melaka syrup in a deep saucepan. Cook over medium low heat until it comes to almost a boil. Add in Hoen Kwe flour mixture; keep stirring until small bubbles appear. Add cooked sago and stir well to blend. Remove from heat.Chill the plastic angku moulds well in ice-cold water or freezer compartment.

Pour jelly mixture into moulds to two-thirds full. Spoon one teaspoon of sago filling into the centre. Top up with more agar-agar mixture until the mould is full. Leave aside for 5 minutes. (The recipe makes about 10 big size jelly angku.) Then place them in the freezer to set for 15 to 20 minutes.Remove jelly from the moulds and keep jelly in the refrigerator to chill well before serving

Ingredients:
10 red chillies
4cm-piece belacan, roast till fragrant
Pinch of salt
1 limau kasturi

500g glutinous rice
100g black-eye beans, soaked for 4-5 hours
Bamboo leaves and straws for wrapping
(A)
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup meat stock
1 tsp salt
Filling:
(B) Grind these ingredients finely:
8 shallots
3 cloves garlic
(C)
400g fatty meat or chicken meat
150g roasted peanuts -- pounded coarsely
100g tung kuah (candied melon strips) -- diced
(D)
2 cm piece cekur root (sar keong) -- grind to a smooth paste
2 tsp ketumbar (coriander) powder

Place rice and beans in a porous pan and steam for 50 minutes. Remove from steamer and mix well with (A).

Saute ground ingredients (B) in 1/4 cup oil. Stir till fragrant. Lower the flame then add in (C) and stir till meat is cooked. Mix in (D) and add seasoning. Stir-fry till it is well mixed and dry. Dish out and leave aside.

Place two bamboo leaves flat. Top up with glutinous rice and beans and add one tablespoon of filling and cover again with glutinous rice and beans. To wrap, first fold in the left side followed by the right side. Fold in the bottom edge and use both hands to hold up. Fold in the other side of the edge and use bamboo straws to secure the parcel by tying around both sides of the "peak".Steam the pillow-like dumplings for 30-40 minutes.

Tapioca Talam
Bottom Layer
900g tapioca, grated
250g castor sugar
½ tsp salt
350ml thick coconut milk Top Layer
Sift
80g rice flour
90g tapioca flour
1 tsp green pea flour
1 tsp salt
225ml thick coconut milk

Remove the talam from the steamer and let it cool completely before cutting into square serving pieces.

Lipat Sweet Corn Kuih
150g plain flour
35g hoen kwe flour
80g castor sugar
1/4 tsp salt
250ml thick coconut milk
25g sago
100g sweet corn kernels Banana leaves

Combine plain and hoen kwe flour, sugar, salt and coconut milk in a mixing bowl. Add sago and sweet corn kernels and mix to form a thick batter. Place 2½ tablespoons of batter on a piece of banana leaf. Level it and fold to form a packet. Steam over a medium flame for 10 minutes. Serve the kuih immediately.

NYONYA VEGETARIAN DUMPLINGS

Vegetarian Style Nyonya Dumplings
Ingredients:
500g glutinous rice, soaked for 2 to 3 hours and drained
3 tbsp split green peas (mung beans), soaked for 1 hour, drained
2 tbsp oil
30 dried bamboo leaves, soaked till soft and cleaned
Hemp strings, soaked

Seasoning (A)
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp oil

Filling (finely ground)
5 shallots
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp galangal
1 tbsp cekur roots

Seasoning (B)
2 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chicken stock granules
125g candied melon (tung kwa), coarsely chopped
3 tbsp ground peanuts, coarsely chopped
2 dried mushrooms, soaked and finely chopped
2 pandan leaves, cut into 15 pieces of 3cm lengths

Fold two bamboo leaves into a cone, put a piece of pandan leaf at the base of the cone, then add one tablespoon of glutinous rice and one tablespoon of filling. Top up with another tablespoon of glutinous rice. Wrap dumpling into a pyramidal shape and secure with hemp string.

Fill half a deep pot with water, cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add dumplings and boil for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until cooked.

Throughout the boiling process, keep topping up the water in the pot with hot water.

Pressure Cooker method
Bring half a pot of water to the boil. Arrange dumplings in layers in the pressure cooker. Pour boiling water into the pressure cooker to cover the dumplings. Cook over a medium heat until the second ring appears. Reduce the heat and cook for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove and hang up the dumplings to remove excess water.

YAM KUIH TALAM

For bottom layer, combine:
50g corn flour
75g rice flour
25g green bean flour
275g yam — cubed; steamed until soft and mashed
200g sugar
600ml general santan
1/2 tsp alkaline water
A few drops purple colouring
Top Layer:
100ml pati santan
50g rice flour
75g tapioca flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
150ml general santan

Meanwhile, prepare the white top layer. Combine rice flour, tapioca flour, sugar and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir in santan and water. Pour over cooked yam layer. Steam again for a further 15 to 20 minutes. Cool the kuih thoroughly before slicing into diamond-shaped pieces.

340 gm Wet Rice Flour or Rice Flour
225 gm Sago Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
855 ml (11/2 coconut) Coconut Milk

Ingredients B:

425 ml Water
450 gm Sugar
8 Screwpine Leaves (if unable to obtain screwpine leaves, use vanilla essence 1 tsp)
Red food colouring

2 bowl Plain Flour
1 bowl Castor Sugar
4 Eggs
11/2 bowl Coconut Milk (one coconut)
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
3 Screwpine Leaves
Green food colouring

Topping:

2 tbsp Sugar
1/2 bowl Water
2 tbsp toasted Sesame seed

Boil together sugar with water until syrup thicken. Brush the syrup on the cake and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Leave the cake to cool before cutting. After 2 days refrigerate the cake. This cake is a bit sticky but delicious.

NYONYA CENDOL

Gula Melaka Syrup Cendol Mixture Coconut Milk
500g gula melaka
10g sugar
400ml water
120g corn flour
cendol juice (10 cendol leaves blend with 250ml water)
pandan juice (10 pandan leaves blend with 750ml water)
1tsp lime/kapur
milk from 2 coconuts

Marinated pork Other Ingredients Garnishing
1.5kg pork (front thigh portion)
10g coriander seeds (ground into powder and toast over slow fire)
20g sugar
1 tsp pepper powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp thick soya sauce
3 tbsp oil
100g ground shallots
5 cm cinnamon stick
6 cloves tamarind juice (100g tamarind with 400ml water)
500ml water
60 cm sugar cane
5g salt
100g sugar
1 bunch coriander leaves / Chinese parsley

Spices Other Ingredients
10g dried red chillies
75g shallots
10g belachan
10g candlenut / buah keras
1kg kangkong
500g sweet potatoes
80g small prawns with shells removed
250ml coconut milk
3 tbsp oil
500ml water
10g salt

Tapioca Mixture Grated Coconut Mixture Blue Colouring Other Ingredient
2.5 kg grated tapioca
550ml coconut milk
150g sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 grated coconut
50g sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 packet blue pea flower (bunga telang)
200ml luke warm water
1 comb ripe bananas (pisang rajah / pisang emas)

Main Ingredients Spices Other Ingredients
1 kg pork
50g dried Chinese mushroom soaked
300g potatoes
200g bamboo shoot
80g garlic
200g shallots
100g soya bean paste (tau cheo)
6 tbsp oil
800ml water
1 tbsp thick soya sauce
10g salt 70g sugar

AYAM KUNYIT

1 whole chicken cut into pieces
1 thumb length kunyit, pounded
2 tbsp cornflour pinch of pepper
salt
Sesame oil for frying

BUBOR TERIGU

1 whole coconut, grated for no. 1 santan.
Add 2 rice bowls of water and squeeze for no. 2 santan
1/2 handful sago
1/2 kg green beans
1 rice bowl rough sugar
1 rice bowl chopped gula melaka
6 pandan leaves
fresh durian meat (optional)

BABA AYAM BUAH KELUAK

Rempah
1 thumb length lengkuas sliced
1/2 thumb length kunyit sliced
6 bua keras
30 bawang merah
10 red chillies soaked
1 slice belachan toasted

Grind all ingredients. Then stir in 1 small spoon ketumbar.

1 serai, smashed

Stock
Boil a few pork bones in 1 litre of water, add 5 pieces of assam keping and continue to simmer for about 1 hour.

4 chicken fillets, skin off
sugar
pinch of salt
Olive oil
2 daun limau purut

In a frying pan, spray some olive oil and pan fry the chicken fillets until cooked. Set aside. Using the same pan, fry the rempah and the serai until fragrant. Stir in the bua keluak meat and fry for a minute or so. Slowly add in 2 scoops of the pork stock, sugar and salt and let it simmer until the sauce is reduced.

To serve, cut up the chicken pieces in julienne slices, place each breast on a bed of white rice. Pour a generous amount of the sauce over it. Sprinkle with finely sliced Daun Limau Purut.

CINCHALOK PORK (Heh Ya Kay)

2 bawang merah, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
5 spoons of chincalok
2 pork fillets finely sliced
1 tbsp lime juice
salt and sugar to taste
2 red chilli, seeded and sliced diagonally
2 green chilli, seeded and sliced diagonally

BUBOR KACHANG HIJAU

200 g mung beans (kachang hijau)
1 litre water
2 rice bowls of chopped gula melaka
1 rice bowl of coarse sugar
1/2 rice bowl of biji sago
2 pandan leaves
thick santan from 1 coconut
pinch of salt
durian pulp (optional)

KACHANG HIJAU SEMIFREDDO

Same amount as above, except do not use sago and half the amount of santan
5 egg yolks
300 g castor sugar
500 g fresh cream (45% fat)
5 tbsp santan

Cook the green beans as above, put use a little less liquid or let it boil until nearly dry. Then add in the santan and stir it around and let it soak up the mixture. In the meantime, whip the egg yolk and sugar in a metal bowl that has been placed over boiling water. Ensure that the bowl does not touch the water. Whip until creamy. Remove from heat and keep whipping until the mixture is cool.

NB: If you need a softer semifreddo, forget the santan and just add coconut essence to the egg mixture while whipping it. Use the egg white and whip to soft peak then fold in once you've mixed in the rest of the ingredients.