Heavenly Fragrance. Carol Selva Selva Rajah
the salad to a serving platter and serve immediately. Alternatively serve the salad with a bowl of Dressing on the side.
SERVES: 4–6
PREPARATION TIME: 30 mins + time to prepare the Pickled Tea Leaves
COOKING TIME: 30 mins
2 tablespoons oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup (50 g) diced tempeh
2 dried sweet Chinese sausages (lap cheong) or other sweet sausages, thinly sliced (optional)
3 cups (150 g) sliced bok choy or other Chinese greens
2 packets instant noodles Sprigs of basil leaves, to garnish
DRESSING
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon bottled sweet chili sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 ground white pepper
1/2 tablespoon oil
Quick tossed asian noodles
Tossed, not stirred! Build the ingredients, flavors and aromas as you create your own masterpiece. Great cooking is all about control. Work with a hot pan, the freshest ingredients available, and keep the food moving. This recipe works well as a vegetarian noodle dish but sweet sausage slices can be added if you like. You can also use a fried omelet—rolled up and shredded—as a garnish, together with some crispy fried garlic and onions.
Heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the garlic over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside. In the same oil, stir-fry the tempeh until golden brown and crispy, 2–3 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain on paper towels, then stir-fry the Chinese sausage slices until crisp.
Combine the Dressing ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Set aside.
Half-fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Blanch the sliced greens until tender, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and drain the blanched greens. Set aside.
In the same saucepan of water, cook the noodles following the instructions on the packet until soft. Do not use the flavoring sachet. Remove the noodles from the pan and drain well. Transfer the noodles to the bowl of Dressing, add the blanched greens and toss well to combine. Divide the noodles equally in 2 serving platters and top with the stir-fried garlic, tempeh and Chinese sausage. Garnish with the basil leaves and serve immediately.
SERVES: 2
PREPARATION TIME: 20 mins
COOKING TIME: 10 mins
4 cups (400 g) cooked rice
3–4 betel leaves, soaked in water (enough to cover) mixed with 1 tablespoon sugar for 2 hours, then drained and cut into thin shreds
1 onion, finely sliced and stir-fried until golden in 1 tablespoon oil
1 cup (50 g) dried shrimp, rinsed and dry roasted until crisp
1/2 turmeric leaf, rolled and thinly sliced
2 sprigs curry leaves, chopped
3 sprigs Vietnamese mint, chopped
1 cup (40 g) Thai basil leaves, chopped
1 cup (40 g) mint leaves, chopped
2 kaffir lime leaves, cut into fine threads
1 small sprig fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 tablespoon grated fresh galangal root
1 cup (250 g) grated green papaya
10 peppercorns, roasted and crushed
2 tablespoons tamarind pulp, mashed with 4 tablespoons boiling water and strained to obtain the juice
Salt, to taste
PICKLED CUCUMBER
4 baby or Lebanese cucumbers
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (250 ml) vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups (225 g) sliced cucumber
Rice salad perfumed with herbs ~ Nasi ulam
This rice dish originates from the east coast of Malaysia where it is served cold during the fasting month by the Muslims. The fast is broken with a sweet rosewater drink to slake the thirst, followed by this aromatic herbal rice, searingly hot and tart with fresh lime juice, with a spicy sweet sambal on the side. Herbal rice is said to aid digestion, cleanse and refresh the body. It is served in many parts of Asia, including Myanmar and Indonesia. The Indians serve a similar Ayurvedic-influenced tamarind rice salad believed to “cool” the body.
Prepare the Pickled Cucumber first by thinly slicing the cucumbers with a mandolin as shown. In a large bowl, mix the cucumber slices with a little salt and set aside for 5 minutes. Squeeze the liquid from the cucumber slices, then rinse quickly, drain and dry on paper towels. Combine the vinegar and sugar in a bowl and mix until the sugar is dissolved. Add the sliced cucumber and mix until well coated. Allow to marinate for 2 hours, then drain and set aside.
In a large bowl, combined the cooked rice with all the other ingredients except the tamarind juice and salt. Gently toss the mixture until well blended, adding the tamarind juice a little at a time. Do not use all the tamarind juice; add just enough to separate the rice grains. Season with salt to taste, transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately with the Pickled Cucumber on the side. This dish goes well with pickled limes too.
SERVES: 4–6
PREPARATION TIME: 45 mins + 2 hours to marinate
COOKING TIME: 5 mins
1 lb (500 g) fresh rice stick noodles, or 8 oz (250 g) dried rice stick noodles
4 dried sweet Chinese sausages (lap cheong), finely sliced
8–10 fresh medium shrimp (5 oz/150 g), peeled and deveined, or freshly shucked cockles or oysters
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon salted black beans, mashed with the back of a spoon
2 tablespoons Sambal Oelek Chili Paste (page 240) or other sweet chili paste
1/2 teaspoon dried shrimp paste, dry-roasted and crumbled
3 tablespoons thick sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1/4 cup (60 ml) water or as needed
1 bunch garlic chives (about 30), washed and cut into short lengths
3 cups (150 g) bean sprouts, trimmed
Fresh lime juice, to taste
Pinch of salt, to taste
Pinch of ground white pepper, to taste
CRISPY PORK CRACKLINGS
1/4 cup (50 g) diced pork fatback
1 tablespoon water
Bean sauce noodles with shrimp and sausage
Char kway teow is a traditional dish that never fails to please with its hot and smoky aromas of spluttering