Ikan Tempera

Ingredients:

1 piece ikan parang (wolf herring)

4 fresh red chillies, sliced

4 cloves garlic, sliced

4 shallots, sliced

4 tbsp cooking oil 

Seasoning:

1 tsp belachan powder

1 tbsp dark soya sauce

1 tbsp light soya sauce

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup water

Method:

1.  Slice ikan parang into two, rinse and rub with some salt.

2.  Heat 4 tbsp oil in wok and fry the fish slices until cooked.  Remove fish and oil.

3.  Heat wok with 2 tbsp oil.  Add the sliced garlics and shallots and fry till fragrant.   Add the belachan powder and other ingredients. 

4.  When it boils, lower heat and add in the fried fish slices.  Steep for a further 2 minutes. 

Abalone With Fish Maw

Ingredients:

1 piece of fish maw

1 can abalone

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 tbsp oil

Seasoning:

1 tsp ginger juice

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp chinese wine

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp light soya sauce

5 tbsp chicken stock

1 tsp vetsin

a pinch of salt

a dash of pepper 

Method:

1.  Soak fish maw in water.  Wash and squeeze dry.  Cut fish maw into rings and blanch in hot water for a few minutes.  Drain.

2.   Slice abalone into large slices, blanch in hot water and drain.

3.  Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the garlic till fragrant.  Add chicken stock and seasoning.   When the mixture boils, add in fish maw and sliced abalone.  Simmer for a few minutes and dish up.

Spicy Fried Prawns

Ingredients:

15 big prawns

6 tomatoes

2 green peppers

1 big onion

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 tbsp cooking oil

Gravy Ingredients:

2 tbsp chilli sauce

1 tbsp tomato sauce

1/2 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp mustard

1 tsp belachan

1 tsp plain flour

1/2 cup water or more

salt and sugar to taste

Method:

1.  Shell prawns and keep the tails.  Slit the back and devein prawns.  Wash and drain.

2.  Cut green peppers cross-wise and remove seeds.  Cut onions into big rings and tomatoes into wedges. 

3.  Heat oil and fry garlic and belachan till fragrant.  Add flour and fry again.  Add mustard paste, lime juice, tomato ketchup and chilli sauce.

4.  Add prawns and season with salt and sugar to taste.  If mixture thickens, add water a little at a time and fry till prawns are cooked. 

5.  Lastly, add in the onion and green pepper rings and tomato wedges and fry for another 5 minutes.

Hot Prawn Curry

Ingredients:

16-20 large prawns, shelled

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 onion, chopped fine

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp tumeric powder

2 tsp chilli powder

2 tbsp plain flour

60ml thick coconut milk

300ml chicken stock

1 tsp lemon juice

salt and sugar to taste

2-3 tbsp oil

Method:

1.  Heat oil in a pan.  Add in the chopped onion and crushed garlic and fry till fragrant.

2.  Add in the ground cloves, tumeric powder, cinnamon powder, chilli powder and flour and stir-fry for few minutes.

4.  Gradually add in the chicken stock and thick coconut milk.  Bring to boil, stirring occassionally.

5.  Reduce heat and simmer gravy for 10 minutes.  Add the prawns and lemon juice and season with salt and sugar to taste.

Fish Head Curry

Ingredients:

1 fish head (about 1 kg)

2 round purple brinjals, quartered

4 pieces tender lady’s fingers

3 tomatoes, quartered

2 sprigs curry leaves

4 green chillies, slit half way lengthwise

5 red chillies, slit half way lengthwise

2 big onions, sliced thinly

2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

1/2 thumb-size ginger, shredded

1 tbsp mixed curry seeds for fish curry

4 tbsp curry powder for fish + 10 tbsp water

300ml coconut milk

50g tamarind mixed with 300ml water

6 tbsp cooking oil

Seasoning:

1-2 tsp salt

2-3 tsp sugar

1 tsp vetsin

Method:

1.  Wash fish head and drain.  Season with salt and vetsin and steam till cooked.

2.  Heat oil in wok and fry the curry seeds and shredded ginger till light brown.

3.   Add garlic slices and stir-fry for 1/2 minute.  Add the sliced onions and fry till soft and transparent.

4.  Add the curry paste and 300ml coconut milk.  Stir-fry till the oil comes through.

5.  Add tomatoes, lady’s fingers, brinjals, curry leaves and chillies.

6.  Add the tamarind juice, vetsin, salt and sugar and continue to cook over a low heat.  If gravy is too thick, add a little more water and let simmer for 5 minutes.

7.  Add the steamed fish head, cover wok and let simmer till cooked.

Tandoori Prawns

Ingredients:

1/2 kg large prawns

juice of 2 big limes

2 tsp salt

Seasoning:

1 cup yoghurt

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp tomato sauce

1/2 tsp red food colouring

Ingredients to blend:

8 dried chillies, soaked

5 cloves garlic, finely sliced

30g ginger

2 tsp kunyit powder

Method:

1.  Clean prawns, leaving shells on.  Slit the backs of prawns and remove veins.  Rinse and drain.

2.  Mix prawns with salt and lime juice.

3.  Mix blended ingredients with 2 tsp kunyit powder and add the seasoning ingredients.  Add prawns to marinate and mix well.  Leave to marinate for 2 hours or overnight.

4.  Arrange prawns in a baking tray lined with foil and grill or bake till cooked.  Turn prawns and baste with oil while baking or grilling.

Ikan Pepes

Ingredients:

500g fish fillet, cut into 2

1/4 tsp tumeric powder

4 tomatoes

8 stalks spring onions

2 pieces limau perut (lime leaves)

1 daun kunyit (tumeric leaf)

2 tbsp cooking oil

juice of 1 lime

salt and sugar to taste

2 pieces banana leaf

Ingredients to blend:

10 fresh red chillies

1 big onion

6 buah keras (candlenut)

Method:

1.  Slice tomatoes and cut spring onions into 2 cm lengths.

2.  Place blended ingredients into a bowl.  Add in oil, lime juice, spring onions and salt and sugar to taste.

3.  Rub the pieces of fish with salt and 1/4 tsp tumeric powder.

4.  Take a piece of banana leaf, place a piece of fish on it.  Cover fish with half of mixture from (2) and top with a piece of limau perut and 1/2 a kunyit leaf.

5.  Wrap up the fish and secure the ends of the banana leaf with toothpicks.  Do the same as for the other piece of fish.  (Can use aluminium foil if no banana leaf).

6.  Bake in preheated oven at 190 deg C for 25 minutes or until fish is cooked.

Black Pepper Prawns

Ingredients:

10 big prawns

2 tbsp chopped garlic

1 red chilli, chopped

1 stalk spring onions, chopped

Marinate:

2 tbsp ginger wine

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp salt

Seasoning:

1 tbsp crushed black pepper

1 tbsp ginger wine

1/4 tsp vetsin

1 tsp salt

Method:

1.  Rinse the prawns and pat dry with kitchen towels.  Add marinate and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.

2.  Heat up oil and deep fry prawns until cooked through.  Remove and drain.

3.  Heat up 2 tbsp oil in wok and saute chopped garlic and chillies until fragrant.  Add in prefried prawns and stir-fry for a second.  Dish up and garnish with chopped spring onions.

4.  Sprinkle with gigner wine, stir well.  Lastly add in the seasoning.  Stir well till combined.

Assam Prawns

Ingredients:

600g prawns

1 tbsp tamarind paste

600ml water

3 tbsp cooking oil

Marinate:

2 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

dash of pepper

Ingredients to Blend:

10 shallots

10 buah keras

3 cloves garlic

1/2 tbsp chilli paste

1 cm piece tumeric

1 knob belachan

Method:

1.  Shell and devein prawns.  Wash clean and pat dry.  Marinate with salt, pepper and sugar for 20 minutes.

2.  Mix tamarind paste with water and strain out tamarind juice.

3.  Heat cooking oil and fry blended ingredients till fragrant and well cooked.

4. Add the tamarind water and bring to a boil.  Add prawns and simmer for another 5 minutes but do not overcook prawns.

Fish Keleo

Ingredients:

600g mackeral fish, cut into pieces

8 belimbings, cut into halves

2 red or green chillies

2 daun limau perut (lime leaves)

1 kunyit leaf (tumeric leaf)

300ml thick coconut milk

600ml thin coconut milk

Seasoning:

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

Ingredients to blend:

10 dried chillies or 1 tbsp chilli paste

10 shallots

1 clove garlic

5 buah keras (candlenut)

4 fresh red chillies

2.5 cm piece lengkuas

2 cm piece kunyit (tumeric)

1 stalk serai

1 piece belachan (2.5×2.5x.5cm)

Method:

1.  Heat 2 tbsp oil in pan and fry blended ingredients until fragrant and well cooked. 

2.  Add in thin coconut milk, kunyit leaf,daun limau perut and let it boil.

3.  When the gravy is thick, add in the thick coconut milk, fish, belimbings and chillies.  Season with salt and sugar to taste.

Fish Moolie

Ingredients:

600g mackeral fish or promfret

2 big onions, sliced

3 red chillies, sliced

3 green chillies, sliced

6 slices ginger

1 stalk serai (lemon grass)

2 tbsp cooking oil

2 tbsp lime juice

400ml coconut milk

Ingredients to blend:

4 slices lengkuas

4 buah keras

5 slices kunyit

1 stalk serai

Seasoning:

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

Method:

1.  Cut fish into pieces, wash and pat dry then rub with 1 tsp salt and a dash of pepper.  Deep fry fish until golden brown in colour.

2.  Heat 2 tbsp oil and fry sliced onions and ginger.  Add blended spices and stir till fragrant.

3.  Add in coconut milk, lime juice, crushed serai and fried fish.  Stir well and bring to a boil.  Add seasoning to taste.

4.  Lastly add in sliced red and green chillies.   

Fried Anchovy With Tempeh

Ingredients:

50g dried anchovy (ikan bilis)

80g pickled radish (chai por)

1 piece tempeh (fermented soya beans)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 big onion, sliced

1 red chilli, shredded

1 stalk spring onions, chopped

Seasoning:

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp water

Method:

1.  Wash ikan bilis and drain dry. Wash pickled radish in several changes of water and squeeze dry. Cut tempeh into cubes.

2.  Heat oil and deep-fry the ikan bilis and tempeh separately till crispy and golden brown.  Remove and drain.

3.  Leave 1 tbsp of oil in wok and saute the garlic and pickled radish till fragrant.  Add in sliced onion, fried tempeh and ikan bilis and seasoning.  Sprinkle with some water if too dry. Stir constantly until well combined. 

4.   Lastly add in the chopped spring onions and sliced red chillies and mix well.  Dish up and serve.

Sambal Sotong

Ingredients:

1 kg fresh squid

200ml oil

300ml water

Ingredients to grind:

400g shallots

100g garlic

2 tbsp chilli paste

4 slices lengkuas

4 slices tumeric

1 stalk serai

Seasoning:

4 tbsp tomato sauce

5 tbsp sugar

11/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp assam + 4 tbsp water

Method:

1.  Wash squids, remove black matter and cut into thick rings.

2.  Heat oil and saute ground ingredients till fragrant.  Add in seasoning and stir well.

3.  Add water and bring to a boil, add in squids and stir till sauce is quite dry.  Finally add in the tamarind juice and stir well.  Dish up and serve.

Crispy Prawn Fritters

Ingredients:

600g big prawns

1500ml oil for deep frying

Seasoning:

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp sesame oil

Dash of pepper

1 tbsp cornflour

1/2 tbsp egg white

1/2 tbsp oil

Batter:

1 rice bowl plain flour (113g)

6 tbsp glutinuous rice flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

dash of pepper

2 tbsp oil

about 150ml water

Method:

1.  Shell prawns, leaving each with the tail portion.  Cut them from the back, remove intestines and wash well.  Pat dry.

2.  Season prawns with seasoning and leave aside for 30 minutes.

3.  Put batter ingredients into a bowl and mix well.  Add in water slowly and stir gently until a smooth batter is formed. Lastly add in the 2 tbsp oil and stir thoroughly.  Keep in fridge for 4 hours.  Half an hour before using remove from fridge.

4.  Heat up the 5 rice bowls of oil.  Held prawn by the tail and dip into batter to coat prawn, deep-fry until golden brown. The frying time is about 3 minutes.  Dish up and drain well.

Fish And Chips

Ingredients:

500g white fish fillet (dory or sole)

1 tsp salt or to taste

1/8 tsp pepper or to taste

2 tbsp flour, for dusting

500ml oil, for deep frying

400g French fries, deep fried

1 lemon, cut into wedges

tartar sauce

Beer Batter:

125g flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

a pinch of pepper

150ml beer

1 egg white, beaten until stiff

Method:

1.  Mix the batter ingredients into a smooth batter and set aside.

2.  Sprinkle the fish fillet with salt and pepper to season, then dust lightly with flour, shake off excess flour.

3.  Heat up the oil in a wok.  Dip the fish fillet into the beer batter, making sure it is coated thickly and evenly.  Put it into the hot oil slowly.  Deep fry till golden brown.

4.  Serve with French fries, lemon wedges and bottled tartar sauce.

Note: Using beer in batter will make it lighter and crispier

Stuffed Crabs

Ingredients:

5 medium-sized crabs

 6 ozs mashed potatoes

2 eggs, lightly beaten

4 shallots

1 clove garlic

1 tiny piece kenchor (swa kio)

2 stalks spring onions

 1 sprig chinese parsley

Seasoning:

salt

pepper

grated nutmeg

Method:

1.  Kill crabs and wash thoroughly.  Steam crabs whole for 15 minutes.

2.  Separate shells from bodies, remove urinary ducts and dirt from inside of shells.  Cut into halves and remove crab meat.

3.  Ground kenchor, garlic and shallots.  Chop spring onions and parsley finely and mix well.

4.  Mix crab meat with 1 tbsp spring onions and parsley, mashed potatoes, a pinch of nutmeg, three-fifths of the lightly beaten eggs, grounded ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.

5.  Divide mixture into 4 equal portions and stuff the crab shells with them.

6.  Brush the top of the mixture lightly with the rest of the beaten eggs and fry in oil till brown.

Sambal Crabs

Ingredients:

1 kg crabs

2 big onions, sliced

3 dried red chillies (soaked and ground)

2 cloves garlic, shredded finely

8 green chillies, sliced

8 red chillies, sliced

1 stalk serai, bruished

5 slices lengkuas, shredded

2 tbsp belachan

6 tbsp cooking oil

1/2 rice bowl water

1 dessertsp lime juice

salt to taste

Method:

1.  Kill crabs  and wash thoroughly.  Separate shells from bodies, remove urinary ducts and dirt from inside of shells. Retaining shells containing roe if desired.  Cut bodies into 4 pieces.

2.  Heat oil in wok and fry sliced garlic and belachan for 2 to 3 minutes till light brown.  Add ground dry chillies, sliced lengkuas and serai, add lime juice and salt to taste.

3.  Add crabs fry for few minutes, then add water and toss well.  Cover wok and simmer till dry.

4.  Add sliced onion, red and green chillies and fry for 2 more minutes.

Wine Sauce Fried Prawns

Ingredients:

500g big prawns (unshelled)

20 shallots

2 cloves garlic

2 fresh red chillies

1 small piece ginger

3 tbsp chai por (preserved radish)

2 stalks spring onions, cut into 2cm lengths

Seasoning for prawns:

2 tsp salt

1 tsp vesop

a pinch of pepper

Ingredients for Sauce:

2 tbsp chinese wine

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp sesame oil

4 tbsp water

Method:

1.  Clean prawns and season with salt, pepper and vesop for 1 hour.

2.  Chop shallots, garlic, ginger and red chillies finely.  Wash chai por and squeeze dry.

3.  Deep fry prawns till crispy, remove and drain off excess oil.

4.  Mix chinese wine with sesame oil, oyster sauce, sugar and water in a bowl.

5.  Heat wok with a little oil and fry chopped onions, garlic, ginger and chai por till fragrant.  Add in chopped red chillies and the prepared sauce,  stir well and add in the crispy fried prawns.

6.  Remove and garnish with chopped spring onions.

Sambal Sardine With Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 can sardines ( 425g)

4 tomatoes, quartered

2 large onions, halved and cut into slices

Ingredients to blend:

15 dried chillies (soaked till soft)

10 shallots

1 clove garlic

1 slice ginger

4 buah keras (candlenuts)

3 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Method:

1.   Heat oil, add blended ingredients and salt and stir fry till fragrant.

2.  Add sliced onions and sardines and stir well to mix with paste.  Add tomatoes and stir fry for a while more and season with salt to taste.

Fried Chilli Crab

Ingredients:

1 kg crab – cleaned and cut into halves

1 teacup water + 1 tsp tamarind (strain juice)

1/2 tsp tumeric powder

1/2 tsp salt

salt & sugar to taste

oil for deep frying

Ingredients to blend:

15 dry red chillies (soaked till softened)

1 big onion

1 small piece belachan

 Method:

1.  Rub crab pieces with tumeric powder and salt and fry in hot oil until cooked.  Remove.

2.  In the same oil, fry blended ingredients until fragrant and well cooked.  Add in 1 teacup water and add salt and sugar to taste.

3.  Add in crabs and fry until gravy is dry and thick.

Note:  Instead of crab, can use prawns, hard boiled eggs or fish.

Prawn Tomato Sambal

Ingredients:

500g big prawns with shell

1 small tin tomato puree

1 big onion, sliced into rings

2 tomatoes, cut into quarters

15 dried red chillies

1 clove garlic

1 big onion

1 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

1.  Trim off feelers from prawns, wash and drain.

2.  Soak dried chillies in hot water till softened.  Remove seeds and wash clean.  Blend with 1 big onion and 1 clove garlic.

3.  Heat oil in pan and fry blended ingredients until fragrant and well cooked.  Add in tomato puree and 1 teacup water and cook until thick and oil comes out.  Add salt and sugar to taste.

4.  Add in prawns and sliced onion rings, fry for 1 minute and then add in the quartered tomatoes.

Prawn Sambal

Ingredients:

10 large prawns (or 300g medium-sized ones)

1 large onion, sliced into rings

6 belimbings (optional)

2 tsp tumeric powder

4 tbsp cooking oil

300ml tamarind juice

salt and sugar to taste

Ingredients to be blended:

10 dried chillies (soaked in hot water till soft)

5 fresh red chillies

10 shallots

4 cloves garlic

20g belachan (prawn paste)

1 stalk serai

Method:

1.  Shell and devein prawns but retain the tails.  Mix prawns with 2 tsp tumeric powder .

2.  Heat oil and fry prawns and sliced onion quickly and remove.

3.  In the same oil, fry the blended ingredients till fragrant.  Add in the assam juice, salt and sugar to taste.

4.  Add in the sliced belimbings and prawns and cook till sambal is quite dry. 

Variations:

Egg Sambal – boil eggs and add to sambal.

Sotong Sambal – use 300g sotong (do not overcook sotong)

Fish Sambal – season 10 kuning fish with tumeric powder and shallow fry first. 

Gulai Tumis

Ingredients:

1 promfret (about 500g) wash & cut into slices

1 stalk bunga siantan (torch ginger) sliced

Spice Ingredients:

20 stalks dried chillies (soaked in hot water until soft, drain)

4 fresh red chillies

2 stalks serai (lemon grass)

2 cm old tumeric

5 cloves garlic

30 shallots

1 tsp belachan

Seasoning:

50g assam + 3 cups water

2 tbsp sugar

salt to taste

Method:

1.  Blend all spice ingredients till fine.

2.  Heat oil in wok, saute spice paste until fragrant for about 15 minutes.

3.  Add assam juice and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 10 minutes, adding more water when necessary to prevent gravy from drying up.

4.  Add in fish slices and bunga siantan, season with sugar and salt to taste. 

5.  Simmer until fish is cooked.