Malaysian Noodle Delights Part 2 Of 3
Sunday 2024/9/22
In Malaysia, noodles are popular staple, particularly in Malaysian Chinese cuisine, but used by other groups as well. Noodles such as bi hoon (米粉, Malay: bihun; rice vermicelli), kuay teow (粿條) or ho fun (河粉, flat rice noodles), mee (麵, Malay: mi; yellow noodles), mee suah (麵線, wheat vermicelli), yee meen (伊麵, golden wheat noodles), dongfen (冬粉, cellophane noodles), Lao Shu Fen (老鼠粉, silver needle noodles), and others provide an alternative source of carbohydrate to a serving of rice that accompanies every meal.
I am preparing 9 Malaysian noodle dishes for 3 episodes.
3 episodes exploring：
Part 1：Asam Laksa; Char kway teow; Curry mee 《Published》
Part 2：Kerabu Beehoon; Laksa Lemak; Laksam 《Now》
Part 3：Mee Bandung Muar; Mee Calong; Mee Siam 《Next》
Part 2：Kerabu Beehoon; Laksa Lemak; Laksam
▲ 4. Kerabu Beehoon
Kerabu Beehoon is a vibrant Nyonya dish of rice vermicelli tossed with sambal belacan, calamansi juice, and lots of herbs. Nyonya is a culture and cooking style, from the influence of Chinese and Malay cultures in areas of what is now Malaysia and Singapore.
In Malay language, Kerabu means a spicy, sweet & sour salad; whereas, Beehoon means rice vermicelli.
Peranakan cuisine or Nyonya cuisine comes from the Peranakans, descendants of early Chinese migrants who settled in Penang, Malacca, Singapore and Indonesia, inter-marrying with local Malays. In Baba Malay, a female Peranakan is known as a nonya (also spelled nyonya), and a male Peranakan is known as a baba. The cuisine combines Chinese, Malay, Javanese, South Indian, and other influences.
Ingredients
· 200g Rice Vermicelli - soak in water until soft and drain
· 100g Beansprout
· 12 medium Prawns - shelled and deveined
· 2 pieces Firm Tofu
· 6 Kaffir Lime Leaves - finely sliced
· 3 stalks Lemongrass – bruised and finely sliced
· 10 Shallots – thinly sliced
· 2 cloves Garlic - minced
· 2" Ginger - minced
· 2 Torch Ginger Flower (Bunga Kantan) – finely sliced
· ⅔ cup freshly Grated Coconut
· ¼ cup Dried Shrimp - pounded
· 4 fresh Red Chili
· 4 Dried Red Chili
· 1 tablespoon Belacan (Shrimp Paste)
· 1 tablespoon Palm Sugar (Gula Melaka) or Raw Sugar
Ingredients
· 200g Rice Vermicelli - soak in water until soft and drain
· 100g Beansprout
· 12 medium Prawns - shelled and deveined
· 2 pieces Firm Tofu
· 6 Kaffir Lime Leaves - finely sliced
· 3 stalks Lemongrass – bruised and finely sliced
· 10 Shallots – thinly sliced
· 2 cloves Garlic - minced
· 2" Ginger - minced
· 2 Torch Ginger Flower (Bunga Kantan) – finely sliced
· ⅔ cup freshly Grated Coconut
· ¼ cup Dried Shrimp - pounded
· 4 fresh Red Chili
· 4 Dried Red Chili
· 1 tablespoon Belacan (Shrimp Paste)
· 1 tablespoon Palm Sugar (Gula Melaka) or Raw Sugar
· Juice of 3 Calamansi Limes
· Pinch of salt, or to taste
Garnishing:
· A handful of Mint Leaves – finely sliced
· Lime - halved
· Fried Shallots (optional)
Instructions
1. Place sliced kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, shallots, garlic and torch ginger flower in a large mixing bowl.
2. Pound fresh chili, dried chili and with a pestle and mortar. Alternatively you can pulse the ingredients using a food processor.
3. Bring a big pot of water to boil, blanch beansprout for 1 minute. Set aside.
4. Using the same pot, cook rice vermicelli for 1-2 minutes until soft. Drain under cold water and set aside.
5. Dry fry grated coconut until brown. Set aside.
6. Pan fry tofu with 1 tablespoon oil until light brown and cut into small cubes.
7. Heat oil, fry dried prawns till fragrant. Add garlic and fry till golden brown. Add chillies and fry for 1 minute. Add prawns and fry till cooked.
8. Add vermicelli, bean sprouts, prawn sambal, grated coconut and lime juice in the large mixing bowl and mix well to get an even colour.
9. Garnish with tofu, mint leaves and calamansi limes.
Garnishing:
· A handful of Mint Leaves – finely sliced
· Lime - halved
· Fried Shallots (optional)
Instructions
1. Place sliced kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, shallots, garlic and torch ginger flower in a large mixing bowl.
2. Pound fresh chili, dried chili and with a pestle and mortar. Alternatively you can pulse the ingredients using a food processor.
3. Bring a big pot of water to boil, blanch beansprout for 1 minute. Set aside.
4. Using the same pot, cook rice vermicelli for 1-2 minutes until soft. Drain under cold water and set aside.
5. Dry fry grated coconut until brown. Set aside.
6. Pan fry tofu with 1 tablespoon oil until light brown and cut into small cubes.
7. Heat oil, fry dried prawns till fragrant. Add garlic and fry till golden brown. Add chillies and fry for 1 minute. Add prawns and fry till cooked.
8. Add vermicelli, bean sprouts, prawn sambal, grated coconut and lime juice in the large mixing bowl and mix well to get an even colour.
9. Garnish with tofu, mint leaves and calamansi limes.
There are many different types of laksa (spicy noodle soup) in Malaysia. Almost every state has its own version of this popular dish. Most states have a coconut based curry soup like Kuala Lumpur’s fabulous Curry Laksa. The exceptions to the rule are Laksa Kedah and Penang’s Asam Laksa with their tangy tamarind based soups.
Siamese Laksa, also known as Laksa Lemak is found on the island of Penang. It is like the creamy version of Asam Laksa with basically the same ingredients. The two are often mixed in one bowl by the locals.
Siamese Laksa, also known as Laksa Lemak is found on the island of Penang. It is like the creamy version of Asam Laksa with basically the same ingredients. The two are often mixed in one bowl by the locals.
Ingredients
· Prawns
. Clams
· 2 tbsp vegetable oil
· 400ml (13.5 fl oz) can coconut cream
· 12 fried tofu puffs, halved
· 4 tbsp fish sauce, plus extra to taste
· 1 tsp caster sugar
· 200g (7 oz) dried rice vermicelli noodles
· sambal oelek, lime wedges, finely chopped coriander (cilantro) and bean sprouts to serve
Prawn stock:
· 600g (1.3 lb) whole, unpeeled, raw prawns
· 3 tbsp vegetable oil
· 8 cups chicken stock
· 2 pieces bone-in chicken thigh
Laksa paste:
· 8 large dried red chillies
· 1 tbsp dried shrimp
· 1 tbsp chopped fresh galangal
· 1 tbsp chopped ginger
· 1 lemongrass stalk, pale part bruised, finely chopped
· 4 Asian red shallots, roughly chopped
· 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
· 3 coriander (cilantro) roots, roughly chopped
· 5 candlenuts Kemiri or macadamia nuts
· 1 tsp coriander seeds
· ½ tsp turmeric
· 1½ tsp shrimp paste
· sea salt
Method:
1.To make the prawn stock, peel the prawns, reserving the heads and shells. Keep the prawn meat for later. Heat the 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the prawn heads and shells and cook for 10 minutes or until the shells are a deep red colour. Squish the shells and heads with the back of your spoon.
2.Add the chicken stock and the chicken thigh pieces bring back to a simmer. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Skim the foam from the surface of the stock as it simmers (Try to just catch the foam and not the red oil). Then strain and discard the solids.
3.To make the laksa paste, soak the dried chillies and the dried shrimp in hot water for 10-15 minutes or until softened. Remove the chillies and dried shrimp from the water (It doesn’t matter if you don’t drain them completely as some water is fine). Reserve the chilli soaking water. Roughly chop the chillies and then place them into the bowl of a food processor along with the dried shrimp. Then add the remaining ingredients along with a large pinch salt. Blend until smooth, adding some of the chilli soaking water a tablespoon at a time if the ingredients are not blending smoothly.
4.Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add half the laksa paste and cook, stirring for about 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk and stir. Then stir in the prawn stock you made earlier along with the fish sauce, sugar and a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes. Stir through the tofu puffs and fish balls and cook for 10 minutes. Then add the prawns and clams, and simmer until just cooked. Taste and season the broth with extra fish sauce to taste.
5.Cook the rice noodles in boiling water until softened but still a little firm in the centre. Drain and divide among serving bowls.
6.Ladle the laksa over the noodles. And serve with sambal oelek, lime wedges, a sprinkle of coriander and bean sprouts.
Notes: This recipe makes more laksa paste than you need. You can freeze the other half of the paste for up to 2 months. Simply defrost in the fridge overnight before using.
· 2 tbsp vegetable oil
· 400ml (13.5 fl oz) can coconut cream
· 12 fried tofu puffs, halved
· 4 tbsp fish sauce, plus extra to taste
· 1 tsp caster sugar
· 200g (7 oz) dried rice vermicelli noodles
· sambal oelek, lime wedges, finely chopped coriander (cilantro) and bean sprouts to serve
Prawn stock:
· 600g (1.3 lb) whole, unpeeled, raw prawns
· 3 tbsp vegetable oil
· 8 cups chicken stock
· 2 pieces bone-in chicken thigh
Laksa paste:
· 8 large dried red chillies
· 1 tbsp dried shrimp
· 1 tbsp chopped fresh galangal
· 1 tbsp chopped ginger
· 1 lemongrass stalk, pale part bruised, finely chopped
· 4 Asian red shallots, roughly chopped
· 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
· 3 coriander (cilantro) roots, roughly chopped
· 5 candlenuts Kemiri or macadamia nuts
· 1 tsp coriander seeds
· ½ tsp turmeric
· 1½ tsp shrimp paste
· sea salt
Method:
1.To make the prawn stock, peel the prawns, reserving the heads and shells. Keep the prawn meat for later. Heat the 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the prawn heads and shells and cook for 10 minutes or until the shells are a deep red colour. Squish the shells and heads with the back of your spoon.
2.Add the chicken stock and the chicken thigh pieces bring back to a simmer. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Skim the foam from the surface of the stock as it simmers (Try to just catch the foam and not the red oil). Then strain and discard the solids.
3.To make the laksa paste, soak the dried chillies and the dried shrimp in hot water for 10-15 minutes or until softened. Remove the chillies and dried shrimp from the water (It doesn’t matter if you don’t drain them completely as some water is fine). Reserve the chilli soaking water. Roughly chop the chillies and then place them into the bowl of a food processor along with the dried shrimp. Then add the remaining ingredients along with a large pinch salt. Blend until smooth, adding some of the chilli soaking water a tablespoon at a time if the ingredients are not blending smoothly.
4.Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add half the laksa paste and cook, stirring for about 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk and stir. Then stir in the prawn stock you made earlier along with the fish sauce, sugar and a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes. Stir through the tofu puffs and fish balls and cook for 10 minutes. Then add the prawns and clams, and simmer until just cooked. Taste and season the broth with extra fish sauce to taste.
5.Cook the rice noodles in boiling water until softened but still a little firm in the centre. Drain and divide among serving bowls.
6.Ladle the laksa over the noodles. And serve with sambal oelek, lime wedges, a sprinkle of coriander and bean sprouts.
Notes: This recipe makes more laksa paste than you need. You can freeze the other half of the paste for up to 2 months. Simply defrost in the fridge overnight before using.
▲ 6. Laksam
Traditionally associated with the regions of Kelantan and Terengganu, this flavorful Malaysian soup consists of rolled rice noodles served in a creamy fish broth. The noodles are prepared with a thin rice flour batter that is poured on a flat surface, steamed, and then rolled and sliced into bite-sized pieces.
The broth served alongside the noodles is made with coconut milk and creamy fish paste, and is usually seasoned with ginger, shallots, and garlic. The whole dish is complemented by various vegetables such as sliced cucumbers or green beans and is usually accompanied by spicy sambal.
The broth served alongside the noodles is made with coconut milk and creamy fish paste, and is usually seasoned with ginger, shallots, and garlic. The whole dish is complemented by various vegetables such as sliced cucumbers or green beans and is usually accompanied by spicy sambal.
Ingredients:
Flat Noodles
· 500g rice flour
· 1litre warm water
· 1tsp oil
Gravy
· 500g shallots
· 8cm young ginger
· 5cloves garlic
· 1tbsp oil
· 1litre coconut milk
· 150g sugar
· 600g ikan kembong (Indian mackerel)steamed, de-boned and flaked
· salt and pepper to taste
· 500g shallots
· 8cm young ginger
· 5cloves garlic
· 1tbsp oil
· 1litre coconut milk
· 150g sugar
· 600g ikan kembong (Indian mackerel)steamed, de-boned and flaked
· salt and pepper to taste
Ulam
· 100g daun kesom (laksa leaves)
· 40g daun selom (water celery)
· 30g daun pegaga (pennywort leaves)
· 30g cabbage
· 1 bunga kantan (torch ginger flower)
· 100g daun kesom (laksa leaves)
· 40g daun selom (water celery)
· 30g daun pegaga (pennywort leaves)
· 30g cabbage
· 1 bunga kantan (torch ginger flower)
Sambal Belacan
· 100g red chilliescut into pieces
· 15 bird’s eye chillies,cut into pieces
· 3 tbsp belacan (dried shrimp paste)
· 2 cloves garlic
· 1 small tomato cut into pieces
· 3 tbsp sugar heaped
· 4 tsp white vinegar
· 2 tsp fine salt
· 1 lime halved
For serving
· 1 small cucumber peeled and shredded
· 150g bean sprouts blanched
· 5 hard-boiled eggs halved
Instructions
· 100g red chilliescut into pieces
· 15 bird’s eye chillies,cut into pieces
· 3 tbsp belacan (dried shrimp paste)
· 2 cloves garlic
· 1 small tomato cut into pieces
· 3 tbsp sugar heaped
· 4 tsp white vinegar
· 2 tsp fine salt
· 1 lime halved
For serving
· 1 small cucumber peeled and shredded
· 150g bean sprouts blanched
· 5 hard-boiled eggs halved
Instructions
To cook noodles:
Sift the flour into the water and stir until mixture is smooth and thoroughly combined. Place a flat, round stainless steel plate into a steamer. Lightly oil the plate, then ladle in the batter until it is about ½cm deep. Use the back of the ladle to spread the batter evenly. Close the lid and steam on high heat for about 3 minutes, until cooked. Remove from the steamer and leave to cool for about 30 seconds. Lift one end of the circle, fold it in tightly and continue to roll until you’ve reached the other end of the circle. Set the roll on a plate and cut it at 2½cm intervals. Repeat for the remaining batter.
To cook gravy:
Place the shallots, ginger and garlic into a food processor and blitz to form a paste – add some water if necessary. Place the oil in a pot and saute the paste till fragrant, then add the coconut milk and sugar. Bring to a boil, then add the fish and season to taste.
To prepare ulam:
Slice leaves and bunga kantan finely. Toss together.
To make sambal belacan:
In a pan, fry the chillies, belacan, garlic and tomato for 5 minutes, then place into a food processor and blitz to form a paste. Season to taste. Spoon into a saucer and place lime halves on top.
To serve:
Place the flat noodles in a bowl or claypot and ladle some gravy over them. Serve with the ulam, sambal belacan and serving accompaniments.
Sift the flour into the water and stir until mixture is smooth and thoroughly combined. Place a flat, round stainless steel plate into a steamer. Lightly oil the plate, then ladle in the batter until it is about ½cm deep. Use the back of the ladle to spread the batter evenly. Close the lid and steam on high heat for about 3 minutes, until cooked. Remove from the steamer and leave to cool for about 30 seconds. Lift one end of the circle, fold it in tightly and continue to roll until you’ve reached the other end of the circle. Set the roll on a plate and cut it at 2½cm intervals. Repeat for the remaining batter.
To cook gravy:
Place the shallots, ginger and garlic into a food processor and blitz to form a paste – add some water if necessary. Place the oil in a pot and saute the paste till fragrant, then add the coconut milk and sugar. Bring to a boil, then add the fish and season to taste.
To prepare ulam:
Slice leaves and bunga kantan finely. Toss together.
To make sambal belacan:
In a pan, fry the chillies, belacan, garlic and tomato for 5 minutes, then place into a food processor and blitz to form a paste. Season to taste. Spoon into a saucer and place lime halves on top.
To serve:
Place the flat noodles in a bowl or claypot and ladle some gravy over them. Serve with the ulam, sambal belacan and serving accompaniments.
Next, Malaysian Noodle Delights Part 3 Of 3
Publisher： Chef Kar Delight
