NYONYA LAKSA
The Nyonyas are a colourful and cultured people of Chinese ancestry who have assimilated Malay customs. This rich blend of their culture is reflected in their very own distinctive cuisine. Serves 4.
Ingredients
260gm beehoon
16 large prawns, shelled and deveined
50gm bean sprouts
10 fish balls, halved
1 cake hard bean curd, fried and sliced
50gm cucumber, julienned
mint leaves
1 red chilli, sliced
2 limau kasturi, halved
pepper sambal (see condiments)
Method
1. Soak beehoon in hot water till soft. Drain and set aside.
2. Cook prawns in water with a little salt. Drain and set aside.
3. Lightly blanch beansprouts and set aside.
4. Heat the fish balls.
5. Divide the beehoon, beansprouts, bean curd slices, cucumber, fish balls and prawns into four bowls.
6. Top with gravy and garnish with mint leaves and sliced chilli.
7. Serve with pepper sambal and limau kasturi on the side.
GRAVY
Ingredients
1kg mackerel
salt
a sprig coriander leaves
2 cloves
1/2 teaspoon white peppercorns, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 star anise
3 cardamons
A 10 gm fresh turmeric
12 dried red chillies
4 shallots
2 cloves garlic
40gm belacan
30gm dried prawns
4 tablespoons cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
3 stalks lemon grass, crushed
80gm lengkuas
300ml chicken stock
300ml santan
Method
1. In a large pot, boil mackerel in 500ml water together with salt, coriander leaves, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaf, star anise and cardamoms.
2. When fish is soft, strain stock and keep aside. Remove bones from fish and mash the flesh.
3. Pound ingredients A into a paste.
4. Heat cooking oil in a wok and fry the pounded ingredients until fragrant.
5. Add coriander powder, lemon grass and lengkuas together with the fish and chicken stock and boil for 20 minutes.
6. Add santan and allow to boil for a further two minutes. Remove the lengkuas and lemon grass, then add the mashed fish. Simmer gently to keep hot.
Ingredients
260gm beehoon
16 large prawns, shelled and deveined
50gm bean sprouts
10 fish balls, halved
1 cake hard bean curd, fried and sliced
50gm cucumber, julienned
mint leaves
1 red chilli, sliced
2 limau kasturi, halved
pepper sambal (see condiments)
Method
1. Soak beehoon in hot water till soft. Drain and set aside.
2. Cook prawns in water with a little salt. Drain and set aside.
3. Lightly blanch beansprouts and set aside.
4. Heat the fish balls.
5. Divide the beehoon, beansprouts, bean curd slices, cucumber, fish balls and prawns into four bowls.
6. Top with gravy and garnish with mint leaves and sliced chilli.
7. Serve with pepper sambal and limau kasturi on the side.
GRAVY
Ingredients
1kg mackerel
salt
a sprig coriander leaves
2 cloves
1/2 teaspoon white peppercorns, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 star anise
3 cardamons
A 10 gm fresh turmeric
12 dried red chillies
4 shallots
2 cloves garlic
40gm belacan
30gm dried prawns
4 tablespoons cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
3 stalks lemon grass, crushed
80gm lengkuas
300ml chicken stock
300ml santan
Method
1. In a large pot, boil mackerel in 500ml water together with salt, coriander leaves, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaf, star anise and cardamoms.
2. When fish is soft, strain stock and keep aside. Remove bones from fish and mash the flesh.
3. Pound ingredients A into a paste.
4. Heat cooking oil in a wok and fry the pounded ingredients until fragrant.
5. Add coriander powder, lemon grass and lengkuas together with the fish and chicken stock and boil for 20 minutes.
6. Add santan and allow to boil for a further two minutes. Remove the lengkuas and lemon grass, then add the mashed fish. Simmer gently to keep hot.
