02 August 2008

MS: Laksa with Pepper Oil






LAKSA WITH PEPPER OIL





Ingredients
400gm thick bee hoon
50gm lettuce, cut into strips
150gm pineapple, cut into strips
1 cucumber, cut into strips
1/2 onion sliced
8 chilli padi
a few drops pepper oil
4 mint leaves
2 limau kasturi, halved
pepper sambal
Method
1. Boil bee hoon in water till soft and drain
2. Divide bee hoon, lettuce, pineapple and cucumber into four bowls and pour fish gravy over them.
3. Garnish with slices of onion, chilli padi, pepper oil and mint leaves.
4. Serve with pepper sambal and limau kasturi on the side.
GRAVY
Ingredients
1 litre fish stock
2 tamarind skins
100gm lengkuas
500gm fish (boiled and deboned)
1 stalk lemon grass, crushed
1/2 onion chopped
10gm belacan
2 teaspoons chilli paste
Method
1. Mix all ingredients together and boil till gravy thickens.






C: Pepper Sambal









PEPPER SAMBAL
It is a condiment or a side dish and is sometimes substituted for fresh chillis.

Ingredients
1/4 cup cooking oil
2 shallots, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
5gm ginger, chopped
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
50 gm chilli paste
20gm belacan
20gm peanuts, ground
4 tablespoons tamarind juice
20gm onion, sliced
2 teaspoons sugar
Method
1. Heat cooking oil in a pan and add the chopped shallots, garlic, ginger and peppercorns. Fry for a while.
2. Add chilli paste and belacan and fry till fragrant.
3. Add ground peanuts, tamarind juice, sliced onion and sugar and cook for a few minutes.

MS: Sarawak Laksa


SARAWAK LAKSA

Laksa is a light delicious meal which can be served at breakfast, lunch or supper. Each state in Malaysia has its own version of Laksa. Sarawak Laksa comes from the town of Kuching, Sarawak. The soup does not contain curry. Instead, it boasts a gravy made from chicken and prawn stock, enriched with santan (coconut milk) and jazzed up with a special spice mixture which has a sambal belacan base. Serves 4.
Ingredients
260 gm bee hoon
12 big prawns, shelled and deveined
100gm beansprouts
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons green peppercorns
100gm cooked chicken, shredded
60gm cucumber, shredded
chopped spring onions
chopped coriander leaves
fried shallots
4 limau kasturi, halved
pepper sambal
Method
1. Soak bee hoon in hot water till soft. Drain and set aside.
2. Cook prawns and slice in half.
3. Lightly blanch beansprouts. Drain and set aside.
4. Make an omelette with the eggs and green peppercorns. Let it cool, then cut into strips.
5. Divide the bee hoon into 4 bowls, top with beansprouts, shredded chicken, cucumber, prawns and egg strips.
6. Pour hot laksa gravy over and garnish with spring onions, coriander leaves and fried shallots.
7. Serve with pepper sambal and limau kasturi on the side.
LAKSA GRAVY
Ingredients
12 prawn shells and heads
1 litre chicken stock
3 tablespoons cooking oil
a few drops pepper oil
4 shallots chopped
10gm ginger, cut into strips
20gm dried chillies, ground
10gm ground candle nuts (or macadamia nuts)
2 tablespoons coriander powder
2 stalks lemon grass, crushed
1 litre santan
salt
ground white pepper
Method
1. Boil the prawn shells with chicken stock for 1/2 hour. Strain and discard shells.
2. Heat the oils in another pot and saute shallots, ginger and ground chilli.
3. Add candle nuts and coriander and fry for one minute. Then, add the stock and lemon grass and bring to a boil.
4. Pour in the santan, add salt and pepper and boil.
5. Then, simmer gently to keep hot for serving.