Food of Asia

1 00 I THE F 0 0 D 0 F A S I A MAIN DISHES

Boil the beans in lightly salted For a stronger green color, use
water until just tender. Drain and spinach leaves.
cool under cold running water. Grill the pieces of beancurd
Cut in I1/2-in (4-cm) lengths, until lightly colored on both sides.
on the diagonal if desired. Spread each piece of beancurd
Mix the sesame paste, dashi, with one of the three colored
light soy sauce, and sugar. Put toppings and return to the grill
the beans into 4 serving bowls, until they take color. Carefully
top each with a spoonful of the insert a skewer into each bean-
sesame dressing and garnish with curd and serve hot.
1 tablespoon of shredded nori.


Butaniku Shoga-Yaki
Tofu Dengaku Pork with Ginger
Miso-topped Beancurd
1 Ib (500 g) pork loin, sliced
2 blocks of beancurd, about 4 teaspoons ginger juice
16-18 oz (550 g) (page 107)
3/4 cup (200 g) white dengaku 3 tablespoons I ight soy sauce
miso (page 107) 3 tablespoons sake
6 tablespoons (100 g) red dengaku 2 (200 g) medium-sized onions
miso (page 107) 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon very finely grated yuzu 1/2 Ib (200 g) cabbage cut in
orange or lemon peel Il/2-in (4-cm) squares
1/3 cup (10 g) kinome, watercress, 1 cup (60 g) cubed green bell
parsley leaves or spinach leaves pepper (capsicum), in 11/2 -in
(4-cm) squares
To remove excess moisture
Seared Bonito with Tangy Dressing from the beancurd, wrap in a Cut pork slices into I1/2-in cubes
clean towel. place between and set aside. Mix ginger juice,
ginger, garlic, lemon, and half of 2 cutting boards and let stand soy sauce, and sake and keep
Katsuo Tataki the ponzu sauce, patting the fish for 20 minutes. Cut the bean- aside. Cut onions in half length-
wise and then cut crosswise in
curd into pieces 3/4 in (2 cm)
Seared Bonito with with the side of a knife to let the thicle, 2 in (5 cm) long and 1/2 -in (I-cm) slices.
sauce penetrate. Chill in the
Tangy Dressing
refrigerator for a minimum of 3/4 in (2 cm) wide. Heat the oil in a skillet or
10 minutes. Cut the marinated Prepare the three miso top- wok and stir-fry the pork until it
Tangy and light, this refreshing bonito in l/2-in (I-cm) slices. pings. For the red topping, put changes color. Add the cabbage,
chilled dish is perfect for a hot Arrange the bonito on a bed the red dengaku miso in a bowl; pepper, and onion and continue
summer's day. of daikon strips garnished with it needs no further addition. To stir-frying until the vegetables
the remaining sliced scallion, make the yellow topping, mix and pork are cooked. Pour in
Oil to grease pan ginger, and garlic on a platter. 6 tablespoons of the white the prepared seasoning, mix
3/41b (350 g) bonito fillet, skin Arrange the remaining lemon dengaku miso with the grated well and serve hot.
left on slices and and seasoned grated yuzu peel and set aside. To make
1/3 cup (30 g) scallion (spring daikon on the side and served the green topping, puree the
onion), very finely shredded either at room temperature kinome, watercress or
lengthwise or chilled. parsley leaves to
1 oz (30 g) ginger, very finely obtain a juice and
mix with 6 table-
shredded lengthwise Miso-topped
spoons white
1-2 cloves garlic, very finely beancurd
chopped I ngen Goma-ae dengaku
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced Green Beans with Sesame miso.
1/3 cup (80 ml) ponzu sauce
(page 107) Green beans marry beautifully
1/4 cup (30 g) shredded daikon with the flavor of sesame,
although spinach can be
(giant white radish)
substituted if preferred.
1 heaped tablespoon finely grated
daikon mixed with seven-spice
powder or chili to taste 2 cups (200 g) green beans
1/4 cup (60 g) sesame
Heat a lightly greased non-stick paste
frying pan. Put in the bonito fillet, 1/4 cup (50 mil basic
skin side up, and sear just until dashi stock
the outside of the fish turns white. (page 107)
Turn and sear the other side, then 4 teaspoons light
soak in iced water for IOta 15 soy sauce
seconds to chill. Wipe away any 5 teaspoons sugar
moisture and marinate the whole 4 tablespoons finely shredded
fillet with half of the scallion, toasted laver (nort)

MAIN DISHES LI ________________________________________________ ~-----------------I JAPAN 1 101





Katsudon Chikuzen-ni
Pork Cutlets on Rice Vegetables Simmered in
Soy Sauce
This unusual recipe. a Japanese
variation of a traditional Any combination of vegetables
European dish. incorporates can be used for this recipe. so
Western ingredients with the take advantage of the best of
essentials of the Japanese the season. The amount of stock
kitchen: rice. dashi, and soy. used is sufficient for about
1 pound of vegetables.
6--8 cups (1_11/3 kg) hot cooked
rice
3 oz (80 g) each of bamboo
2 (200 g) medium-sized onions,
shoots, carrot, burdock, lotus
sliced
root, Japanese sato-imo or new
1 cup (250 ml) basic dashi stock
potatoes, devil's tongue jelly
(page 107) (konnyaku)
1/3 cup (80 ml) mirin
4 fresh shiitake mushrooms
1/3 cup (80 ml) thick soy sauce
12 sugar snap or snow peas
4 teaspoons sugar
3 oz (80 g) chicken
4 sprigs of mitsuba or parsley
2 teaspoons oil
with long stems
4 eggs
Stock
3 cups (750 ml) basic dashi stock
Pork Cutlets
(page 107)
1 Ib (500 g) pork loin
1/3 cup (90 ml) dark soy sauce
Sprinkle of salt and pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose (plain) 1 Ib (500 g) winter squash or the squash and simmer gently
1/4 cup (60 ml) sake
flour pumpkin for 7 to 8 minutes. Turn the
1 egg, I ightly beaten 3 cups (750 ml) basic dashi stock squash pieces over, add the soy
Peel and dice all vegetables
2 cups (200 g) breadcrumbs and chicken. Separate the (page 107) sauce and continue cooking
Oil for deep-frying devil's tongue jelly (konnyaku) 7 tablespoons (80 g) sugar until the squash is tender. Serve
with a spoon. Boil the vegetables 1/4 cup (60 ml) light soy sauce warm or at room temperature.
Prepare the pork cutlets fIrst and devil's tongue jelly. one at with a little of the cooking liquid
by cutting the pork loin into a time. in lightly salted water Remove the seeds from the poured into each bowl
4 steaks. making incisions along for 5 minutes. Blanch the squash and scoop out any
the fatty edge to prevent it from chicken in boiling water for fibers with a spoon. Cut into HELPFUL HINT
curling during frying. Season 20 seconds. drain, chill in iced 2-in-(S-cm-) square pieces, and The best wi nter sq uash to
the meat lightly with salt and water and drain again. peel off the skin on the edges of use for this recipe is butternut
pepper. dust with flour on both Heat the oil and stir-fry the each piece so that the squash variety, although any other
sides. dip in beaten egg and vegetables for 2 minutes. holds its shape during cooking. dense-fleshed winter squash
then press into breadcrumbs. To make the stock. put the Cut the squash into decorative may be used.
Deep-fry the crumbed pork until dashi into a pan and add the shapes as desired.
golden brown and cooked. stir-fried vegetables. Skim the Put the dashi and sugar into
Drain and keep aside. surface and add all other stock a pan and bring to a boil. Add
Divide the rice among 4 large ingredients and chicken. Bring
bowls. Put the onion. dashi. to a boil and simmer gently with Simmered Winter Squash (left) and Green Beans with Sesame (right)
mirin. soy sauce. and sugar in a the pan covered for 20 to 30
pan and simmer until the onion minutes, until the ingredients
is tender. Put one-quarter of are cooked.
this mixture into a small pan. Arrange the vegetables and
place one cooked pork cutlet chicken in bowls. add a little of
on top. add one-quarter of the the cooking liquid and serve.
mitsuba or parsley and pour
the beaten egg over the top.
Simmer for just a moment.
until the eggs are just cooked Kobocha No Nimono
but still runny; they must not Simmered Winter Squash
be overcooked so that they
become firm and dry. Top one Winter squash or pumpkin is
portion of rice with this mixture. a very popular vegetable. not
Repeat for the remaining three only because of its sweet taste.
pork cutlets and serve with a but also because of its beautiful
side dish of pickles. color. This simple but delicious
recipe also makes an excellent
side dish as part of just about
any Western meal.

102 I THE F 0 0 D 0 F A S I A IL~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-----, MAIN DISHES


Clean by shaking the colander in
Yosenabe salted water. Drain and set the
oysters aside. Put the clams, still
Seafood, Chicken, Vegetable, in their shells, and peeled
and Noodle Hotpot
shrimp to one side.
Boil the cabbage for 2 minutes,
, Yosenabe literally means a mix-
ture of anything, so the ingredi- drain and spread on a bamboo
ents included in this hotpot can rolling mat. Roll up and squeeze
be adjusted to suit your taste tightly to remove excess moisture.
and availability, Unroll and cut the cabbage roll
into slices 3/4 in (2 em) thiclc.
Cut the chrysanthemum leaves
5 oz (150 g) sea bream fillet
into 2- to 3-in (5- to 8-in) lengths.
5 oz (150 g) salmon fillet
Slice the remaining daikon.
5 oz (150 g) Spanish mackerel
Arrange all ingredients
fillet attractively on a large platter.
5 oz (150 g) chicken
Prepare the stock by putting
5 oz (150 g) oysters
all ingredients into a large pan
7 oz (200 g) daikon (giant white
and bringing to a boil. Pour the
radish) stock into a heatproof casserole
5 oz (150 g) clams and set on a fire in the center of
5 oz (150 g) shrimp peeled, tails
the table, with the platter of raw
left on and intestinal vein
ingredients nearby. To cook, put
removed the chicken and clams into the
1 Ib (500 g) long white Chinese
stock, followed by the fish,
(Napa) cabbage shrimp, oysters. noodles. and
4 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems vegetables. Wait until the ingre-
discarded and caps cross cut
dients are cooked before adding
4 oz (100 g) edible chrysanthemum Prawns with Sake (left) and Prawns with Noodles (right)
the next batch of ingredients.
leaves, hard stems removed
4 oz (100 g) golden or enoki Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes over 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stalks
(enokitake) mushrooms, hard high heat. Add the snow peas at discarded and caps cross cut
Ebi-ni the last moment. Drain the 8 small Japanese green peppers,
ends of stems removed
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced Shrimp with Sake shrimp and peel. leaving on the or 1 green bell pepper (capsicum),
1 cup (100 g) scallions (spring
head and tail. Arrange on a cut in strips
onions) cut in 11/2 -in (4-cm)
12 fresh shrimp, about 8-10 oz plate with the snow peas and 1 cup (200 ml) tempura dashi
lengths
(250-300 g) serve at once. (page 107)
1/2 Ib (250 g) beancurd, cut in
1 cup (250 ml) basic dashi stock 4 tablespoons finely grated white
large dice
(page 107) daikon (giant white radish)
3 1 /20Z (100 g) cellophane noodles,
1/2 cup (100 mil sake Seven-spice powder (shichimt),
soaked until transparent
2 tablespoons sugar Ebi Amondo-Age to taste
Sprigs of kinome or watercress to
2 tablespoons light soy sauce Deep-fried Shrimp
garnish with Almonds Trim the whiskers and legs of
3/4 in (2 cm) ginger, sliced
8 snow peas, blanched in lightly the shrimp with scissors. Peel
Stock salted water and chilled A modern Japanese dish that the body section. but leave on
7 cups (13/4 liters) basic dashi uses almonds rather than the the head and the tail. Remove
stock (page 107) Trim the whiskers and legs of more traditional broken noodles the dark intestinal vein with a
1/2 cup (100 ml) light soy sauce each shrimp but do not peel. for a crunchy exterior. If desired. toothpick. Make two or three
2 tablespoons mirin Use a toothpick to remove the 12 ounces of shredded sweet incisions on the underside of
intestinal vein at the back of potato, tossed in 2 tablespoons each shrimp to prevent it from
Cut the fish fillets and chicken the head. Place the shrimp in curling. Pat dry and dust with
into 11/4-in (3-cm) squares, a pan with the dashi, sake. of white flour, can be substituted flour. Dip each shrimp into the
Blanch each separately in boil- sugar, soy sauce, and ginger. for the almonds. Dust the shrimp tempura batter and then press
with a little cornstarch. then dip
ing water until they change in lightly beaten egg white into the almonds to coat well.
color, drain and set aside. rather than tempura batter Deep-fry the shrimp in hot oil
Remove the oysters from their before pressing into the sweet until golden brown. Drain and
shells and place oysters in a potato. set aside.
colander. Grate half of the dailmn Dust the shiitake mushrooms
and mix gently by hand with and green peppers in flour, dip
the oysters to remove dirt. 12 fresh shrimp, about
8 oz (250 g) in tempura batter and deep-fry.
Arrange the fried shrimp,
2 tablespoons all-
mushrooms. and green peppers
purpose (plain) flour
1/2 cup (200 ml) tempu- on 4 plates. Serve with small
ra bat- bowls of tempura dashi for
ter (page 107) dipping and daikon. Each diner
21/3 cups (200 g) slivered sprinkles his portion with
almonds seven-spice powder to taste.
Oil for deep-frying
Seafood. Chicken. Vegetable
and Noodle Hotpot

MAIN DISHES ~----------------------------------1


Sweet Vinegar
Shirauo Kara-Age 2 cups (500 ml) water
Deep-fried Whitebait 1 cup + 1 tablespoon (275 mil
rice vinegar
5 oz (150 g) sugar
1 Ib (500 g) fresh whitebait
2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons cornstarch
Oil for deep-frying Prepare lotus root
Salt to taste garnish several hours
1 lemon, cut in wedges before it is required.
For the sweet
Wash and dry the whitebait. vinegar, bring water
Toss in cornstarch and shake and vinegar to a boil,
in a colander or sieve to remove then add sugar and salt
excess. Deep-fry a handful at a and stir until dissolved.
time in very hot oil until crisp Remove from heat.
and golden brown. Drain and Boil the sliced lotus root in
sprinkle with salt just before water for 30 seconds, drain and
serving. garnished with lemon put it in the sweet vinegar. Heat
wedges. the chili in a dry pan for a few
seconds. then add to the vinegar
and ponzu sauce. Refrigerate.
Clean and scale the fish. Dry and Deep-fried
Karei Shio-yaki with a paper towel and make Whitebait (left)
Flat Fish with Salt two deep crosswise incisions on
each side. Put a skewer through Hotate Yuzu Nuta
11/3 Ib (600 g) flat fish, such as the tail end of the fish, making Kama-yaki Tuna, Seaweed, and Cucumber
flounder, sole or pomfret it come out in the center and Scallops in Yuzu
2 tablespoons salt continuing to the head so that
Lemon wedge to garnish the fish has a wave shape. Fresh scallops are lightly baked 1/2 Ib (200 g) fresh tuna
10 oz (300 g) daikon (giant Sprinkle both sides of the fish with miso in yuzu shells for an 11/2 heaped tablespoons dried
white radish), very finely grated lightly with salt, then press a exotic presentation. If yuzus are wakame seaweed
and squeezed to' extract liberal amount of salt onto not available. mandarins are an 3 1 /2 oz (100 g) Japanese cucumbers
moisture the tail and fins. acceptable substitute. 1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (90 mil white miso
Cook the fish over a moder-
Lotus Root Garnish ately hot charcoal fire or under 6 oz (160 g) fresh scallops, 11/2 teaspoons sesame paste or
2 oz (60 g) fresh lotus root, a broiler (grill), turning it with smooth peanut butter
quartered
peeled and thinly sliced the skewer to avoid damaging the 1/2 cup (125 g) red dengaku miso 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons
3 tablespoons (50 mil sweet skin, until the fish is golden on rice vi negar
vinegar (see below) both sides and cooked through. (page 107) 4 teaspoons sugar
1 red chili, seeds discarded Serve on a plate garnished with 4 yuzu, oranges or mandarins 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1/3 cup (80 ml) ponzu sauce lemon wedge. grated daikon. 4 white hime radishes, or 4-in 2 teaspoons Japanese mustard paste
(page 107) and the marinated lotus root. (lO-cm) piece of daikon (giant 2 mioga buds, finely sliced length-
white radish), quartered wise (optional)
4 teaspoons moro miso or red miso
Plunge the tuna in boiling water
Flat Fish with Salt (top) and Scallops in Yuzu (below)
Mix the scallops with the for 5 to 10 seconds until the
dengaku miso. Cut off the outside starts to turn pinkish
top of each yuzu and reserve white. Remove from the water.
as a lid. Hollow out the rest of chill in iced water for a few
the yuzu carefully and fill each seconds, drain again and cut
with some of the scallop mixture. into 2 x 3/4-in (5 x 2-cm) pieces
Set the lid aside and bake the about 1/2 in (1 em) thick.
filled yuzu in a 350°F (180°C, Soak the dried wakame in
gas mark 4) oven for 15 minutes. hot water until expanded and
While the scallops are baking. tender. Drain and set aside.
peel the radish and boil in lightly Rub the salt into the outside of
salted water until soft. Drain, the cucumber with your fmgers.
cool in iced water and reserve. then slice paper thin. Sprinkle
Place a yuzu and its lid with a generous pinch of salt.
on each serving dish. garnish Rinse off salt and squeeze out
with the radish and 1 teaspoon the moisture.
of miso. Mix the miso with the sesame
paste, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce
HELPFUL HINT and mustard.
Shelled shrimp can be substi- Arrange the tuna. wakame
tuted for scallops. and cucumber in a bowl. Garnish
with a little of the miso mixture
and top each serving with a little
shredded mioga.

104 I THE FOOD OF ASIA L____________________________________________________ ~I MAIN DISHES
I


4 tablespoons finely sliced scallion
Sukiyaki (spring onion)
Beef with Vegetables 4 tablespoons finely grated daikon
(giant white radish), mixed with
chili to taste
Sukiyaki only became known in 8 cups (2 liters) water
Japan around the turn of the 2 teaspoons sa It
century; when the Japanese began
eating beef (previously proscribed Arrange the beef slices on a plate.
by Buddhist law). There are two Cut the cabbage into lllz-in
styles of cooking this mixture of (4-cm) squares. Cut out the hard
meat. vegetables. beancurd. and part of the stalk and slice into
noodles: the Osaka style involves threads. Arrange the cabbage and
cooking the sauce in the pan at all other ingredients on a platter.
the table with each new addition To prepare accompaniments,
of ingredients. The Tokyo style put the sesame sauce into 4 sep-
requires the sauce to be prepared arate bowls. Do the same for the
in advance. ponzu sauce. Put 1 tablespoon
each of the scallion and grated
Il/41b (600 g) prime sirloin beef, daikon onto 4 separate dishes.
sliced Give each diner a bowl of sesame
3 (300 g) small onions, cut cross- sauce, a bowl of ponzu and a
wise in IJ4-in (1/2-cm) slices dish of scallion with radish.
5 cups (500 g) scallions (spring To prepare the stock, wipe
onions), diagonally sliced in the kelp lightly with a damp
3/4-in (2-cm) pieces cloth to clean. Slash in a few
2 cups (100 g) chrysanthemum places with scissors to release
leaves, cut in 3-in (8-cm) pieces Beef with Vegetables the flavor. Put water and kelp
2 oz (75 g) fresh shiitake mush- into a saucepan and bring to
rooms, stems discarded and Discard the fat. Add a little of the Stock a boil. Remove the kelp immedi-
caps cross cut sliced beef and vegetables, pour 5 x 3 in (12 x 8 cm) dried kelp ately when the stock reaches
1/4 Ib (100 g) golden or enoki on a little of the prepared sauce (konbu) the boiling point. Reduce the
(enokitake) mushrooms, hard and simmer. When the ingredi- 8 cups (2 liters) water heat and simmer for 2 to 3 min-
part of stems discarded ents are cooked, each person 2 teaspoons salt utes. Add the salt. Pour the
1/41b (100 g) burdock, shaved helps themselves to whatever stock into the steamboat and
thinly (optional) they fancy, dipping each morsel bring to a boil. Each person
3 /4 Ib (400 g) shirataki konnyaku in the egg (lightly stirred with Accompaniments selects a morsel of food and
or wheat noodles (udon), boiled the chopsticks) before eating. 1 cup (250 ml) sesame sauce swishes it in the stock with
until just cooked and drained 1 cup (250 mil ponzu sauce chopsticks until cooked.
1 piece grilled beancurd (yakidofu), (page 107)
Japanese One-Pot
cut in small pieces
Shabu-shabu
8 small baked gluten cakes (fu) or
1 cake cotton beancurd, cubed Japanese One-Pot
4 tablespoons beef fat (suet)
4 eggs
Beef slices, vegetables and cello-
phane noodles are cooked at the .
Sauce
table in a type of fondue gener-
3 /4 cup (180 ml) light soy sauce ally known as a steamboat.
2 /3 cup (150 ml) mirin
2/3 cup (150 ml) sake
11/41b (600 g) prime sirloin beef,
1/2 cup (125 g) sugar
cut in paper-thin slices
Arrange the beef, vegetables, 1 Ib (500 g) long white Chinese
noodles, and both types of (Napa) cabbage
beancurd on a platter. Keep the 10 oz (300 g) edible chrysanthemum
beef fat on a small dish to use leaves, hard part of stems
for greasing the cooking pan. discarded
Put the eggs into individual 8 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems
bowls for dipping the cooked discarded and caps cross cut
ingredients later. 8 oz (200 g) golden or enoki
Prepare the sauce by putting (enokitake) mushrooms, hard
all ingredients into a pan. Bring end of stems removed
to a boil, remove from heat and 2 cups (200 g) scallions (spring
pour the sauce into a jug. onions), diagonally sliced in
When it is time to eat the 3/4-in (2-cm) pieces
sukiyaki, put the beef fat in a 3 1 /20Z (100 g) cellophane noodles,
heavy deep skillet and heat gently soaked in water until transparent
so that is melts and spreads over 6 oz (180 g) silken beancurd,
the whole surface of the pan. cubed

MAIN DISHES I ~ ______________________________________________________________ ~I JAPAN I 105



The food is dipped into one of Cover the pan and simmer for
the sauces, with a little of the 10 to 15 minutes, then add the Lotus Root, Pork, and
scallion added to the sesame potatoes, sugar, and soy sauce. Eggplant Slices (left) and
sauce, and the onion or chili Simmer for about 30 minutes
radish added to the ponzu. until the potatoes are soft.
Skim the stock of any foam Divide the chicken wings
that arises during cooking. When and potatoes among 4 bowls
all the ingredients have been and garnish each portion with
finished, serve the remaining 3 snow peas and a strip of
stock (which will have become a orange or lemon peel.
rich soup) in bowls with a little
scallion on top if desired.

Teriyaki Suteki
Sirloin Steak Teriyaki
Tebasaki To Sato-imo
Braised Chicken Wings Tender cubes of steaie are brushed
with teriyaki sauce and grilled
1 Ib (500 g) chicken wings with vegetables.
4 teaspoons sake
1 tablespoon oil 11/3 Ib (650 g) sirloin steak,
3/4 in (2 cm) ginger, sliced cut in 11/4 -in (2 1 /2-cm)
12 (100 g) scallions (spring onions), cubes
cut in 2-in (5-cm) lengths 8 small Japanese green peppers,
3/4 Ib (400 g) sato-imo or new or 1 large green bell pepper
potatoes, peeled (capsicum) cut in 8 strips
2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon oil
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon 2 cups (200 g) beans prouts 2 teaspoons cornstarch
dark soy sauce 1 cup oyster mushrooms, 1 egg, lightly beaten
12 snow peas, blanched in lightly cut in 1/4-in (1/2-cm) 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
salted water slices
4 strips of orange or lemon peel Tempura Batter
Teriyaki Sauce 2 egg yolks
Marinate chicken wings in sake 1 cup (200 mil dark soy 1 cup (250 mil water
for 30 minutes. Heat the oil sauce 13/4 cups (200 g) all-purpose
and stir-fry the chicken wings 1 cup (200 mil sake (plain) flour
until they change color. Add }l/4 cups (300 ml) mirin
ginger, scallion and just enough 21/2 tablespoons sugar Prepare pork filling by combining
water to just cover the chicken. all ingredients and mixing well.
Prepare the teriyaki sauce first Just before the dish is
by combining all ingredients in required, dry the lotus root
a saucepan and bringing to a slices well and dust both sides
boil over medium heat. Simmer Renkon Hasami Age with a little of the flour. Place
until the sauce is reduced to Lotus Root, Pork, some of the pork filling on the
just over 1 cup (250 ml). and Eggplant Slices lotus root and top with another
Put the cubes of steak on slice of root. Repeat this process
skewers and grill until about This is rather like a sandwich for the slices of eggplant.
half-cooked. Brush with the with a filling of seasoned ground Prepare the tempura batter
teriyaki sauce and return to pork between slices of lotus root by mixing the egg and water,
the grill for another 30 seconds or eggplant. The "sandwich" is stirring in the flour quickly and
or so. Brush again, cook a little then dipped in a tempura batter leaving any lumps in the batter.
longer, then give the steak a and deep-fried. The pork filling Dip the pork-fIlled vegetable slices
final brushing and cook for can be prepared in advance. in the batter and deep-fry in
another 30 seconds or so. hot oil until golden brown.
If using Japanese peppers, 10 oz (300 g) lotus root, peeled Sprinkle with a little salt and
make a small slit in the side of and cut in 1/2-in (I-cm) slices pepper and serve on a plate
each. Thread the Japanese pep- and kept in water with a dab of Japanese mustard.
pers or bell pepper strips onto 2 tablespoons all-purpose (plain) Sprinkle with a little salt and
skewers and grill until done. flour pepper to taste and serve with
Heat the oil and stir-fry the 1/2 Ib (200 g) eggplant (aubergine), Japanese mustard.
bean sprouts and mushrooms cut in 1/2-in (I-cm) slices
until just cooked. Serve the Oil for deep-frying HELPFUL HINT
vegetables as a garnish for the Salt and pepper to taste To obtain paper-thin slices of
steak, which should be removed 2 teaspoons Japanese mustard beef, place the beef in the
from the skewers before serving. paste freezer until half-frozen.
Remove and slice with a very
Pork Filling sharp kn ife.
1/2 Ib (200 g) ground pork
1/4 cup (50 g) finely chopped onion

106 T H E F O O D O F A S I A L J D E S S E R T S
Sakura Moch


Cherry Blossom

Wrapped in cherry leaves, these

dumplings filled with red-bea

jam are inevitably associate
with spring time or sakura. If

you can't find edible cherr

leaves packed in brine, the
dumplings can be served
without them

1 cup (110 g) all-purpose (plain


flour
2 teaspoons suga
l li cup (125 ml) wate




½ egg white, beaten until fluff


and whit
Pinch of sal
Oil to grease pan lightl

3V20Z (100 g) red-bean ja



8 cherry blossom leaves (soake



in water for 2 hours if usin Lily Bulb Dumplings (left) and Cherry Blossom Dumplings (right)

brine-soaked leaves



bring to a boil over moderat Alternatively steam th Blanch the grapes or plums in




Sift flour into a bowl and add the heat. Remove from the heat an unpeeled sweet potatoes whole hot water for about 10 seconds,

sugar. Add water a little at a time. allow to cool to a lukewar then drain and peel. drain and put in cold water to




Fold in the egg white and salt temperature, then add the gree Mash the steamed vegetable chill for a few seconds. Peel and


Lightly grease a non-stick fryin tea paste, mixing well. then mix with sugar and knea set aside.



pan and put over low heat. Chill immediately in the well. Shape about 2 tablespoon Sprinkle the gelatin ove





Spread in some of the batte freezer portion of the refrigera- of the puree into a dumpling an the warm water and leave until


into an oval shape. Cook until tor until ice crystals start t fill with a teaspoon of red-bea it softens. Heat the wine in a








the top of the dumpling become form around the edges of th jam. Shape into a dumpling b non-reactive saucepan an





dry and turn over. Cook on th container. Put the mixture int putting the ball into a cloth an add sugar and gelatin. Stir


second side but do not allow the a blender or food processor an squeezing gently at the top. until dissolved, then remov




dumpling to take color. Remove blend for a few seconds to break Remove from the cloth an from the heat. Add the cogna




the dumpling, spread with re up the crystals. Return to the sprinkle with grated peel. Repeat and pour into 8 tiny container





bean jam. Fold over and wra freezer and leave until set until all the puree is used up, (such as ramekins or small

with a cherry blossom leaf. Alternatively, freeze in an ice- then serve porcelain soup bowls). Put


cream maker according to the 1 grape or plum into each




manufacturer's instructions bowl of still-liquid jelly the
chill until the jelly is firm.
Matcha Aisukuriim Kingyoku-Kan Unmold and serve chilled



Green Tea Ice Jellied

Chakin-shibori





A popular summertime desser Lily Bulb A simple but decorative desser


in Japanese restaurants, thi with large grapes or plums se




might be termed a "moder The sweet, nutty flavor an in jellied plum wine


classic." Finely powdered gree floury texture of lily bulbs, If plum wine is not available





tea gives a uniquely Japanes which are readily availabl substitute any fruit wine suc Green Tea Ice Cream




flavor to this delightfully ric in Japan during the winte as peach or raspberry

ice cream. months, go well with a red-bean
filling. 8 large black or white

1V2 oz (50 g) green tea powde grapes, or small plum




V2cup (100 ml) cognac or brand ¾ lb (400 g) lily bulb or swee 1½cups (400 ml



5 cups (1V4 liters) fresh mil potato wine (umeshu



1 cup (250 ml) fresh crea ¼ cup (50 g) suga or peach o







IV3 cups (100 g) instant non-fa 2 ½ 0 Z (80 g) red-bean jam, raspberry win
(skimmed) dry milk powde strained 2 ½ envelope

3

l /4cups (350 g) suga 2 tablespoons finely grated (25 g) unflavore

orange or lemon pee (powdered) gelati


Put the green tea powder into 1/4cup (60 ml



bowl, add the cognac and mi Separate the lily bulb, which warm wate


well. Put the milk, cream, sugar looks somewhat like a head o 2 ½ tablespoons (30 g

and dry milk powder int garlic, into petals. Put the petal sugar

another bowl and mix well. onto a plate and steam for abou 1 teaspoon cognac o




Transfer to a saucepan an 3 minutes or until soft. Drain brandy

STOCKS, SAUCES & CONDIMENTS L I ________________________________________________ ~ I J A PAN I 107



1 teaspoon light soy sauce leave the covered saucepan to
Katsuo Dash i 1 1 teaspoon salt Hoba Miso one side for 20 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, mix
Basic Dashi Stock 1/2 teaspoon sake the dressing ingredients in a small
Put the stock, soy sauce, and 21/2 tablespoons (50 ml) sake bowl, stirring until the sugar
21/2 X 11/2 in (6 x 4 cm) dried salt into a saucepan and heat 1 1/2 cup (150 g) red dengaku miso has dissolved, then set aside. Put
kelp (konbu) until it comes almost to a boil. 2 tablespoons (30 g) inaka miso the cooked rice in a wide wooden
7 cups (}3/4 I iters) water Remove from the heat immedi- tub or plastic bowl. Stir gently in a
4 cups (50 g) dried bonito flakes ately and add the sake. Heat sake in a saucepan and sim- circular motion with a rice paddle
mer for a few seconds to remove or wooden spoon, sprinkling in
Wipe the kelp with a damp cloth. the alcohol. Add both types of the dressing little by little, until it
Put it in a saucepan with water. Tempura Dashi miso, mix and refrigerate for up to has been absorbed. Ideally, the
Bring to a boil uncovered; just Tempura Dipping Sauce 1 month. Can be used to brush rice mixture should be fanned to
before the water comes to a boil, on scallops or fish before grilling.
remove and discard the kelp. help cool it while the dressing is
Sprinkle in the bonito flakes and 14 tablespoons (200 mil basic being stirred in.
remove saucepan from heat. As dash; stock Cover the bowl containing
soon as the bonito flakes sink, 21/2 tablespoons light soy sauce Tempura Ko the vinegared rice with a damp
cloth until it is needed for sushi.
21/2 tablespoons mirin
strain stock and discard bonito Tempura Batter
flakes. This stock is the basis of Bring dashi stock to a boil in a Keep at room temperature, n~t
in the refrigerator, and use With-
many sauces and soups, and can saucepan and add soy sauce 2 egg yolks
be refrigerated for up to 3 days. and mirin. Remove from heat 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (275 mil in 12 hours.
immediately and serve hot as a iced water
dipping sauce for tempura. 13/4 cups (200 g) all-purpose Gari
(plain) flour, sifted Pickled Ginger
Soba Dashi (1)
Stock for Hot Saba Noodles Put the egg yolks in a bowl and
Tosa Shoyu mix in the water gradually. Add 8 oz (250 g) young ginger
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
2/3 cup (150 mil basic dashistock Tosa Soy Sauce the flour all at once and stir 2 tablespoons mirin
1 2 teaspoons light soy sauce briefly (preferably with a pair of
1/2 teaspoon mirin If red sake is not available, use chopsticks), leaving in any lumps. 2 tablespoons sake
5 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons of regular sake. Be sure not to mix the batter to
Put all ingredients into a a smooth paste; a tempura bat- Brush the ginger under running
saucepan, bring to a boil and 11/2 tablespoons red sake ter should contain lumps of dry
remove from the heat immedi- 11/2 tablespoons regular sake flour. The mixture can be refrig- water, then blanch in boiling
ately. Serve with hot soba noodles. erated until required, although it water for 1 minute. Drain.
Keeps refrigerated for 2 days. }3/4 cups (450 mil dark soy sauce is best made immediately before Put the vinegar, mirin, sa/(e,
1/3 cup (80 mil tamari soy sauce and sugar in a small saucepan
it is needed.
1/2 OZ (15 g, about 11/3 cups) and bring to a boil, stirring until
dried bonito flakes the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool.
Soba Dash i (2) 5 x 2 in (12 x 5 cm) dried kelp Put the ginger into a steril-
Stock for Cold Saba Noodles (konbu) Sushi-Meshi ized jar and pour over the cooled
Vinegared Rice vinegar. Cover and keep 3 to 4
Put both types of sake in a small days before using. This will keep
2 cups (500 mil basic dashi stock
pan and bring to a boil to refrigerated for up to 1 month.
7 tablespoons (100 mil dark soy remove the alcohol. Allow to 4 cups (1 kg) short-grain rice
sauce cool, then combine with all 5 cups (1 1 /4 liters) water
7 tablespoons (100 mil mirin other ingredients and store for 21/4 -in (3-cm) square of dried kelp
1 week before straining. Can be (konbu) Ponzu Sauce
Put all ingredients into a pan, stored for up to 1 year. Use as a
bring to a boil and remove from dipping sauce for sashimi. Dressing Citrus Sauce
heat immediately. Skim the sur- 1/2 cup (125 ml) rice vinegar
face and allow to cool. Serve 3 tablespoons sugar 3 X 21/2 in (8 x 6 cm) dried kelp
with cold soba noodles. Keeps 5 teaspoons salt (konbu)
refrigerated for up to 4 days. Dengaku Miso }3/4 cups (450 mil musk lime
Wash the rice gently under run- (ponzu or kalamansi) juice, or
ning water, taking care not to lemon juice
13/4 cups (500 g) red or white miso crush the grains, until the water 13/4 cups (450 mil dark soy sauce
Suiji 1/3 cup (100 mil sake runs clear. Leave the rice to drain 1/3 cup (90 mil mirin
Clear Soup 1/3 cup (100 mil mirin in a colander for about 1 hour. 1/4 cup (70 mil tamari soy sauce
3 tablespoons (50 g) sugar 4 cups (40 g) dried bonito flakes
Put in a saucepan with the water
A variety of ingredients can be Put all ingredients into a and kelp and bring to a boil over
added to this clear soup, such as saucepan, preferably non-stick, high heat. Reduce to medium Heat the dried kelp over a gas
small cubes of silken beancurd, and heat slowly, stirring from heat and simmer for about 15 flame or under a broiler (grill),
clams, shrimp, diced fish, sliced time to time. When it has come minutes, until the rice is cooked then put into a bowl with all
scallion, wakame seaweed, to the boil, reduce heat to a and the water has been absorbed. other ingredients. Refrigerate
mushrooms, cooked carrots etc. minimum and cook, stirring from Turn off the heat. Remove the for 3 days, then strain. Can be
stored for up to 1 year. (Bottled
time to time, for 20 minutes. lid and cover the top of the pan ponzu can be purchased in
21/2 cups (600 mil basic dashi with a towel to absorb any con-
Cool and refrigerate for up to Japanese stores.)
stock 1 month. densation. Put back the lid and

An old Korean
saying reads:
"A man can live
without a wife but
not without kimchi."

__________________________________________________________________________ ~i KOREA i109






















A rugged land of mountains, forests, and jagged coastline
has produced an equally robust, and delicious, cuisine.






























Left: A stall operator in a
Korean market prepares for
a busy day.

Right: Chinese cabbage on
sale at an auction market.

Many factors have contributed to the evolution of pear, peach, plum, cherry, persimmon, chestnut,
Korean cooking over the centuries, and the most walnut, ginkgo, and pine nut. Korea has four
important of these are the geography and climate, distinct seasons: spring and autumn are temperate,
the importance of medicinal vegetables and herbs, winter and summer verge on the extremes. Winter
and the various influences that have presented is particularly cold, with temperatures dropping
themselves throughout the history of this Land of to 24°P (-15°C) or less, and it often lasts from
Morning Calm. November until late March. This climate, in
combination with the mountainous interior, has
Mountains, Forests, and Seas given Koreans an appetite for hearty, stimulating
The Korean peninsula juts out like a spur from the food, which helps to keep out the cold and produce
Asian mainland, just below Manchuria in north- energy-meat, soup, chilies, garlic, ginseng, and
eastern China, and eastern Siberia. To the west lies many medicinal vegetables, berries, and nuts. At
the Yellow Sea and China; to the east the East Sea the same time, the four seasons have guaranteed
and Japan. Scattered off the jagged coastline are the Koreans a steady flow of seasonal produce.
some 3,000 islands. But apart from the encircling The lowland fields provide excellent grains and
sea, Korea is a land of mountains. Only 20 percent vegetables, while the uplands grow wild and
of the country consists of arable land, and of this cultivated mushrooms, roots, and greens.
a large proportion is represented by the rice-growing The surrounding seas produce a host of fish,
Honam plain in southwest Korea. seafood, seaweed, and crustaceans. However, it is
Korea is also rich in forests with mountain the sense of food as medicine and long-term
parks full of juniper, bamboo, willow, red maples, protection that has governed the evolution of the
and flowering fruit and nut trees such as apricot, Korean diet. Even raw fish sashimi is given extra

110 I THE FOOD OF ASIA LI ________________________________________________________________ ___



vitality by being seasoned with red chili. Most meals are served with called chang. Every restaurant and home has its own formula for
a gruel or a soup, as well as the ubiquitous, fortifying kimchi and a making chang. Based on a fermented mash of soy beans, the three
range of vegetarian side dishes collectively known as namuI. which most common varieties are kan chang (dark and liquid), daen chang
are delicately seasoned with.soy, seasame, and garlic. (thick and pungent), and gochu chang (fiery and hot).
Ginseng (insam) is also a staple of the Korean diet; it is also one of
Medicinal Approach Korea's most universally recognized symbols. The roots are grown in
long, neat rows protected from the elements by thatched shelters.
Koreans often look to herbal remedies for illnesses. the result of their After harvesting, they are washed, peeled, and dried, then sorted
grounding in Chinese medical belief about the yin-yang balance of according to age and quality into white ginseng types. Red ginseng.
the body and the warming-cooling properties of certain foods. The which is regarded by Koreans as the very best, is steamed before
most common medicinal foods used in cooking are dried persimmon. being dried in the sun, which is believed to increase its medicinal
jujube (red dates), pine seeds, chestnut, ginkgo, tangerine, and ginseng. powers. Koreans consume an enormous amount of ginseng-as
The sapodin in garlic, which Koreans often eat raw wrapped in a root, pills, capsules, candies, chewing gum, cigarettes, tonics, and
lettuce leaf round barbecued meat, is said to cleanse the blood and aid beauty products. Ginseng tea (insam-cha) is a national drink, and is
digestion. Chicken and pork are considered the first steps to obesity, available in tea shops everywhere. Perhaps the most famous ginseng
so are largely avoided. Nuts are supposed to be good for pregnancy as dish is ginseng chicken soup (samgyetang) . The chicken is stuffed
well as the skin; jujube and bellflower root for coughs and colds; raw with ginseng, jujube, sticky rice, and garlic. then stewed. The result
potato juice for an upset stomach; while dried pollack with bean is a sweet, tender, flavorsome dish that is sublimely cooling on hot
sprouts and tofu is said to be good for hangovers.
In the past, close to the forests and mountain streams, Buddhist summer days.
monlcs studied the scriptures; they also developed a "mountain cuisine"
that has become the foundation of Korean cooking today. For example, Table Settings and Etiquette
meat, which is forbidden to the Buddhist monk, and anything that is
strong smelling, such as garlic and scallion, did not feature in temple Korean table settings are classified into 3-cheop, 5-cheop, 7-cheop,
cuisine. While modern Korean Buddhism is not so rigid about garlic, 9-cheop, and 12-cheop, according to the number of side dishes served
this cuisine has retained its traditional dependence on roots, grasses, at a meal. For an everyday Korean meal, the average family takes
and herbs. Other stalwarts of the Korean table originate from the about four side dishes, along with rice-traditionally the center of
mountains, too, such as vegetable pancakes or jeon, which are all table arrangements-soup, and kimchi. The main meals include
usually filled with lentils or leeks and are sometimes fashioned in breakfast, which is the most fortifying meal of the day, a lighter
the shape of a flower. lunch (calledjeomsin, which means "to lighten the heart"). and a
not-too-heavy dinner.
The basic bansang setting includes seven side dishes with boiled
Kimchee, Spices, and Ginseng rice, soup, three seasoning sauces-such as red chili paste. kimchi.
Even today it is virtually impossible to find a Korean house, apartment, and hot radish kim chi-and two heavier soups, such as hot pollack
or monastery without rows of big, black enameled kimchi pots on or rib stew. These soups are considered an accompaniment to the meal
the porch or balcony, or, in the snowy months, beneath the earth. and not a starter. Except for the individual bowl of rice and soup, the
Kimchi can be preserved for a long time. Its hot and spicy taste stimu- dishes are shared. Rice, soup, and stews are eaten with spoons, and
lates the appetite, and it is nutritious, providing vitamins, lactic acid, the rather dry side dishes are eaten with metal chopsticks, but spoon
and minerals otherwise lacking in the winter diet. The introduction and chopsticks are not used at the same time. Bowls and plates are
of chili into the pickling process of vegetables in the 17th century, a also not raised from the table.
process that dates back a thousand years or more, was an important The Korean barbecue is well-known throughout the world and in
innovation in Korean food culture. Using chilies in com:bination with Korea it is a popular way of cooking beef in restaurants and in street
vegetables and fish resulted in a unique method of food preservation stalls. At home, families usually use a table-top grill on which to
and led to the adoption of kimchi as a Korean staple. Red chili and cook bulgogi and galbi ribs.
garlic are the mainstays of the basic kimchi formula, which calls for The ceremonial aspect of Korean dining has been greatly
heads of fresh cabbage to be cut open, salted, placed in brine with influenced by Confucianism and the royal court. There are abundant
lots of red chili and garlic and set to ferment. In summer, when archives of royal dishes in Korea, and some of them can still be
fermentation is rapid, kimchi is made fresh every day. In winter, the experienced in their entirety. For example, gUjeolpan (nine-sectioned
big kimchi pots are packed in straw and buried in the earth to
prevent freezing, then left to ferment for months. There are literally royal platter) is served in an octagonal lacquered platter with nine
hundreds of kimchi types. compartments. Delicate pancakes are placed in the center, surrounded
Wrapped kimchee (bossam kimchi), comprising seafood such as by eight other treasures to be carefully interwoven into the pancakes.
octopus, shrimp, and oyster; white cabbage kimchee (baek kimchi), Another royal delicacy is shinseolo, which comes in a brass pot with
mainly made in the south and containing pickled fish, and sometimes a chimney.
eaten with noodles in winter; stuffed cucumber kimchee (oisobaegi), Many families also own a special pot used in steamboat or fire-
made with cucumbers stuffed with seasonings; hot radish kimchee kettle meals. This unusual vessel has a central chimney surrounded
(kkaktugi), made with Korean white radishes cut into small cubes, by a moat which is filled with morsels of food and kept in the fridge
seasoned and fermented; "bachelor" radish kimchee (chonggak until ready to eat. An hour or more before mealtime, coals are lit in
kimchi), made with small salted white radishes and anchovies; and an outside barbecue so that when the vessel is removed from the
sliced radish and cabbage kimchee (nabak kimchi), with small pieces fridge and placed at the dining area, the glowing red coals can be
of white radish or cabbage pickled in seasoned brine, mixed with inserted into the chimney. A hot broth is poured into the moat and
whole green or red chilies, and served chilled. is kept hot by the chimney. Diners are then able to select food items
There are also many fermented pastes and sauces for dipping, from the hot broth-this is a delicious and very social way of dining!

Family meals Dinner parties Finger food A melting pot menu
Enjoy a Korean-style family For a smart dinner party with For fun snacks and appetizers For an interesting tasting menu
meal at home with rice and: Korean dishes. serve rice and: that can be eaten with the that takes in many special Asian
• Whole Cabbage Kimchi • Crab and Vegetable Hotpot fingers. try: dishes. serve your guests:
(page 112); (page 113); • Scallion. Shellfish. and Egg • Miso Soup with Mushrooms
• Beancurd with Spicy Sauce • Whole Cabbage Kimchi Pancakes (page 112); (page 96) from Japan;
(page 112); (page 112); • Grilled Beef Ribs (page 114); • Barbecued Seasoned Beef
• Noodle Soup with Vegetables • Chicken Stuffed with Rice and • and serve some refreshing (page 114) from Korea
(page 114). Ginseng (page 113); Persimmon Tea (page 115). with plain rice;
• Barbecued Seasoned Beef • Spicy Pamela Salad (page 162)
(page 114). from Thailand;
• White Fungus with Melon
Balls (page 46) from China
or seasonal fresh fruits
as dessert.













THE ESSENTIAL FLAVORS OF KOREAN COOKING
Ingredients common to the Koeran pantry include Korean chili in its many guises: fresh red chili is used in the preparation of kimchi. chili
flakes. chili powder. and chili threads are all made from dried red chilies and are used as garnishing items and to add heat to a dish. Chili
paste is available from Korean stores. Korean medium grain rice would be ideal but Japanese rice is an acceptable substitute (do not use
long or short grain rice.) If you are not making your own kimchi, then keep a steady supply on hand for every meal.

1 APPETIZERS & KIMCHl
_____________________________________________

Whole Cabbage then add cabbage. bending the
Kimchi end if necessary to fit the cabbage
Kimchi
Whole Cabbage Kimchi in tightly. Add more water if
needed to cover. Put a weighted
plate on top to keep the cabbage
Never use a reactive metal under the salted water. and keep
container to store kimchi; at room temperature for 12
use porcelain or stainless steel. hours or longer if needed until
Plastic will be permanently the cabbage has softened. Drain
stained by chili. Store kimchi
in a cool. dark place-a fridge the cabbage. rinse well under
is best. running water. and squeeze dry.
Combine all other ingredi-
ents in a bowl. tossing to mix
Korea's regional foods offer cook until light brown on the 1 long white napa (Chinese) well. Stand the cabbage upright
cabbage, about 1 Ib 3 oz (600 g)
tastes and culinary experiences other side. Repeat until all the 1/2 cup (125 g) coarse or pickling in a bowl and separate the
as colorful as its temple-filled mixture is used up. salt leaves. one by one. pushing in
valleys and rocky bays. This Serve hot with the Soy and 4 cups (1 liter) water some of the radish mixture by
selection of dishes offers a Vinegar Dip. hand to fill. Pack the cabbage.
1 small long white radish, about
mouth-watering cross section pushing it down firmly into a
5 oz (160 g), cut in 11/2-in
of Korean cuisine, from time- covered jar just large enough to
(4-cm) julienne strips hold it. Press down to remove any
honored kimchi recipes to 1 scallion (spring onion), cut in
spicy soups and healthful rice Soy and Vinegar Dip pockets of air. then cover the jar.
11/2 -in (4-cm) julienne strips
and soup dishes. Refrigerate 2 hours. then
Make this dip as an accompani- 1 small leek, white part only, transfer jar to a warm place.
ment for Scallion. Shellfish. and cut in 11/2-in (4-cm) julienne around 78°P (25 °C). for about
Egg Pancake (Pa Jeon). strips 24 hours to ferment. Transfer
Pa Jeon 2 teaspoons very finely chopped to a fridge and chill. Chop
Scallion. Shellfish. and Egg 3 tablespoons light soy sauce garlic before serving.
Pancake 1 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
11/2-2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon very finely chopped
If desired. the oysters can be garlic 1 teaspoon sugar
omitted and the amount of 1 teaspoon sesame oil 116 oz (5 g) pickled shrimp Yangnyeumjang
scallions doubled to make a 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted 2/3 oz (20 g) salted anchovies Sundubu
Scallion Pancake. and coarsely crushed while warm Trim off the root end of the Beancurd with Spicy Sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground
cabbage but do not cut or
1/3 cup (40 g) glutinous rice flour black pepper separate the leaves. Put all but A delicious and spicy way of
or cornflour 11/2 tablespoons of the salt in serving beancurd.
Combine all the ingredients in a
1/3 cup (40 g) rice flour a large bowl and add 4 cups
bowl and set aside.
1/3 cup (40 g) all-purpose (plain) 10 oz (300 g) soft beancurd, chilled
(1 liter) water. Stir to dissolve. I
flour and cut in 4 pieces or left whole
1 egg, lightly beaten
Scallion. Shellfish. and Egg Pancake
1 teaspoon salt
Liberal sprinkling white pepper
3/4 cup (185 mil water
3-4 scallions (spring onions),
cut in 11/4-in (3-cm) lengths
(some green stems left whole)
1/2 cup (100 g) fresh oysters,
rinsed and drained
Generous pinch of dried chili strips,
or 1 red chili, finely julienned
1/4 cup (60 mil vegetable oil
1 portion Soy and Vinegar Dip
(see below)

Combine the flours. egg. salt. and
pepper. stirring in water to make
a smooth. reasonably thin batter.
Stir in the scallions. oysters. and
chili. and set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil
in a skillet and. when moderately
hot, add a smalliadieful of batter.
spreading to make a thin pancake
about 4 in (10 em) across. Cook
until golden brown underneath
and starting to set on top. about
2 minutes. then turn over and

SOUPS & SEAFOOD


Sauce
4 teaspoons light soy sauce Kimchi Jjigae
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, Kimchi Stew
toasted and lightly crushed
while warm The beef in this spicy recipe can
1 teaspoon sesame oil be substituted with porle. Some
1 clove garlic, smashed and very
cooks lilm to substitute about
finely chopped
1 cup (250 rnl) of the beef stock
1 teaspoon chili powder with juice drained from the
1 teaspoon water kimchijar.
1 teaspoon very finely chopped
scallion (spring onion)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 fresh chili, finely chopped
4 oz (120 g) beef sirloin, finely
(optional)
shredded
A generous pinch of dried red chili
1-2 teaspoons smashed and very
strips, for garnishing
finely chopped garlic
Put a piece of beancurd on 21/4 cups firmly packed (480 g)
each of 4 small bowls (or sliced kimchi
the whole beancurd on one 6 cups (1 1/2 liters) Beef Stock Chicken Stuffed with Rice and Ginseng
serving bowl). {page 114}
Combine all sauce ingredients, 4 oz {120 g} beancurd. sliced into Remove the back from the crab Liberal sprinkling white pepper
stirring to mix well, then drizzle rectangles about 11/4 by 1 in and wash. discarding any 2 thin slices fresh ginger
the sauce over the top of each {3 by 2 cm} spongey matter. Cut the crab 2 cloves garlic. halved lengthways
serving of beancurd. Garnish 1-2 teaspoons chili powder into 4 pieces. cracking the legs 1 scallion {spring onion}. finely
with ffiely chopped fresh chili 2 scallions (spring onions). thinly with a cleaver. Set aside. Simmer sliced
and a generous pinch of dried sliced the clams in water until they
red chili strips, if desired. 1 small red or green chili. sliced just begin to open. set aside. Wash and dry the chickens
Serve as a side dish with rice Put the chili paste. water. and clean inside. Combine rice.
and other dishes. Heat the oil in a cast iron pot and salt in a large saucepan and ginseng. 4 jujubes. chestnuts
and stir-fry the beef until it bring to a boil. Cover. lower and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt
changes color. Add the garlic heat. and simmer 10 minutes. in a bowl. stirring to mix.
and kimchi and stir-fry for a Add the crab and clams and If using spring chickens. divide
Yukgaejang couple of minutes. then add the simmer with the pan uncovered the mixture between the two.
Spicy Beef Soup beef stock. Bring to a boil and for 5 minutes. Add the garlic. ensuring each chicken has
simmer 1 minute. Add the leek. bell pepper. scallion. and 1 piece of ginseng and 2 jujubes.
Whether you serve this in the beancurd and chili powder. chili powder. Simmer until crab If using one larger chicken.
middle of winter or summer, return to a boil. and simmer 2 is cooked. about 5 minutes. put all the rice mixture inside.
you'll find it a robust soup ideal minutes. Sprinkle with scallions Scatter with fresh cilantro or Do not pack the chickens too
with rice. and sliced chilies. and serve hot. crown daisy and serve with rice tightly with the mixture. as it
and other dishes or such as will swell during cooking.
pan-fried green chili. Close the cavity of the chicken
4 cups (SOO g) all-purpose {plain}
by threading a skewer in and
flour Kkotgetang
1/2 teaspoon baking powder out of the flap several times.
Crab and Vegetable Hotpot Place the spring chickens
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (12S ml) milk Samgyetang or chicken in a saucepan just
A delicious. warming seafood Chicken Stuffed with Rice large enough to hold them. then
1 tablespoon sugar dish. ideal for cold winter
1 egg and Ginseng add water to just cover. Add the
evenings. 1 teaspoon salt. pepper. 2 jujubes.
4 tablespoons oil
Ginseng. one of Korea's most ginger. garlic. and scallion and
1 teaspoon nigella seeds
2 Ib {I kg} raw blue swimmer crab famous products. gives a special bring to a boil. Cover. lower the
Put beef in a saucepan with 4 clams. scrubbed with a brush flavor as well as medicinal value heat. and simmer gently for
the water and salt. Bring to a S tablespoons Korean chili paste to the filling of glutinous rice. 30 minutes. Turn and cook
boil. cover. lower heat. and (gochujang) jujubes (dried red dates). and until very tender and the flesh
simmer until the beef is tender. 8 cups {2 liters} water chestnuts. is almost falling off the bone.
Remove beef and shred very 11/2 teaspoons salt 20 to 30 minutes for spring
finely. 6 cloves garlic. smashed and 2 spring chickens {Cornish hens}, chickens and 30 to 40 minutes
Return beef to the stock and chopped about 1 Ib (SOO g) each. or for the whole chicken.
add bean sprouts and scallions. 1 small leek. white part only thinly 1 chicken. about 2 Ib {l kg} To serve. halve the spring
Bring to a boil and simmer sliced 1/2 cup (l00 g) glutinous chickens or cut larger chicken
5 minutes. Add soy sauce. garlic. 1/2 red bell pepper (capsicum). rice. soaked in warm water in quarters. Return the chicken
chili powder. chili paste. and julienned 30 minutes. drained and filling to the soup and serve.
sesame oil. and simmer for a few 1/2 green bell pepper (capsicum). 2 pieces dried ginseng. each If preferred. the chicken and
seconds. Just before serving. julienned about 2 in {S cm} long rice can be served together.
stir in the eggs gently. 2 scallions (spring onions). sliced 6 dried jujubes (dried red dates) with the soup in sep~ate
1-2 teaspoons chili powder small bowls. Serve with the dip.
2 dried chestnuts. soaked in
2 tablespoons chopped fresh made by combining salt and
water 30 minutes. coarsely
cilantro (coriander) leaves pepper and. if liked. small bowls
chopped (optional)
Fresh crown daisy. for garnishing of kimchi.
11/2 teaspoons salt

114 I THE FOOD OF ASIA I ~ ________________________________________ ~I MEAT, RICE & NOODLES



Add the meat and mix well.
Bulgogi Serve with the salad, Korean
chili paste (gochujang), and rice.
Barbecued Seasoned Beef
Helpful hints: An alternative
way of preparing this dish is to
Traditionally. bulgogi is made by heat a barbecue or grill and cook
cooking slices of marinated beef the beef slices over high heat for
over a wood fire. but these days. about 1 minute on each side;
it is usually cooked on a table-top prepare the vegetables as above,
gas grill or on a metal convex and mix in the meat when ready.
broiler.
Koreans enjoy serving their
grills with lettuce leaves, sesame
11/2 Ib (750 g) sirloin or rib eye
leaves. sliced raw garlic, and sliced
beef. thinly sliced. cut in pieces
green chili on the side. Arrange
about 2 x 4 1 /2 in (5 x 12 cm).
these ingredients and the meat on
excess fat removed a leaf. then wrap and dip the pack-
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
age in a spicy sauce before eating.
1 green bell pepper (capsicum).
thinly sliced. or 1 large green
chili. thinly sliced
Galbi Gui
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
6 1 /2 oz (200 g) button or fresh
Grilled Beef Ribs
shiitake mushrooms, sliced
(optional)
11/2-2 Ib (3/4-1 kg) beef short
ribs, cut in 11 /2-in (4-cm) lengths
Marinade
1 tablespoon rice wine Drain noodles and divide between
Marinade
1/2-1 Asian pear (nasht), grated Kalguksu 4 large noodle bowls. Add the
1/4 cup (60 mil light soy sauce
to yield 1 tablespoon pear Noodle Soup with Vegetables soup and vegetables to the bowls
1/4 cup (40 g) soft brown sugar
juice (optional) containing the noodles and serve
11/2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup (60 mil light soy sauce This easy-to-prepare dish makes hot with crushed chili for adding
11/2 tablespoons very finely
2 tablespoons sesame oil for a satisfying meal. to taste, together with the sauce.
chopped garlic
1 tablespoon soft brown sugar
11/2 tablespoons rice wine
1 tablespoon very finely chopped 6 cups (11/2 liters) Beef Stock
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black
garlic (see above)
pepper
2 scallions (spring onions), finely 1 small potato, about 5 oz (150 g), Dolsot Bibimbap
1 scallion (spring onion), finely
chopped peeled and diced Pot Rice with Fried Beef
chopped
1/2 cup (125 mil Beef Stock 1 small piece zucchini (courgette), and Vegetables
1/2 cup (125 ml) Beef Stock
(see below, optional) about 5 oz (150 g), peeled and
(see below)
julienned Dolsot Bibimbap is a popular dish
In a large bowl, mix the beef Put beef ribs in a bowl. Mix all 12 to 20 small clams of steamed rice with vegetables
slices. rice wine. and pear juice marinade ingredients in a small Salt to taste and beef in a pot. Sometimes
thoroughly. massaging well with bowl, then pour over the beef; 13 oz (400 g) fresh wheat noodles, the bibimbap is served without
the hand for about 1 minute. massage with the hand for about or 250 g dried buckwheat any side dishes.
Then. add all the other marinade 1 minute. Cover and leave to noodles
ingredients. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 4 hours. Dried crushed chili to serve 3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil
marinate for 3 to 4 hours. Heat a grill or broiler and (optional) 4 dried black shiitake mushrooms,
Heat a large skillet. drain the cook the ribs, turning to brown soaked in hot water to soften,
beef slices, and sear in the pan, on both sides. Serve on a plate. Sauce and sliced; stems discarded
without any oil, for 1 minute on 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon salt
each side. and set it aside. Next, 1 tablespoon beef stock 1 small zucchini (courgette),
heat the oil in the skillet and stir- 1 teaspoon minced ginger julienned
fry the bell pepper. onion, and Beef Stock 1 teaspoon chopped scallion 6 1 /2 oz (200 g) bracken, sliced
mushrooms over medium heat (spring onion) and soaked 10 hours
until cooked but still slightly 1 teaspoon sesame oil 2 teaspoons soy sauce
firm. about 3 minutes. 2 Ib (1 kg) shin beef, in one piece 1 teaspoon fried sesame seeds Small bundle soy bean sprouts,
8 cups (2 liters) water
about 6 1 /2 oz (200 g) tails cut
Barbecued Put beef in a pan with water Prepare the sauce by combining off, or mung bean sprouts
Seasoned and bring to a boil. Simmer all the sauce ingredients. Transfer 6 1 /2 oz (200 g) minced beef
Beef
10 minutes, then skim off all to a sauce dish and set aside. 6 1 /2 oz (200 g) spinach, coarsely
the material that Heat the stock and add potato. chopped
has risen to the top Simmer until potatoes are almost 4 cups (600 g) hot cooked rice
of the liquid. Cover tender. then add zucchini and 4 tablespoons Korean chili paste
the pan, lower the clams. Simmer until done. taste (gochujang)
heat and simmer and add salt if desired. Keep warm. 4 tablespoons shredded dried laver
very gently for If using fresh noodles, plunge 1 tablespoon sesame seeds,
11/2 hours. Strain into boiling water and cook 1 to toasted and coarsely crushed
stock and use beef for another 2 minutes, until done; dried while still warm
recipe, if desired. noodles require about 4 minutes. 2 teaspoons sesame oil

DRINKS LI ------------------------___________________________________________ 1 KOREA I 115



Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a wok and of the table. Serve with the chili 1 green chili, sliced into small
add the mushrooms. Stir-fry paste (gochujang) and, if desired, pieces
over medium heat until cooked, add a fried egg to the top of each 1 scallion (spring onion), coarsely Insam-Cha
3 to 4 minutes. Season with a portion of rice. If clay or other chopped Ginseng Tea
pinch of salt, remove and drain individual heat-proof casseroles 11/2 cups firmly packed (300 g)
on paper towel. are available, grease the inside chopped kimchi Ginseng is Korea's most famous
Add another 2 teaspoons of of each lightly with oil, add rice 3 cups (450 g) cold cooked rice product, a medicinal root whose
oil to the wok and stir-fry the and put over medium heat for Black sesame seeds to garnish amazing properties have been
zucchini. seasoning with a pinch 3 to 4 minutes. Garnish with known for around 5000 years.
of salt and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. the beef and vegetables. Put beef in a bowl and sprinkle
Add 1 to 2 tablespoons water with 1 tablespoon of the sesame 12/3 oz (50 g) dried ginseng root
while stir-frying, and cook until oil. Add the soy sauce and garlic, 4 jujubes (dried red dates)
the zucchini is tender and almost mix well and leave beef to 8 cups (2 liters) water
dry. Put on a dish and keep warm. Kimchi Bokeumbap season for 5 minutes. 1/3 cup (85 g) sugar, or more to
Add 2 teaspoons oil to the Stir-fried Rice with Kimchi Heat liz tablespoon of the taste
wok and stir-fry the soy bean and Beef oil in a wok then add beef and 1 tablespoon pine nuts
sprouts over medium heat until stir-fry over very high heat until
cooked, 3 minutes. Season with This is a handy way of using cooked, about 1 minute. Remove Put ginseng, jujubes, and water
a little salt and transfer to the dish left-over cooked rice, which can from wok and set aside. in a large saucepan. Bring to a
with the other cooked vegetables. be kept refrigerated in a covered Reduce heat to medium, add boil, cover, reduce heat to
Add 2 teaspoons oil to the container. (In fact, it's preferable 1 tablespoon of the remaining minimum and cook very gently
wok and stir-fry the beef until for all fried rice dishes that the vegetable oil to the wok and for 4 hours. Add sugar and stir
cooked, seasoning with a pinch rice is kept overnight, so that when hot, add onion, chili, to dissolve. Pour through a
of salt and the remaining 1 tea- it is completely dry.) The rice is and scallion. Stir-fry until onion strainer into glasses or porcelain
spoon of soy sauce. Add to the stir-fried with shredded beef, softens, 1 to 2 minutes, then add tea bowls, and serve with a few
plate and keep warm. spicy kimchi, onion, scallion, kimchi and stir-fry 1 minute. pine nuts floating on the top.
Add 1 teaspoon oil to the and garlic, and seasoned with Remove from wok and set aside. Note: Although top quality,
wok and stir-fry the spinach soy sauce and sesame oil for a Increase heat to maximum whole aged Korean ginseng root
until cooked, 2 to 3 minutes, quick and very tasty dish ideal and add 1 tablespoon vegetable is very expensive, packets of
then season with a pinch of salt. for lunch or a light supper. oil. When hot, add rice and stir- younger creamy white dried
Divide hot rice between 4 fry over high heat for 1 minute. rootlets (available in Chinese
bowls. Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili 6 1 /2 oz (200 g) beef sirloin, finely Return beef and kimchi mixture medicine shops and most Asian
paste to each, and scatter each shredded to the wok and continue stir- stores) are moderately priced
with laver, sesame seeds, and 1 tablespoon sesame oil frying until heated through. and ideal for,. this recipe.
sesame oil. If preferred, add some 11/2 tablespoons soy sauce Transfer to a serving bowl and
of the mushrooms, zucchini, 1-2 teaspoons very finely chopped sprinkle with tablespoon of
bean sprouts, beef, and spinach garlic sesame oil. Garnish with
to each, or put the accompani- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil sesame seeds. Sujeonggwa
ments on a plate in the center 1 small onion, finely chopped Persimmon Tea
Pot Rice with Fried Beef and Vegetables 2 4-in (lO-cm) cinnamon sticks
11/2 in (4 cm) fresh ginger, thinly
sliced
4 black peppercorns
4 jujubes (dried red dates)
6 cups (}l/2 liters) water
3 tablespoons sugar, or more to
taste
12 pine nuts
4 dried persimmons, soaked in
water
30 minutes, drained (chopped if
desired)
Put cinnamon sticks, ginger,
peppercorns, jujubes, and water
into a large saucepan and bring
to a boil. Cover, lower heat and
simmer for 1 hour. Add sugar
to taste and stir until dissolved.
Pour the mixture through a sieve
into a bowl and add the dried
persimmons. Allow to cool, then
refrigerate until chilled. When
serving, divide the liquid
between 4 bowls or glasses and
add some pine nuts and a whole
dried persimmon (or chopped
persimmon) to each serving.

"Malaysians and
Singaporeans of all
ethnic backgrounds
view eating as a com-
munal activity-as a
quick visit to any
hawker stall will show
you."

____________________________________________________________ ~i MALAYSIA & SINGAPOREi 117



























Culinary exchange between the Chinese, the Indians, and
the Malays has made the peninsula a true melting pot.




















Left: Malay food can now
be found on many a smart
restaurant's menu but the
flavors remain true to the
kampung (village).
Right: Rice is the staple
food in both countries
and comes in many
varieties.


It is not possible to live cheek by jowl with people The ethnic and social structures of the Muslim
of another ethnic community without picking up Malaccan sultanate were to change irrevocably
ideas on food. Over the centuries, the Malay from the 16th century. Since then it has witnessed
peninsula saw sailing ships arriving from the the settlement of the Portuguese, the Dutch and,
west from Arabia, India and, much later on, in the 19th century, the British. With the British
from Europe. From the east came Chinese came large numbers of Chinese and Indian work-
junks, Siamese vessels, and the inter-island ers, which changed the face of the country forever.
sailing craft of the Buginese and Javanese In 1963, the Federation of Malaysia was
people of the Indonesian archipelago. This has formed, consisting of the states of the peninsula;
resulted in a melting pot culture, where the Singapore, the island at the tip of the peninsula,
delicacy of Chinese cooking, the exuberance of and the former British colonies of Sabah and
Indian spices and the fragrance of Malay herbs Sarawak. Singapore broke away in 1965, and has
co-exist. since come into its own as an important entrepot.
Today Singapore is one of Asia's most dynamic
The original people of the peninsula-known and modern cities.
collectively as orang asli---consist of about twenty
different tribes belonging to two distinct linguistic
groups. Later arrivals to the area, who spread The Land and its People
south from Yunnan in southern China and began Their location near the equator means that
settling in Malaysia around 4000 years ago, are Malaysia and Singapore are humid and steamy all
the ancestors of today's dominant ethnic group, year-round. Tropical rains frequently bring fresh-
the Malays. ness during the afternoons, and in contrast with

118 I THE FOOD OF ASIA L______________________________________________________________ __
I

























































During the Feast of the Hungry Ghosts, offerings of food and incense are have given way to a dense cover of high-rise office blocks, shopping
made to the spirits. complexes, condominiums, and public housing. Singapore has
the usually hot days, nights are balmy and the early mornings fresh grown almost none of its food for decades; much of its scarce land is
and cool. devoted to industry and housing its population.
The postcard-pretty tropical landscape-rice paddies, beaches Located as they are in the middle of the world, and with produce
fringed by groves of coconut palms-exists along the coasts, and coming in from all over, few foods are ever out of season in
much of the lush alluvial plains of the peninsula's west coast is Singapore and Malaysia.
planted with palm oil and rubber. Orchards proliferate here and
luscious tropical fruits such as the highly prized durian, furry
rambutan, mangosteen, starfruit, and langsat can be found. To the The Making of a Cuisine
far north of the peninsula, the climate is often dry and the landscape Perhaps the contemporary food of Malaysia and Singapore is best
of endless paddy fields relieved by abrupt limestone hills. represented by the open-air eating stalls. Here, you might start din-
The temperate climate on the main mountain range that runs ner with some popiah (spring roll), move on to a fish-head curry and
north-south along the peninsula, the Banjaran Titiwangsa, makes spicy kangkung with rice, and take home a packet of hokkien mee for
getaways such as Cameron Highlands perfect not only for holiday supper. Almost any self-respecting Malaysian or Singaporean cook
makers but for the tea plantations and market gardens that provide can whip up a tasty Malay-style chicken or fish curry, roti canai or
much of the fresh produce for the peninsula's markets. murtabak, or a very fine Chinese stir-fry.
The generally muddy coastal waters of the Malacca Straits on When Chinese merchants sailed their junks across the South
the west coast are ideal for crabs and shellfish. The small kampungs China Sea, they set in train a process that was to have a profound
(villages) along the east coast are ideal fishing grounds and make influence on the region. A few of these Chinese traders stayed on in
their livelihood from the South China Sea. the Malay peninsula, often marrying local women and forming the
Over on the Borneo peninsula, Sabah has a mountain range that beginnings of Nonya or Straits-Chinese culture. The British encour-
culminates in Southeast Asia's tallest peak, Mount Kinabalu (13,455 aged Chinese migration to supply labor for the tin mines. Thousands
feet). Much of the terrain of Sarawak is low-lying. of Chinese workers poured in to Singapore and the Malay peninsula.
Singapore is for the most part low-lying, and urban development Others headed straight for the gold mines and coal fields of Sarawak
has accelerated swamp reclamation and deforestation. Dense equato- to try their luck, or moved to British North Borneo (now Sabah) to
rial rain forests and a few low hills which once shaped the landscape work on the land.

J M A L A Y S I A & S I N G A P 0 R E I 1 1




The Chinese brought with them the cooking styles of thei gently in oil before liquid—either creamy coconut milk or a sour


homeland, mostly the southern provinces of Guangdong and Fukien broth—is added, together with the vegetables, meat or fish
and introduced to the indigenous people of the Malay peninsula an Produce from the sea is an important part of the Malay diet. Tiny

northern Borneo a range of ingredients now used by every ethnic dried anchovies (ikan bills) and dried shrimp are popular flavorings





group in Malaysia and Singapore today: noodles, beansprouts, beancurd, and dried shrimp paste (belacan) is used to give an inimitable finish t



and soy sauce. In turn, the Chinese developed a penchant for spice many dishes

and chilies. The kendurl or feast is one time when Malay cuisine comes into


Like their Chinese counterparts, Indian traders have been recorded its own. All the women of the family or village take out their gian

in the region for more than a thousand years, but it was in the cooking pots and work through the night, scraping and squeezin


19 th century that they came to Malaya in large numbers as contract coconuts for milk, pounding shallots, garlic, chilies, and spices, cutting

laborers. and chopping, simmering and stirring, until they have created a
Malay cuisine is the link between Indonesia to the west an impressive array of fish curries, gulal (curries) of vegetables bathed




south, and Thailand to the north. Although the results are rather in coconut milk and seasoned perhaps with fresh shrimp; coconut-






different, there is overlap, especially with the food of nearby Sumatr rich rendang of beef or chicken, tingling hot shrimp sambals, and





and, in the northern states of Malaysia, with Thailand. Althoug colorful array of desserts. With their innate courtesy and hospitality





Malay food is not as prominent in Singapore as Chinese, familia the Malays consider it an honor to be able to invite any fortunat

favorites such as the korma, rendang, chicken curry, and variou passer-by to join in the




sambals are very much part of a mainstream diet


While the Malays, Chinese and Indians continue to create thei



traditional foods, cross-cultural borrowing in the kitchen has led to Nonya—the Food of Lov





number of uniquely "Malaysian" and "Singaporean" dishes, such a The so-called Straits-born Chinese, descendants of early settlers in

mee goreng and rojak. Penang and Malacca, combine elements of both Chinese and Mala


culture, quite unlike the mass of Chinese migrants who arrived aroun


the turn of this century and up until the 1930s. These pioneerin



The Food of the Peopl Chinese traders took Malay wives, although as time went on





Despite regional differences, Malay food can be described as spicy children of these early mixed marriages generally married pur


and flavorful, although this does not necessarily mean chili-hot


But you can rest assured that even if the main dishes are not

hot, there'll be a chili-based sambal on hand

Over the centuries, traditional Southeast Asian spices have
been joined by Indian, Middle Eastern, and Chinese spices, so A selection of pickles to be
served with the main meal.

the partnership of coriander and cumin (the basis of man



Malay "curries") is enhanced by pepper, cardamom, star anise


and fenugreek


The Malaysian northern states of Kedah, Perlis, and

Kelantan, all of which border Thailand and Trengganu, sho



distinct Thai influences. (So, too, does Penang.) Fiery hot
chilies, so much a part of Thai food, are popular in the north-




ern states. In addition to Malaysian herbs such as lemongrass,


pandan leaf, the fragrant leaf of the kaffir lime, and th
pungent polygonum or daun kesum, daun kemangia,


a basil popular in Thailand, leaves of


number of rhizomes such as turmeric
and zedoary (known locally as cekur),
and the wonderfully fragrant wil


ginger bud are used. Tamarind,
sour carambola, and lime


give food a tangy an


fragrant sourness
Food without seasonin


is unthinkable—even
piece of fish is rubbed

with turmeric powde

and salt before cooking
Many of the seasoning

that enhance Malay foo
are not dried spices but rhi-

zomes such as fresh turmeri
and lengkuas (galangal), and

other "wet" ingredients such a

chilies, onions, and garlic. Fresh
seasonings and dried spices are

pounded to a fine paste and cooke

120 1 THE FOOD OF ASIA '---1 ___ _____ _________________________ _


were all transformed in the kitchen, added to and blended with
aromatics such as the kaffir lime leaf. polygonum or laksa leaf.
zedoary, fresh turmeric leaves, and pandan.
One of the most popular Nonya dishes among Malaysians of any
background is laksa, a rice-noodle soup that marries Malay seasonings
with Chinese noodles. Nonya cakes are renowned for their richness
and variety. Most are based on Malay recipes, using freshly grated
tapioca root, sweet potato, agar-agar, glutinous rice, palm sugar,
and coconut milk


The Kitchen and Table
Whatever the ethnic community in Malaysia and Singapore, eating
is a communal activity, whether at home or in a restaurant. The
assortment of dishes appear all at once, diners get individual servings
of rice and then help themselves to the dishes using a serving spoon.
One exception to this is the Chinese banquet, a formal eight or ten-
course dinner, where the dishes appear sequentially.
"Don't use your fingers" is not an admonishment you will hear
often in Malaysia and Singapore. Indians, Malays, and Straits Chinese
will tell you that curry and rice taste best when you can literally feel
the food with your fingers. Eating with your hand has its own etiquette
too. Only the right hand is used, and just the tips of the fingers;
the palm is kept perfectly clean. Washing the hands before eating is
not only polite but more hygienic. In the finer Indian and Malay
restaurants, a waiter will bring a bowl of warm water before and
after a meal. In the more pedestrian curry shops or "banana leaf"
restaurants, there will be a row of wash basins and soap for customers
to clean up. Even with clean hands, diners should touch only the
food on their plate, never that in the communal dishes, and the left
hand is used to hold the serving spoon to keep it clean.
Chinese food is more likely to be eaten with chopsticks, although
at some Chinese food stalls and in many Chinese homes, forks,
spoons, and plates are used. However, at a ten-course Chinese meal.
chopsticks are de rigueur. Sucking or licking the tips of the chopsticks
is impolite and contact between mouth and the tips is kept to a mini-
mum. Spoons are set out for larger mouthfuls. Often before and
always at the end of the meal, hot towels are handed round for
cleaning the face and hands.
Although Chinese tea is the traditional drink with Chinese food.
Above: A spread of Nonya food, which is often time consuming to pre-
pare but well worth the effort. Below right: The owner of a hawker stall there is nothing quite like beer to take the heat off your tongue and
in Singapore entices customers with his fresh produce. to cool you down when you eat spicy food on a steamy evening.
Most urban kitchens in Malaysia and Singapore these days are a
Chinese or the children of other Straits Chinese. The women, known curious blend of old and new: the microwave next to the mortar and
as Nonyas, and the men, Babas, generally spoke a mixture of Malay pestle; the food processor next to a well-seasoned wok.
and Chinese, dressed in modified Malay style, and combined the best
of both cuisines in the kitchen.
Typical Chinese ingredients (such as beancurd, soy
sauce, preserved soybeans, black shrimp paste, sesame
seeds, dried mushrooms, and dried lily buds) were blended
with Malay herbs. spices, and fragrant roots. Being non-
Muslim, the Straits Chinese cooked pork dishes in the Malay
style, and added distinctive local ingredients (coconut mill(,
spices, and sour tamarind juice) to basic Chinese recipes.
Distinct differences evolved between the cuisine of the
Penang Nonyas and that of Malacca. In Penang, which is
geographically much closer to Thailand, the Nonyas
developed a passion for sour food (using lots of lime and
tamarind juice), fiery hot chilies, fragrant herbs, and pungent
black shrimp paste. Malacca Nonyas prepare food that is
generally rich in coconut milk and Malay spices (such as
coriander and cumin), and usually use more sugar than
their northern counterparts.
Many fruits and vegetables were prepared in imaginative
ways by the Nonyas. Unripe jackfruit, the heart of the
banana bud, sweet potato leaves, and tiny sour carambola

SUGGESTED MENU


A family meal A light lunch A dinner party A melting pot men








For a family dinner, serve the The recipes in this chapter are For a formal dinner, impress You could start your Asia-wid

following with rice: particularly well suited to smor- your guests with these dishes: menu wit





• Chicken with Lime Leaf gasbords. For a light lunch: • Oyster Omelets (page 123), • Noodles in Spicy Coconut-Mil





(page 132), a little bit of • Popiah (page 122) make a cooked in individual serv- (page 126)







Shrimp Sambal (page 131) delighful start; ings, and small portions • Pork Cutlets on Rice (page 101





and Snake Gourd (page 133); • Shrimp Noodle Soup of Tea-Smoked Seabass from Japan are an interest-



• Sago with Honeydew (page 134) (page 125) or Indian Fried (page 132); ing blend of East and West




is a popular sweet treat with Noodles (page 12 7); • Duck in Fragrant Soy Sauce serve with Vietnames








both the young and old. • finish with some sliced fresh (page 128) or the Chili Crab Pan-Fried Water Convolvulu




fruit. (page 131), which is a sure- with Yellow Bean Sauc
Other great lunch dishes include fire hit; (page 181)


Claypot Rice or Chicken Rice • Cooling Almond Jelly (page 134) • finish with the wonderfu

S n a C K S (page 128). is a good way to round off Mixed Ice from Indonesi
the meal. (page 84).
Curry Puffs (page 122) ar





great as a mid-morning or after-




noon snack, as are the Stuffe

Deep-Fried Yam Dumplings

(page 122). The Nonya Pancake

(page 134) and Mango Jellies

(page 134) would normally b


eaten in-between meals as filler

in Malaysia and Singapore
THE ESSENTIAL FLAVORS OF MALAYSIAN AND SINGAPOREAN COOKIN

The aromatic curry pastes need chilies, garlic, ginger, limes, lemongrass, and shallots, but these ingredients are also used by themselves.




Coconut milk and palm sugar are frequently added to soften the heat of curries and, in desserts, the fragrant pandan leaf is used. Ric





and soy sauce are must-haves

122 I THE FOOD OF ASIA ~I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I APPETIZERS



1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 cups (200 g) finely diced,
cooked chicken
2 large potatoes, boiled and finely
diced
11/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Pastry
4 cups (500 g) all-purpose (plain)
flour
10 tablespoons butter or margarine
Just over 3/4 cup (200 g) water
1/2 teaspoon salt
Make the filling first. Heat oil
and fry the onion gently until
golden brown. Add the curry
powders, chili, and turmeric
and fry gently. Add the chicken,
potatoes, sugar, pepper, and
salt and cook for 5 minutes.
Mix well and leave aside to cool.
To make pastry, mix flour
with butter or margarine,
water, and salt and knead well.
Let it rest for 112 hour. Cut the
Popiah dough into circles 3 in (8cm)
in diameter. Take a tablespoon
The recipes given in this sec- 12 medium-sized cooked shrimp, of filling and place it in the
tion are not usually eaten as peeled and halved lengthwise Curry Puffs center. Fold pastry over to
appetizers as such during a 1 hard-boiled egg, halved length make a half circle and crimp
meal, but as snacks or in- wise then sliced across A perennial favorite originally at edges. Deep-fry in hot oil
between meals. However, they 1 Chinese sausage (lap cheong), created by Indian cooks. until golden.
make excellent nibbles to be sliced and blanched in hot water
Note: Not all margarines are
served with drinks at the start Filling suitable for pastry, owing to
of a meal. Prepare the filling by sauteing 5 tablespoons oil their high moisture content.
the jicama and shallots in oil for 1 medium-sized red or brown
about 5 minutes, until soft. onion, finely chopped The Malaysian brand, Planta,
Seson with five-spice powder 11/2 teaspoons kurma powder or is recommended; Crisco is a
Popiah and salt and leave to cool. chicken curry powder suitable substitute. If meat or
To stuff the popiah. lay a skin 2 teaspoons meat or chicken curry chicken curry powder is not
available, substitute plain
This Nonya version of a popular flat on a plate or board. Smear powder curry powder.
Chinese snack is ideal for lunch. with a little of the black sauce
Popiah wrappers are similar to and pounded garlic, then smear
the fresh wrappers used for with chili paste or sprinkle
Filipino lumpia. If neither are with sliced chilies and
available, use egg roll wrappers. shallots. Lay a lettuce
leaf on top and add
one-sixth of the
6 popiah wrappers
1 red chili, sliced, or 4 red chilies bean sprouts,
pounded to a paste with a little crabmeat,
salt shrimp, egg,
Chinese
2 shallots, finely chopped
sausage, and
1 teaspoon pounded garlic
cooked
1 tablespoon sweet black sauce jicama. Tuck
(tim cheonlfJ
in the sides
and roll up
Filling
the popiah
1 tablespoon oil
firmly. Repeat
1 jicama, peeled and shredded for remaining
4 shallots, sliced 5 popiah. Cut each
Pinch of five-spice powder popiah across in
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 to 5 pieces before
6 lettuce leaves
serving. Serve
2/3 cup (60 g) beansprouts
immediately.
1/2 cup (60 g) crabmeat Curry Puffs

APPETIZERS L-___________________________________________________ I MALAYSIA & SINGAPORE 1123


6 in (15 cm) of the leaf boiling water until it is soft. Mash 8-10 large fresh oysters
protruding at one end. the yam and set aside. Mix the 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
Fry in very hot oil tapioca starch with enough boil- 1 tablespoon rice flour
for 3 to 5 minutes ing water and knead to form a 8 tablespoons water
until cooked. Serve dough. Knead well. Add the pork 1 tablespoon oil
hot still in the oil, five-spice powder. sesame oil, 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
pandan leaf, salt, sugar, and pepper and the 3 whole eggs, beaten
allowing mashed yam. Mix and divide into 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
each 10 to 12 portions. Flatten each 1 tablespoon Chinese wine
diner to portion into a round shape. Ground white pepper
unwrap Divide the filling into 10 to Sprigs of fresh cilantro (coriander)
his or 12 portions. Put a portion in the leaves as garnish
middle of each piece of dough.
Squeeze together to enclose the Wash the oysters and drain well.
filling and make into a dumpling. Mix both tapioca starch and rice
Heat oil in a wok or deep-fryer flour together with the water to
and deep-fry the yam dumplings make a very thin batter. Heat a
her own until golden brown. Serve hot. large heavy skillet until very hot
portions. Pork oil or lard is made by and add oil. Pour in the batter
If you can- chopping hard (back) pork fat and cook for about 15 seconds
not obtain into fine dice and cooking over before adding the beaten eggs.
pandan leaves, low heat with about 2 tablespoons When the eggs are almost
use parchment water until the water evaporates set. make a hole in the center,
paper cut in and all the oil runs out. Tapioca pour in a little oil and fry the
squares. Fold up starch or "flour" is available in garlic for a few seconds. Mix. then
the pork ribs envelope 1-lb (500-g) packages in Asian season with soy sauce, Chinese
style and fasten with a staple food stores. If you cannot find wine and pepper. Add oysters and
before frying. any. substitute instant tapioca cook just long enough to heat
Pork Ribs Fried in Pandan Leaves that has been ground to a fine through. Serve sprinkled with
powder in a blender or grinder. fresh coriander and accompanied
by Chili Sauce (page 135).
Pork Ribs Fried in Wu Kok
Pandan Leaves Stuffed Deep-fried Yam HELPFUL HINT
Dumplings Oyster Omelet
Oyster omelets make elegant
The fragrance of pandan (screw- dinner-party entrees. The ome-
pine) leaves enriches a number of A Teochew delicacy filled with Fresh oysters are cooked in a lets can be made in two-oyster
savory rice, meat, and chicken red-roasted pork (char siew). light omelet flavored with soy lots for individual servi ngs.
dishes of Malay or Nonya origin. Char siew is readily available sauce and Chinese wine.
The use of pandan leaves to from Chinese barbecue stores.
wrap food before deep-frying is Stuffed Deep-fried Yam Dumplings
a Thai influence. This Singapore 1 yam, about 11/4 Ib (600 g)
adaptation uses pork ribs. 9 tablespoons tapioca starch
1/2 cup (125 ml) pork oil or
2 Ib (1 kg) pork ribs, cut in 1 1 /2-in vegetable shortening (Crisco)
(4-cm) pieces 1 tablespoon five-spice powder
8 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon sesame oil
8 shallots 1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons honey 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoons red sweet sauce Oil for deep-frying
1 tablespoon five-spice powder 1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons Lea & Perrins sauce
1 tablespoon HP sauce Filling
2 tablespoons sour plum sauce 8 oz (200 g) red roasted pork
4 tablespoons oil (char siew), diced (page 135)
1 teaspoon sesame oil 1/3 cup {50 g)green peas
24 pandan leaves 1 small onion, finely diced
Oil for deep-frying 1 small carrot, diced
1/2 cup {125 mil oyster sauce
Choose meaty pork ribs and 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
have them cut to the correct 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
length. Pound or blend together 1/2 teaspoon sugar
the garlic and shallots, then mix 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
with all other ingredients, 1 tablespoon cornstarch
except pandan leaves and oil for
deep frying. Leave to marinate Put all filling ingredients in a
for about 2 hours. bowl and mix well. Set aside to
Wrap each of the pork ribs chill in the refrigerator.
with pandan leaves, tying a Peel yam and cut in pieces.
simple knot and leaving about Steam for about 30 minutes over

___________________ SOUPS & NOODLES
124 1 THE FOOD OF ASIA L I _ _____ I

The Chinese principle of the
"restorative" dish meets the Superior Wonton Soup
hot and spicy in the selection
of soups here. Once again, Stuffed ravioli-like dumplings or
one-bowl or one-plate noodle wanton in soup are found in
dishes proliferate-a testa- Chinese restaurants throughout
ment to their popularity in the world, usually served with
Malaysia and Singapore.
thin egg noodles for a quick
meal. This is a luxurious version.

8ak Kut Teh 15 wonton skins
Spiced Pork Bone Soup 6 cups (11/2 liters) basic stock
(see below)
A popular hawker stall snack, 11/2 cups snow peas, blanched
eaten as a late-night or early 6 dried black mushroom, soaked,
morning pick-me-up. The boiled until soft, thinly sliced
Chinese herbs should be avail- Salt and pepper
able from any Chinese medicine
shop. They can be omitted, Basic Stock
although the flavor will be less 3 dried scallops
rich and the soup presumably 10 oz (300 g) boneless chicken
less of a restorative. 1/2 cup very fine dried Chinese
anchovies
12 cups (3 liters) water
1 Ib (500 g) pork ribs, cleaned and
2 cloves garlic, smashed
cut into 2-in (5-cm) lengths
1/2 in (1 cm) ginger, sliced
8 oz (250 g) lean pork, in one
1/2 teaspoon white peppercorns
piece
3 carrots
12 cups (3 liters) water
7 ribs celery
Salt and ground white pepper to
taste
Filling
Superior WOIl/OIl Soup
8 oz (200 g) shrimp, peeled and
Seasoning
4 gan cao deveined 1 egg, beaten To make the filling. chop
1 luo han guo 4 oz (100 g) boneless chicken or 1 2 tablespoons cornstarch the shrimp, chicken. water
21/2 oz (50 g) dang xin pork 1 tablespoon light soy sauce chestnuts, and fungus together
1 oz (25 g) chuan kong 4 oz (100 g) water chestnuts, peeled with a cleaver until fine. Mix
1 oz (25 g) dang guei 11/2 oz (30 g) dried black fungus or Prepare the stock first by putting in all other filling ingredients.
1/2 oz (15 g) sheng di 2 dried mushrooms, soaked all the ingredients in a pot and Put 1 small spoonful of the
1 tablespoon oyster sauce bringing to the boil. Remove the
5 whole star anise filling in the center of a 1I'011t0l1
1/2 teaspoon salt scum from the surface, lower wrapper and squeeze the edges
1 cinnamon stick, about 3 in
A dash of sesame oil heat and simmer, covered, for together in the center. Repeat
(8 cm) long
2 tablespoons sugar 2 hours. Strain thoroughly until all the filling is used.
10 cloves
A dash of Chinese wine before using. Bring the cooked stock to
1 piece dried Mandarin orange peel
1/2 cup (125 mil light soy sauce a boil. add the wanton and
1/4 cup (60 mil black soy sauce simmer for 3-5 minutes or
until they rise to the top. Add
2 tablespoons sugar
the snow peas, mushrooms.
Put the pork ribs, meat and salt, and pepper and serve
water in a large pan. Wrap all immediately. If you are unable
the seasoning ingredients to find dried scallops (which are
except soy sauces and very expensive), lIb (500 g) of
sugar in a piece of clean pork bones can substituted
cheesecloth and add to to make the stock.
the pan. Add both
types of soy sauce and HELPFUL HINT
sugar and bring to the Don't bother making small
boil. Simmer gently, batches of wantons: they freeze
uncovered, for 11/2 to wel l and are very handy for
2 hours, until the meat deep-fried pre-dinner nibbles or
is almost falling off the to be added to noodle soups,
bones. Season to taste so make heaps!
with salt (if needed) and
ground white pepper.
When serving, cut the
lean pork meat into small
pieces. Put in a bowl together
with the pork ribs and top with
the stock.

SOUPS & NOODLES ~__________________________________________ ~ & SINGAPORE 1125
I
Leave about 1 tablespoon of
Yen's Brown Noodles oil in the wok and fry the garlic
for a few seconds, then add
prawns and chicken or pork.
This version of a Cantonese-style Stir-fry until they are cooked,
dish is named after the chef who then add water and season-
created it. Packets of yee mien ing. Bring to a boil. add
noodles should be available from vegetables and simmer for
any Chinese provision shop. The a minute. Add the corn-
distinctive flavor of this type of flour mixture and stir
noodle makes this simple dish until the sauce thickens.
well worth sampling. Stir in the egg and pour
over the noodles. Serve
5 oz (150 g) dry brown noodles immediately.
(yee mien) The noodles should
5 oz (150 g) mustard greens or have a firm texture,
spinach although not crisp and
Oil for frying crunchy, after cooking.
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
150 g (5 oz) peeled shrimp
150 g (5 oz) chicken or pork,
shredded Hae Mee
3 cups (750) ml water Shrimp Noodle Soup
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons light soy sauce The flavor of this relatively
1/2 teaspoon black soy sauce simple noodle dish depends dried prawns
on the stock, so take the care 1 dried chili (optional)
1/2 teaspoon sesa me oi I
1/2 teaspoon white pepper (and time!) and you will be 5 shallots, very finely chopped Sl1rimp N oodle Soup
amply rewarded. 5 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
1 heaped tablespoon cornflour,
5 whole white peppercorns, coarsely Cook over low heat, stirring, for
blended with 3 tablespoons water
ground and gently fried until
2 eggs, lightly beaten 8-12 large shrimp about 5 minutes. Crush firmly
fragrant
3 1 /2 oz (100 g) hard back pork fat with the back of a wooden
8 oz (200 g) pork or chicken bones
Put the noodles in a colander, or salt pork, cut in 1/4-in spoon against the side of the
sprinkle with a little cold water (1/2-cm) dice (optional) 8 cups (2 liters) water pan, then add all other stock
and leave aside to soften. 5 oz (150 g) fresh egg noodles 1 tablespoon sugar ingredients, except the sugar.
Discard hard ends of the 1/2 cup (50 g) beansprouts, Peelthe 8 to 12 large shrimp, Simmer gently, uncovered, until
greens and cut into PI2 in (4 cm) blanched, or a few blanched saving the head and shells for the liquid is reduced by half.
lengths. Heat about 2 in (5 cm) leafy greens the stock but leaving the tails on. Heat the sugar in a small pan
oil in a wok and fry the noodles, 1 scallion (spring onion), finely Put the shrimp in the refrigerator. with an equal amount of water
a handful at a time, turning over sliced To make the stock, heat the and cook until it turns a dark
until crisp and golden (about Ground white pepper oil and fry the reserved shrimp caramel color. Add to the stock.
1 minute). Drain and set aside. heads and shells together with Strain the stock, pressing firmly
Repeat with remaining noodles. Stock the fresh small shrimp, dried with the back of a spoon to
Arrange noodles in a large wide 1 tablespoon oil prawns and dried chili. extract all the liquid, then season
bowl or deep serving platter. 3 1 /2 oz (100 g) small fresh shrimp to taste with salt. Keep hot
if using immediately.
While the stock is cooking,
put the pork dice in a pan and
cook gently until the oil runs
out and the pork turns golden
and crisp. Drain and set aside.
To finish the dish, plunge
the noodles in boiling water for
about 1 minute to heat through,
then divide among 4 bowls.
Add bean sprouts or leafy
greens, top with hot stock. then
add 2 to 3 shrimp to each bowl.
Sprinkle with the fried pork,
scallions and a liberal dash of
white pepper. Serve immediately
with sliced red chili in a bowl of
light soy sauce, or with the
sambal of your choice.

126 I THE FOOD OF ASIA L _ _ _ ___ _ _____ _ _ ___ _ _ _ ___ .~ SOUPS & NOODLES
I



Laksa Lemak
Noodles in Spicy Coconut Milk

This Nonya version of Iaksa
comes from Malacca. The sauce
can be prepared in advance,
and the garnishing ingredients
readied although not sliced to
ensure maximum freshness.

1/2 cup (125 ml) oil
6 sprigs polygonum (daun kesum)
2 wild ginger buds, finely sliced
6 cups (1 1 /2 liters) water
11/2 cups (375 ml) thick coconut
milk
1 heaped tablespoon sugar
Sa It to taste c t~' .•..
, Si ~ 4;: ..
.
-,
1 Ib (500 g) thin fresh .- . ,
yellow noodles, or dried noodles, .. ,.' ~ - -
'"
cooked and drained
1 chicken breast, steamed and
shredded
Noodles in Spicy Coconut Milk
1 1/2 cups (150 g) beansprouts,
blanched
1 cucumber, in matchstick shreds Add thick coconut milk, sugar 11/4 Ib (600 g) fresh coarse rice
4 oz (125 g) peeled shrimp,
3 eggs, beaten, made into thin and salt. Reduce heat and simmer noodles (/aksa)
steamed (about 10 large)
omelets and shredded very gently, uncovered, for
2 red chilies, sliced 10-15 minutes. Spice Paste
Spice Paste
2 scallions (spring onions), sliced To serve, plunge noodles in 5 shallots
8 red chilies 6 tablespoons Sambal Belacan boiling water fora few seconds, 2 stalks lemongrass
10 shallots
(page 135) to heat through. Divide the 1 in (1 1/2 cm) fresh turmeric (or
1 stalk lemongrass
6 small limes, cut in wedges noodles, chicken, beansprouts, 2 teaspoons powder)
3/4 in (2 cm) galangal and shrimp among 6 individual 3 dried red chilies, soaked in
1/4 in (1/2 cm) fresh turmeric (or Chop and blend all the spice paste noodle bowls and top with the warm water
1/2 teaspoon powder) ingredients finely, adding a little sliced polygonum and ginger 6 fresh red chilies
1/2 teaspoon dried shrimp paste of the oil if necessary to keep the bud. Pour sauce on top and 1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste
(belacan) blades turning. Heat remaining add a little cucumber, omelet, (belacan)
oil and gently fry the blended chilies, and scallion. Serve with
Garnish ingredients for 10 minutes, side dishes of sambaI beIacan Garnish
3 sprigs polygonum (daun kesum), stirring from time to time. Add and cut limes. 1 cucumber, peeled and shredded
sliced the polygonum, ginger buds, 6 sprigs polygonum (daun kesum),
---- Dried rice vermicel li (meehoon) 3 large red onions, sliced
and water and bring to a boil.
HELPFUL HINT
1 wild ginger bud, finely sliced
sliced
Sour Penang Noodle Soup
Few sprigs mint, torn
or any dried Chinese wheat-
flour noodles can also be used 3 red chilies, sliced
for th is dish. 1/2 fresh pineapple, cut in shreds
Small bowl of black prawn paste
(hae ko), diluted in a little
warm water
Asam Laksa Penang Simmer the cleaned whole fish
Sour Penang Noodle Soup in water until cooked. Remove
fish, cool, and remove the flesh
This is the Penang version of from the bones. Break up the
Iaksa, which is more sour and flesh. Strain the stock carefully
boasts the addition of fish. and return to a large pan with
the fish, tamarind juice, ginger
11/4 Ib (600 g) small Chubb buds, polygonum, and sugar.
mackerel (ikan kembong) Blend the spice paste ingredi-
6 cups (1 1 /2 liters) water ents finely and add to the fish
5 tablespoons tamarind pulp, stock. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
soaked and squeezed for juice Prepare all garnish ingredients.
2 wild ginger buds, sliced Blanch the noodles in boiling
3 sprigs polygonum (daun kesum), water, drain and divide among
sliced 6 bowls. Pour over the fish stock
1/2-1 tablespoon sugar, to taste and garnish the top of each bowl.

SOUPS & NOODLES ~----------------------------------~
I MALAY S I A & SIN G A PO REI 127


1 teaspoon ground fennel
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sa It
8-12 cups (2-3 liters) water
2 tablespoons oil
2 leeks, sliced (white part only)
1 cinnamon stick, 3 in (8 cm)
long
4 whole star anise
5 cardamom pods, bruised
Fried shallots to garnish
(page 135)
1 tomato, quartered
Chopped Chinese celery or cilantro
(coriander leaves) to garnish
Pound or blend the ginger and
garlic together, then put in a pot
with the mutton or lamb ribs,
coriander, fennel, cumin and
salt. Add 12 cups (3 liters) of
water if using mutton, but only
8 cups (2 liters) if using lamb,
which will cook more quickly.
Simmer, uncovered, until the
meat is soft.
Heat the oil in a small pan
Allow diners to add the black Blend softened chilies to a paste, and saute the leeks, shallots,
prawn paste themselves, as the adding a little oil if necessary. Sop Kambing cinnamon, star anise, and
taste is rather pungent. Keep aside 2 tablespoons of oil and cardamom until the leeks are
If Chubb mackerel is not heat the remainder over medium Indian Mutton Soup
available, choose another well- heat, add dried shrimp paste and Also known as Sop Tulang or tender. Add to the mutton soup
and simmer for another couple
flavored fish to ensure the soup fry for 1 minute. Add chili paste, Bone Soup, this robust dish is of minutes. Add tomato, taste
has its characteristic fishy taste. reduce heat to low and cook, and add more salt if desired.
stirring from time to time, for one of the more popular stall Serve sprinkled with fried
30 minutes. Remove from pan. foods in Singapore. It makes a shallots and Chinese celery
Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil great late-night supper or
Indian Mee Goreng in a wok. Add garlic, cooked chili luncheon, especially if served leaves, and accompany with
Indian Fried Noodles paste, shrimp and chicken and with crusty French bread. crusty French bread.
fry for 3 minutes. Add noodles
Although noodles were brought and fry over medium heat for 2 in (5 cm) ginger
to Malaysia by the Chinese, all 3 minutes. Add mustard greens 6 cloves garlic
other ethnic groups have adapted and bean sprouts. Fry for 2 1 Ib (500 g) meaty mutton or
them to suit their tastes. minutes, then add bean curd and lamb ribs
stir fry for 3 minutes. Lastly, add 1 heaped tablespoon ground
10 dried chilies, soaked in hot water soy sauce and salt mixed togeth- coriander
1/2 cup (125 ml) oil er. Stir fry for 1 minute.
1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste Garnish with fresh chilies,
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped cilantro, celery leaf, scallions,
6 oz (200 g) large shrimp, peeled fried shallots and fresh lime and
and deveined serve immediately.
6 oz (200 g) boneless chicken,
shredded HELPFUL HINT
12 oz (400 g) fresh yellow noodles
Cabbage or spinach can be
2 cups mustard greens
used instead of mustard
1 cup (100 g) beansprouts
greens, if preferred.
2 hard beancurd cakes, deep
fried and sliced
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 red chili, sliced
1 green chili, sliced
Sprig of cilantro (coriander) leaves,
roughly chopped
Sprig of Chinese celery leaves,
roughly chopped
2 scallion (spring onions), sliced
2 tablespoons fried shallots
(page135)
Indian Fried Noodles
6 small fresh limes, halved

128 I THE F 0 0 D 0 F A S I A I L __________________________________________________ ~I MAIN DISHES


Chinese sausage. mushrooms
and sliced ginger on top. Cover
and cook for another 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with scallion and serve.

HELPFUL HINT
Claypot Rice. If you do not have
a clay or earthenware pot. a
saucepan with a heavy base or
rice cooker wil l do at a pinch.




Duck in Fragrant
Soy Sauce

A Teochew favorite sometimes
made with goose. this is a
simple. tasty way of simmering
duck in soy sauce flavored with
cinnamon. star anise. and
cloves. The addition of fresh
turmeric and lemongrass.
which are Southeast Asian
rather than Chinese seasonings.
is a Singaporean touch. lin kok
is a dried Chinese root. available
from Chinese medicine or
Garnish Chinese believe that a claypot is
I essential to ensure the correct provision shops.
Nasi Ayam 1 cucumber, sliced flavor and fragrance of this
Chicken Rice Prepare the chicken well in dish. though any other type of 1 fresh duck, about 4 Ib (2 kg)
advance. Prick the chicken with covered earthenware container 1 tablespoon five-spice powder
This is another popular coffee- a fork to allow seasonings to could be used. 7 cinnamon sticks about 3 in
shop and hawker staple in penetrate. Blend or pound garlic. (8 cm) long
Malaysia and Singapore. shallots. and ginger. then mix with 2 cups (400 g) uncooked long- 15 star anise
all other ingredients and rub into grain rice, washed 20 cloves
Roast Chicken chicken. Marinate 4 hours or 3 cups (750 ml) chicken stock 10 shallots, lightly bruised
1/2 fresh chicken overnight, if possible. Roast 1/2 fresh chicken, about 11/2 Ib 10 cloves garlic, lightly bruised
3 cloves garlic chicken in a 450 0 P (230°C. (750 g), cut into small cubes 3 tablespoons jin kok (optional)
4 shallots gas mark 8) oven for about 1 Chinese sausage, sliced 4 cups (1 liter) light soy sauce
2 in (5 cm) ginger 20 minutes. Cut into serving 6 dried black mushrooms, soaked, 3 tablespoons black soy sauce
3 tablespoons oyster sauce pieces and put on a platter simmered until cooked and 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon black soy sauce garnished with sliced cucumber. quartered 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised
2 tablespoons light soy sauce Wash the rice. drain and put 11/2 in (4 cm) ginger, thinly sliced 1/2 in (1 cm) fresh turmeric,
1 tablespoon tomato sauce in a saucepan or rice cooker. 1 scallion (spring onion), thinly bruised, or 2 teaspoons
1 tablespoon chili sauce Pound the ginger and garlic sliced turmeric powder
1 teaspoon chili powder together and add to rice together 24 cups (6 liters) water
1 teaspoon salt with butter. pandan leaves, sait, Marinade Clean the duck
and sufficient water to cook the 2 tablespoons oil
Rice rice. When the rice is cooked, 3 tablespoons oyster sauce and rub inside
2 cups (400 g) uncooked rice, fluff up with a fork. put in a 1 tablespoon soy sauce with the five-
spice powder.
washed thoroughly serving bowl and decorate with 1 tablespoon Chinese wine Leave in the
1 in (2 1/2 cm) ginger fried shallots. 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil refrigerator
3 cloves garlic Blend all the chili sauce 1 teaspoon black soy sauce overnight.
4 tablespoons butter ingredients together until fine. 1 teaspoon sugar
2 pandan leaves Serve the rice with the chiclc- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper Rinse the
Pinch salt en, cucumber. and chili sauce. 1 tablespoon cornstarch duck inside
3 tablespoons fried shallots with a bowl of clear chicken and out with
(page 135) soup to accompany it if desired. Put the rice in a claypot with water and put
in a large wide
chicken stock. cover and cook over pan with all the
Chili Sauce low heat for about 20 minutes. seasonings and
5 red chilies While the rice is cooking. water. Bring to a
Claypot Rice
4 cloves garlic mix the marinade ingredients
1 in (2 1/2 cm) ginger together and pour over the boil and simmer
3 tablespoons lime juice This Cantonese one-pot dish is chicken. mixing well. When the gently. uncovered.
1 teaspoon sesame oil very popular in the food stalls of rice has cooked for 20 minutes. until the duck is very
Salt and sugar to taste Singapore and Malaysia. The spread the marinated chicken. tender. Serve with white rice.

MAIN DISHES ,---______ _________ _____ ____ ---'1 MALAYSIA & SINGAPORE 1129
I



Devil Chicken Curry

Devil by name ... this is quite a
hot dish. tempered with lemon-
grass and galangal. so serve
with lots of steamed rice.

1/4 cup (60 ml) oil
2 onions, quartered
2 in (5 cm) ginger, shredded
5 cloves garlic, sliced
2 red chilies, halved lengthwise
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
4 tablespoons sugar
4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 chicken, cut into serving
pieces
1/2 cup (125 mil distilled white
vinegar
3-4 cups (3/4-1 liter) water

Spice Paste
30 shallots
30 dried chilies, soaked and
deseeded
11/4 inches fresh turmeric Rich Coconut Beef
(or 21/2 teaspoons powder)
1 in (2 1/2 cm) galangal Fry the blended ingredients with Spice Paste 8 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons oil for 10 minutes. 2 shallots 25 red chilies, de-seeded
2 stalks lemongrass adding the salt and soy sauce. 3/4 in (2 cm) galangal
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds, Add sugar. stir well. then put in 10 bird's-eye chilies
soaked in water for 5 minutes 3 stalks lemongrass 1 in (2 1 /2 cm) turmeric, or
the potatoes. chicken. vinegar 2 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
Chop spice paste ingredients and water. Simmer. uncovered. 3/4 in (2 cm) ginger 3 tablespoons tomato paste
and blend with a little of the until chicken is cooked. Taste 10 dried chilies, soaked in hot water 2/3 cup (200 g) tamarind pulp,
oil until fine. Set aside. and adjust seasonings. adding a To prepare the kerisik. roast 10 oz soaked in 2 cups {500 mil of
Heat remaining oil and fry little more vinegar for a sourer water, squeezed and strained
the onions. ginger. garlic. and taste. if desired. Add the (300 g) grated fresh coconut for juice
in a slow oven until brown.
chilies for 2 minutes. Drain off reserved fried ingredients. stir Alternatively. cook in a dry wok. 2 tablespoons sugar
the oil and set mixture aside. well and serve with rice. 5 kaffir lime leaves (daun limau
Note: Cut the chilies into stirring constantly. Cool. then puruf)
pieces before soaking. and discard grind finely until the oil comes 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
the seeds-which will fall to the out. Chop the spice paste ingre- 11/2 in (4 cm) galangal, sliced
bottom of the bowl-to help dients. then puree in a blender 12 cups (3 liters) water
reduce the heat. until fine. Heat the oil. add the Salt and pepper to taste
spice paste. cinnamon. cloves. Fried shallots (page 135)
star anise. and cardamom and to garnish
fry for 5 minutes.
Rendang Daging Add the beef. coconut mill\:. Trim all fat off the oxtail and
Rich Coconut Beef and asam gelugor or tamarind discard. Chop. then pound or
juice. Simmer uncovered. blend the shallots. garlic. chiles
1/2 cup (125 mil oil stirring frequently. until the and turmeric. adding a little
11/4 in (3 cm) cinnamon stick meat is almost cooked. Add the water if necessary to keep the
2 cloves lime and turmeric leaves. kerisik. blades turning. Combine the
4 star anise sugar and salt. Lower the heat blended mixture with all other
2 cardamom pods and simmer until the meat is ingredients except water and
1 Ib (500 g) top round beef, really tender and the gravy has garnish. Mix well with the oxtail.
cubed dried up. Approximate cooking Leave to marinate for 2 hours.
1 cup (250 ml) thick coconut milk time is 1 to 11/2 hours. Bring the water to a boil in a
1 slice asam ge/ugur, or large pot and add the marinated
2 teaspoons dried tamarind pulp oxtail. Simmer. uncovered. over
soaked in warm water for juice low heat until the oxtail is
2 fragrant lime leaves, very finely Buntut Asam Pedas tender and liqUid is reduced by
Sour Hot Oxtail Stew
sliced about half. Season to taste with
1 turmeric leaf, very finely sliced salt and pepper. garnish with
2 tablespoons kerisik (see below) 1 whole oxtail, about 4 Ib (2 kg), fried shallots and serve with
11/2 teaspoons sugar 1 cut in 11 /2-in (4-cm) pieces white rice.
Devil Chicken Curry Salt to taste 10 shallots

130 I THE FOOD OF ASIA I~ __________________________________________________ ~I MAIN DISHES



2 sprigs fresh cilantro (coriander) Spice Paste
leaves, roughly chopped 15 dried chilies, soaked in hot water
2 sprigs Chinese celery, roughly 2 candlenuts
chopped 4 cloves garl ic
10 shallots
Remove all skin and bones from 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
the fish and cut it in thin slices. 1 cup (2S0 ml) water
Keep aside 2 tablespoons of lime
juice, then soak the fish in the Chop and blend spice paste
remaining juice for at least 30 ingredients finely. Heat oil in a
minutes, stirring once or twice, saucepan, then fry the galangal
until the fish turns white. and blended ingredients for
Drain and discard lime juice. 5 minutes. Add the asam gelugur
While the fish is marinating, or tamarind pulp. Add 1/2 cup of
pound the chilies with salt the water and cook for another
until fine. When fish is ready, 5 minutes. Add the rest of the
mix it with the chilies, shallots, water and bring to a boil. Add
ginger, fresh herbs, and reserved the fish, polygonum, salt, sugar,
lime juice. Taste and add more and coconut milk and simmer,
salt if desired. Serve immediately uncovered, for another 5 minutes.
as part of a rice-based meal.


Teochew Steamed Fish
I kan Asam Pedas
Hot and Sour Fish Curry A very delicious dish that
Indian Mutton
Curry demands the freshest of fish to
This fragrant and spicy curry shine. Salted plums are available
is enriched by a touch of in jars from Asian food stores.
Kambing Korma Put the mutton in a pan with coconut mille
Indian Mutton Curry 8 cups (2 liters) water. Chop, 1 whole pomfret, about 2 Ib (1 kg)
then blend the shallots, garlic, 1/3 cup (8S ml) oil 1/4 cup (50 g) packed salted
ginger, and 10 green chilies 1/2 in (1 cm) galangal, smashed Chinese cabbage (kiam chye),
A mixture of dried ground
spices, whole spices and the with a little water. Add to the 2 slices asam ge/ugur, or 1 heaped chopped
usual trinity of shallots, garlic, mutton and bring to the boil. tablespoon tamarind pulp, 1 tomato, cut in wedges
and ginger provide the basic Simmer, uncovered, until the soaked in water for juice 3 in (8 cm) ginger, finely sliced
flavorings for this rich mutton meat is just tender. 21/2 cups (62S ml) water 2 red chilies, sliced
Heat oil and gently saute the
curry. The Singapore touch is onion, cardamom, star anise, 6 thick fish fillets or cutlets 6 salted plums (obtainable in jars)
evident in the use of candlenuts cinnamon, curry powder and 4 sprigs polygonum (daun kesum), 1 scallion (spring onion), cut in
(not found in India) to enrich curry leaves. When it smells chopped 2-in (S-cm) lengths
and thicken the gravy. Salt to taste 3 dried black mushrooms, softened
fragrant, add to the meat together 1 teaspoon sugar then sliced
with the potatoes, yogurt, salt, 3 tablespoons thick coconut milk 2 oz (60 g) shredded pork
2 Ib (1 kg) mutton or lamb, candlenuts, and tamarind. (optional)
cubed
Continue simmering until the
10 shallots
meat is soft. Add the green chilies
10 cloves garlic
and tomatoes just before serving.
2 in (S cm) ginger
10 green chilies
3 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, sliced Borneo Marinated Fish
6 cardamom pods, bruised
5 whole star anise
This no-cook dish is a favorite
2 sticks cinnamon about 3 in
among Sarawak's Melanau peo-
(8 cm) long
ple, who call their version umai.
4 tablespoons meat curry powder
Sabah's Kadazans call it hinava.
20 curry leaves
Use only the very freshest fish
3 potatoes, quartered
for this recipe, as it is "cooked"
1 cup (2S0 ml) plain yogurt
only with lime juice.
1 teaspoon salt
10 candlenuts, pounded or
1 Ib (SOO g) very fresh white fish
blended
(Spanish mackerel preferred)
2 slices asam ge/ugur or 1 table-
1/3 cup (8S g) freshly squeezed
spoon tamarind pulp, soaked in
lime or lemon juice
4 tablespoons water, squeezed
2-3 red chilies
and strained for juice
1 teaspoon salt
4-6 green chilies, halved lengthwise
6-8 shallots, thinly sliced
6 tomatoes, quartered
2 in (S cm) ginger, very finely
shredded

RAIN DISHES LI ____________________________________________ ___ 1 MALAYSIA & SINGAPORE 1 131



1 tablespoon light soy sauce
Butter Shrimp 1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 cup (250 mil chicken stock
A relatively recent Malaysian 1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed
creation, this combines tradi- with 3 tablespoons water
tional Malay, Chinese, Indian, 1 egg, lightly beaten
and Western ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste
1 scallion (spring onion), sliced
11/4 Ib (600 g) large shrimp
Deep-fry the crabs in hot oil just
Oil for deep-frying
until bright red. Remove and set
2-3 tablespoons butter aside. Pour out the oil and put
15 bird's-eye chilies, roughly 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh oil into the
chopped wok. Heat and add garlic, ginger
10-15 sprigs curry leaves and chilies. Stir until fragrant,
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
then add chili sauce, tomato
1/2 teaspoon salt
sauce, sugar, soy sauce, and
2 tablespoons sugar
sesame oil. Simmer for 1 minute,
1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce
then season with salt and pepper.
1/2 teaspoon Chinese wine
Add the fried crab and stir to
1/2 grated coconut, dry fried until coat well with sauce. Add
golden chicken stock and cook over
high heat for 3 minutes. Stir
Remove heads from shrimp thoroughly and thicken with
but leave shells. Slit down cornstarch and egg. Season to
the back to remove intestinal taste with salt and pepper and
tract, trim feelers and legs and sprinkle with scallions.
dry shrimp thoroughly. Heat
the oil and deep-fry. Drain
and reserve.
Seasoning will fit into a steamer or on a Melt the butter, add chilies,
.. tablespoons garlic oil (page 135) tray inside a wok and spread the curry leaves, garlic, and salt
.. tablespoons oyster sauce mixture on top of the fish. Cover and fry for 2 minutes .
1 teaspoon sesame oil and steam over rapidly boiling Add shrimp, sugar,
2 tablespoons light soy sauce water for 15 to 20 minutes until soy sauce,
1 tablespoon sugar fish is cooked. Do not overcook wine, and grated
2 tablespoons Chinese wine or the texture will be spoiled. coconut. Cook
1/2 cup (125 mil chicken stock
over high heat
for 1-2
Oean and dry the fish thoroughly. minutes,
Combine all other ingredients Sambal Udang stirring
except seasonings in a bowl. Shrimp Sambal frequently.
Combine all seasoning ingre- Serve imme-
dients and mix well. Stir into the 1/2 cup (125 ml) oil diately.
bowl with the other items and 2 tablespoons brown sugar
mix. Lay the fish on a plate which 1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons thick coconut milk
4 tablespoons lime juice
1 pound medium-sized shrimp,
Chili Crab
peeled and deveined
Spice Paste This is virtually
10 red chilies Singapore's nation-
3 medium-sized red onions
al dish. Provide finger
1 in (2 1/2 cm) galangal
bowls of warm water (in
10 cloves garlic
Asia they use tea) for diners to
3 candlenuts
use-this dish is more delicious
eaten with the fingers! Shrimp Sambal
Chop all the spice paste ingredi-
ents, then blend until fme,
adding a little of the oil if neces- 2 Ib (1 kg) fresh crabs, cleaned
sary to keep the blades turning. and halved
Heat oil in a saucepan and Oil for deep-frying
fry the blended ingredients for 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
about 10 minutes until fragrant. 2 in (5 cm) young ginger, roughly
Add brown sugar, salt and chopped
coconut milk and bring to a 3 red chilies, finely chopped
boil. Add lime juice and shrimp 1/4 cup (60 mil chili sauce
and simmer for 5 minutes or 1/4 cup (60 mil tomato sauce
until the shrimp are cooked. 1 tablespoon sugar

132 1 THE F 0 0 D 0 F A S I A L I _______ ____________ _____ __ -----'1 M A I N DIS H E S




Ayam Limau Purut Salted Fish and
Chicken with Lime Leaf
Pineapple Curry
The charm of this Nonya curry Salted fish is popular in Malaysia,
comes from its aromatic fresh
herbs and seasonings. and not just as a standby for
times when fresh fish may be
unavailable owing to monsoon
1/2 cup (125 mJ) oil
storms. This Eurasian curry
1/2 chicken, cut in serving pieces
uses good quality dried fish.
1 slice asam gelugur or lime juice
to taste
1 just-ripe pineapple
1/2 cup (125 mJ) water
4 oz (125 g) salted fish, cut in
1 cup (250 mil thick
large cubes
coconut milk
1/4 cup (65 mJ) oil
4 kaffir (daun limau puruf)
1/2 cup (125 mil water
lime leaves
11/2 cups (375 ml) thick
Salt to taste
coconut milk
Salt to taste
Spice Paste
2 medium-sized red or brown
Spice Paste
onions
6 shallots
8 red chilies
3 red chilies
3 cloves garlic
1 in (1/2 cm) fresh turmeric (or Tea-smoked Seabass
1 stalk lemongrass
2 teaspoons powder)
11/4 in (3 cm) galangal
1 in (1/2 cm) galangal with spices. Add the salted fish, Mix the marinade, put in the
1 teaspoon turmeric powder the pineapple puree, water and fish and leave for about 3 hours.
2 stalks lemongrass
1/2 teaspoon dried shrimp paste coconut mille Reduce heat and Remove the seabass from the
Chop and blend the spice paste (belacan) simmer gently for about 10-15 marinade, drain, dry with paper
ingredients, adding a little of 1/2 teaspoon salt minutes, until pineapple is tender. towels and set aside.
the oil if necessary to keep the Add salt to taste. Heat a wok over a low heat
blades turning. Heat oil and Peel the pineapple, clean and and put in the remaining ingre-
fry the blended ingredients for quarter, remove cores, wash and dients. Put the fish on wire grill
about 5 minutes, until fragrant. cut into triangular pieces. Blend or round bamboo rack inside the
Add the chicken, asam half the pineapple with about Tea-smoked Seabass wok at least 2 in (5 cm) above
gelugur; and water and simmer 1/4 cup (60 ml) water to make a the smoking ingredients. Cover
until the chicken is half cooked. puree and set aside. Smoking food over a mixture the wok and smoke over a low
Add the coconut milk and lime Soak the fish in water for of tea leaves is a popular heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until
leaves and simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes, then drain method of preparing food in the fish has turned brown and is
until the chicken is tender. Add and dry well. Yunnan and Sichuan provinces cooked through. Slice and serve
salt and, if using, lime juice Chop spice paste ingredients, in China. either hot or cold.
to taste. then blend until fine. Heat the Make sure the exhaust fan
oil in a saucepan, add the blended is turned on and the room well
spice paste and stir fry gently for ventilated (windows open)
5 minutes. Add pineapple cubes before you start smoking, or Spicy Kangkung
and stir fry until well coated you'll be smoked out.
Salted Fish and Pineapple Curry You will need lots of water
convolvulus (kangkung) for this
1 whole sea bass fillet, about
dish, as this popular Southeast
1-11/4 Ib (500-600 g), or other
Asian vegetable cooks down to
firm white fish fillet such as
virtually nothing.
snapper or garoupa
5 tablespoons Chinese black tea
leaves 2 Ib (1 kg) water convolvulus
5 star anise (kangkung)
3 cinnamon sticks, about 3 in 3 tablespoons dried shrimp,
(8 cm) long soaked to soften
20 cloves 6 cloves garlic
5 tablespoons uncooked rice 6 shallots
5 cloves garlic, crushed 5 red chilies
1 in (2 1/2 cm) ginger
Marinade 2 teaspoons dried shrimp paste
(belacan)
2 cups (500 mil iced water
5 tablespoons soy sauce 3-4 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon sugar 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 cup (125 mJ) ginger juice
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
(page 135)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon salt
1 red chili, finely sliced

MAIN DISHES ~I ___________________________________________________ I MALAYSIA & SINGAPORE I 133




Snake Gourd

Colors and textures contrast
beautifully in this southern
Indian dish.

1 cup yellow lentils
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 cups (500 ml) water
1 snake gourd
4 shallots, sliced
1 clove garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon brown mustard seed
1 teaspoon sa It
1 sprig curry leaves
2 red chilies, seeds removed,
sliced

Wash lentils thoroughly, com-
bine with turmeric and water
and simmer until soft.
While the lentils are cooking,
Chicken with Lime Leaf (left) and Vegetables in Coconut Milk (right) prepare the gourd. For a more
decorative appearance, scrape the
Use tender tips and leaves of the 1/4 cabbage, coarsely shredded 1 large onion, finely chopped skin deeply lengthwise with a
kangkung, discarding tough stems. 1 hard beancurd cake, deep-fried 1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds fork and cut in half lengthwise.
Pound or blend the dried shrimp and quartered 2 sprigs curry leaves Remove the pulpy center and cut
until fine. Set aside. Blend garlic, Salt to taste 1 tablespoon fish or chicken curry across in I/2-in (I-cm) slices.
shallots, chilies, and ginger until powder Alternatively, peel the gourd,
fine, using a little of the oil if Spice Paste 2-3 teaspoons chili powder remove the center and cut in
necessary to keep the blades 2 red chilies 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder circles 1/2 in (1 cm) thiclc
turning. Add the shrimp paste and 3 candlenuts 2 cups (500 ml) water Fry the shallots and garlic in
blend for another few seconds. 5 shallots 1 teaspoon salt oil until soft, then add mustard
Heat the remaining oil in the 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder Sugar to taste seeds and cook until they begin
wok or heavy pan and add the 1/2 teaspoon dried shrimp paste to pop. Add cooked lentils,
blended mixture together with (belacan) Prepare the pumpkin and set gourd and salt, and cook until
the dried shrimp. Cook over low 1 teaspoon dried prawns, soaked aside. Heat the oil and fry the tender. Just before removing
heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes in warm water onion until golden, then add from heat, add curry leaves and
5 minutes, until fragrant. mustard seed and curry leaves chili. Toss and serve.
Add sugar, sesame oil, and soy To make the spice paste, blend and fry until mustard seeds pop.
sauce, stirring until well mixed, all ingredients finely, adding a Add the spice powders and fry for HELPFUL HINT
then add kangkung and stir well. little oil if necessary to keep the 30 seconds, then put in pumpkin If snake gourd is not available,
Cook with the lid on until the blades turning. Heat the oil and and stir for a minute or two, until substitute 1 Ib (500 g) long
kangkung is tender. Season to fry the paste for 5 minutes, then well coated with spices. Slowly beans or sliced marrow or
taste with salt and pepper and add water and coconut milk. add the water, stirring, then add summer squash.
sprinkle with sliced chili. Bring slowly to a boil. salt and sugar to taste. Simmer,
Add the vegetables, beancurd uncovered, until tender and dry.
and salt and simmer, uncovered,
until the vegetables are just
Sayur Lemak cooked. Snake Gourd (left) and
Vegetables in Coconut Milk Spicy Pumpkin (right)

A Nonya adaptation of Malay-
style vegetables simmered in Spicy Pumpkin
coconut milk.
Gourds are very
3 tablespoons oil popular among
11/2 cups (375 ml) water Malaysians of
11/2 cups (375 ml) thick coconut Southern Indian origin,
especially sweet-tasting
milk
1 carrot, cut in 11/2-in (4-cm) pumpkin, which goes
matchsticks well with spices.
1 small eggplant, cut in 11/2-in
(4-cm) matchsticks 11/2 Ib (750 g) pumpkin, peeled
3 long beans, cut in 1 1 /2-in 1 and cut in I-in (1/2.cm) pieces
(4-cm) lengths 3 tablespoons oil

134 I THE F 0 0 D 0 F A S I A I ~ __________________________________________________ ~I DESSERTS


cut the other half into small Prepare the batter by blending
cubes, or make small balls with the pandan leaves with water
a melon baIler. Mix the sago, and straining to obtain the juice.
coconut milk, honeydew juice, Sift the flour into a bowl and
A classic Chinese
restaurant dish, honeydew cubes, and sugar add egg, milk, salt, and pandan
juice. Stir until smooth, adding
syrup to taste. Serve chilled.
this is very simple more water if necessary to
to make and can obtain a thin consistency. Set
be prepared aside while preparing the filling
well in
advance. Nonya Pancake and sauce.
Combine all filling ingredi-
A Nonya version of the Malay ents in a saucepan and simmer
stuffed pancake, kuih dadar, is over very low heat, stirring
served with a coconut sauce as occasionally, for about 45
cups (1
a tea-time treat or snack, rather minutes, until thick and dry.
liter) water
than a dessert, in Malaysia. Set aside to cool.
3 teaspoons Combine all the coconut
agar-agar
Batter sauce ingredients in a saucepan
powder
10 pandan leaves and stir continuously over low
1/2 cup (125 g)
1 cup (250 ml) water heat until the sauce thickens
sugar, or more
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons (150 g) and clears. Sieve and serve
to taste
all-purpose (plain) flour warm or at room temperature.
1 teaspoon almond
1 egg Cook the pancakes. Grease a
extract
Scant 1/3 cup (80 mil fresh milk nonstick pan with a little butter
1 can (15 ozl480 g)
1/4 teaspoon salt and pour in enough batter to
longans or Iychees
2 teaspoons melted butter make a pancake about 6-8 in
Ice cubes (optional)
(15-20 cm) in diameter. Cook
Put water in a saucepan and Filling gently on both sides and reserve.
Mango Jellies 2 cups (200 g) grated coconut Repeat until all the batter is used.
sprinkle with agar-agar powder.
To serve, put 2-3 tablespoons
Bring gently to the boil, stirring, 11/2 cups (375 mil water of the filling in the center of a
then add the sugar and almond 3 pandan leaves pancake. Tuck in the edges and
essence. Simmer for a minute, 1/4 teaspoon salt roll up cigar fashion. Serve the
then pour into a dish about 6 in 3/4 cup (125 ml) palm sugar,
In Malaysian and Singaporean chopped pancakes, preferably still warm
homes, desserts are not com- (15 cm) square. Leave to set, then or at room temperature, with
refrigerate until required. Make
monly served at the end of a sure the fruit is also placed in Coconut Sauce the coconut sauce.
meal, although elaborate the refrigerator. 1/2 cup (125 mil thick coconut
restaurant meals often finish milk
with some of the dishes Just before serving, drain the 1/2 cup (150 g) water
featured here. chilled longans or lychees in a 3 pandan leaves
large bowl. Cut the almond jelly
into squares and add to the fruit. 1 teaspoon sugar
Add a few ice cubes if desired 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Mango Jellies and serve immediately. Pinch of salt Sago with Honeydew
4 cups (1 liter) water
1 cup (250 g) sugar
Sago with Honeydew
2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin,
softened in warm water
3/4 cup pearl sago
1 cup (250 ml) coconut milk
7 cups (13/4 litres) water
1/2 cup (125 ml) evaporated milk
1 cup (250 ml) coconut milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup (220 ml) sugar
1 medium-sized mango (11/2 cups
1/2 cup (125 mil water
chopped), pureed
1/2 honeydew melon
1 large mango, very finely diced
Combine the water and sugar in Soak sago in 2 cups (500 ml)
a pan and stir over low heat until water for 30 minutes. Drain.
sugar is dissolved. Add softened Bring the remaining 5 cups
gelatin and continue heating (11/4Iitres) water to the boil
until thoroughly dissolved. and add sago. Cook until trans-
Remove from heat and add all parent. Drain in a sieve and
ingredients, except the diced wash under cold running water.
mango. Mix until well blended, Leave sago aside until cool.
then add the diced mango. Boil sugar and 1/2 cup (125 ml)
Pour into individual molds water together to make a syrup.
and refrigerate until set. Peel the melon, cut in half
Garnish when serving with fresh and discard seeds. Blend half
fruit and a little mango puree. the honeydew to make juice and

STOCKS, SAUCES & CONDIMENTS L I ________________________________ MALAYSIA & SINGAPORE 1135
I


heat until set. Put on a plate
and repeat until the batter is
Fried Shallots and Chicken Stock used up. This makes about Dried Cucumber Acar
Garlic Oil 20 to 25popiah skins.
2 large chickens, quartered 2 cucumbers, halved lengthwise.
I 24 shallots or 10-15 cloves garlic 5 quarts (5 liters) water seeds removed
1 cup (250 ml) oil 3 in (8 cm) ginger, crushed 1 large carrot, peeled
2 leeks, sliced Chili Peanuts with
Peel and slice the shallots or garlic 1 large onion, halved Anchovies Dressing
finely. and dry well with a paper 1 carrot. diced 3/4 cup (150 ml) distilled white
towel. Heat the oil and deep-fry 5 stalks Chinese celery (with 4 red chilies vinegar
the shallots or garlic until golden leaves) 1 shallot 3 tablespoons sugar
brown and crisp. Take care not 1 tablespoon oil 1/2 teaspoon salt
to let them burn or the flavor Wash chickens well. then 1/2 teaspoon salt Pinch of turmeric powder
will be bitter. Drain and cool blanch in the boiling water to 1 tablespoon sugar 2 shallots. sliced
completely before storing. Keep cover for 3 minutes. Remove 3/4 cup (100 g) roasted peanuts 1/2 in (1 cm) ginger, julienned
shallot or garlic oil and use for chickens and discard water. with skin 1 clove garlic, peeled and shredded
frying or seasoning other dishes. Bring 5 quarts (5 liters) fresh 1 oz (30 g) dried anchovies (ikan 2 tablespoons raisins
water to a boil with the chicken
and vegetables. Simmer, uncov- bilis), heads and intestinal tract Cut the carrot and cucumbers
ered. over low heat for 2 to 3 removed and fried till crisp into matchstick pieces 11/2 in
Ginger Juice hours. This makes 3 to 4 quarts (3 cm) long. Dry the cucumbers
and carrot in the sun for 2 hours.
(4 liters) of stock, which can be
Use young ginger if possible- divided into smaller portions
they are much juicier. and stored in the freezer.


1 cup (125 g) sliced fresh ginger
1 (young ginger if possible)
5 tablespoons water Chili Sauce
Scrape the skin off the ginger. 5 red chilies, roughly chopped
chop coarsely and put in a 10 tablespoons water
blender with water. Process 3 tablespoons sugar
until very fine. Strain through a 10 tablespoons distilled white
sieve. pushing down with the vinegar
back of a spoon to extract all the 1 teaspoon salt
juice. to provide about 1/2 cup
(125 ml) ginger juice. which Blend chilies with water. Add
can be stored in a refrigerator the remaining ingredients and
for up to 1 week. bring to the boil. Remove from
heat and allow to cool.


Char Siew Popiah Wrappers
Red Roasted Pork
Blend the chilies and shallot Combine the vinegar. sugar. salt.
This is often used with Chinese 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (185 g) together. Heat the oil and gently and turmeric and bring to a boil.
noodle dishes. in fried rice and as rice flour fry the blended mixture with the Remove from the heat and cool.
a stuffing in steamed buns (pau). 3 tablespoons all-purpose (plain) salt and sugar for 1 minute. Add Add the shallots. ginger, garlic.
flour and raisins and mix with the
the peanuts and anchovies. Stir
1/2 teaspoon salt cucumbers and carrot. Store in
11/4 Ib (600 g) pork belly (part fry for 3 minutes and remove from
4 eggs the refrigerator up to 1 month.
meat, part fat), or pork fillet, heat. Keep in a bottle in the
1 teaspoon oil
if less fat is preferred refrigerator up to 3 weeks.
2 cups (500 ml) water
1/2 cup (125 g) sugar
1/2 teaspoon sa It
4 tablespoons light soy sauce Chili Ginger Sauce
2 tablespoons black soy sauce
Sift both types of flour and salt
1 tablespoon red food coloring into a bowl. Mix eggs, oil and Sambal Belacan 6 red chilies, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon five-spice powder water together and stir into Shrimp Paste Samba! 11/4 in (3 cm) ginger, chopped
1 teaspoon sesame oil the dried ingredients. mixing 4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon Chinese wine 12 large red chilies, roughly
until smooth. Leave in the 10 tablespoons water
refrigerator for a minimum of chopped 2 teaspoons salt
Marinate the pork with remain- 1 hour. Cook in a non-stick pan. 2 tablespoons dried shrimp paste, 5 tablespoons sugar
ing ingredients. first mixed well greasing it with the minimum (be/acan) roasted 5 tablespoons lime juice
in a bowl. for about 1 hour. amount of oil to stop the batter 2/3 cup (150 ml) water 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Roast on a wire rack in a 400 0 P from sticking. Pour in just a little 4 tablespoons lime juice
(200°C. gas mark 6) oven for batter, swirl the pan to make a Blend the chilies and shrimp Blend the chilies. ginger. garlic.
about 30 minutes. Leave to cool very thin pancake and cook on paste with the water. Season to and water. Season to taste with
and slice only when needed. Can one side only over moderate taste with lime juice. the salt. sugar. lime juice. and
be refrigerated for several days. sesame oil.



~~ __________________________________________________________ ~IPHILIPPINESI 137






















Compared to her neighbors' fiery fare, Philippine cuisine is more
reserved: a gentle cuisine accented by strong-flavored condiments.






















Left: Bananas, gourds and
tomatoes are not only for
eating. Local produce is
used to decorate the
houses in Lucban during
.the fiesta of San Isidro
Labrador.
Right: Emerald green rice
terraces are part of the
spectacular scenery in the
cordillera of Northern
Philippines.


The land and the waters gave the Filipinos their wrappers; siopao are steamed, filled buns; siomai
food. Over 7000 islands are surrounded by seas, are dumplings. All, of course, came to be indige-
threaded by rivers and brooks, edged by swamps, nized-Filipinized by the ingredients and by local
and dotted with lakes, canals, ponds, and lagoons, tastes. Today, for example, pansit Malabon has oys-
providing a multitude of fish and aquatic life that ters and sqUid, since Malabon is a fishing center;
make up the basic food of Filipinos. This variegat- and pansit Marilao is sprinkled with rice crisps,
ed land of mountains and plains, shores and because the town is within the Luzon rice bowl.
forests, fields and hills is inhabited by land, water, When restaurants were established in the 19th
and air creatures that generously transform into century, Chinese food became a staple of the
regional dishes. pansiterias, with the food given Spanish names
for the ease of the clientele: thus comida China
Culinary Adaptation (Chinese food) includes arroz caldo (rice and
Foreign influences made a deep impact on native chicken gruel); and morisqueta tostada (fried rice).
island culture. Chinese traders had been coming In the 16th century, the Spanish colonizers
to the islands since the lIth century and many imported Christianity, and the culture related to
stayed on. Their foodways also stayed. Perhaps colonization lasted three centuries. The food influ-
they cooked the noodles of home; certainly they ences the Spaniards brought with them were from
used local condiments; surely they taught their both Spain and Mexico, as it was through the
Filipino wives their dishes, and thus Filipino- vice-royalty of Mexico that the Philippines were
Chinese food came to be. The names identify them: governed. This meant the production of food for
pansit (Hokkien for something quickly cooked) an elite, non-food-producing class, and a food for
are noodles; Iumpia are vegetables rolled in edible which many ingredients were not locally available.

138 I THE F 0 0 D 0 F A S I A LI _____ _ _____________ ___ _________ _


Fil-Hispanic food had new flavors and ingredients-olive oil, paprika, ensaymada, a buttery bun; leche jIan, a creme brUlee made with water
saffron, ham, cheese, cured sausages-and new names. Paella, the buffalo milk; and a great array of sticky rice cakes. In Bulacan
dish cooked in the fields by Spanish workers, came to be a festive dish cooking, river fish are boiled with citrus or in palm wine, then flamed.
combining pork, chicken, seafood, ham, sausages, and vegetables, a Eels are simmered in coconut cream; saltwater fish, in vinegar and
luxurious mix of the local and the foreign. Relleno, the process of ginger. Mudfish are fermented or packed in banana stalks and buried
stuffing festive capons and turkeys for Christmas, was applied to in live coals; crabs sauteed with guava; shellfish flavored in a gingery
chickens, and even to bangus, the silvery milkfish. Christmas, a new broth. Bulakeiios specialize in meat dishes: a chicken "sits" in a
feast for Filipinos that coincided with the rice harvest, came to feature claypot lined with salt and is slowly roasted. Typically, Bulakan
not only the myriad native rice cakes, but also ensaymadas (brioche-like cooks claim the best relleno and galantina (stuffed chicken rolls);
cakes buttered, sugared and cheese~sprinkled) to dip in hot thick estofado (pork leg) and asado (pot roast); as well as kare-kare (oxtail
chocolate, and the apples, oranges, chestnuts, and walnuts of stewed in peanut sauce).
European Christmases. Even the Mexican corn tamal turned Filipino, The Bicol Region-six provinces along the southeastern peninsula
becoming rice-based tamales wrapped in banana leaves. of Luzon-is synonymous with gata or coconut cream. Chili and gata
After the Revolution of 1889, the Battle of Manila Bay, and the come together deliciously, especially in the famous Bicol dish called
pact of exchange between the US and Spain, the Philippines became pinangat. Little bundles of gabi (taro) leaves are filled with shredded
an American colony. The Americans introduced to Philippine cuisine taro leaves and bits of tasty meat; the bundles are simmered in gata,
the ways of convenience: pressure-cooking, freezing, pre-cooking; and laced with a fistful of chilies.
sandwiches, and salads; hamburgers, fried chicken, and steaks. The Visayas are the big island group in the center of the archi-
pelago, where several cuisines reflect the influence of the Chinese
National and Regional Dishes community and the taste of the seas. Iloilo City is famous for its
delicious noodle soups. Pandt molo is a hearty soup designed around
Several dishes comprise the "national" cuisine: bistek (beef and onion shrimp-and-chicken-and-pork dumplings. From Iloilo also, the
rings braised in soy sauce); lumpia (spring rolls); and the popular delectable lumpiang ubod: heart of palm in soft crepes. Bacolod and
adobo--chicken and pork stewed in vinegar and soy sauce, garlic, Iloilo share credit for binakol, a chicken soup based not on chicken
peppercorns, and bay leaf. Every province boasts of having the best stock but on buko, the sweet water of the young coconut.
version of adobo. Manila's is soupy with soy sauce and garlic. Cavite In Mindanao, the frontier land of the far south, everyday cuisine
cooks mash pork liver into the sauce. Batangas adds the orange hue is more Malay in influence and distinctly exotic in taste. Spices are
of annatto; Laguna likes hers yellowish and piquant with turmeric. used liberally: turmeric, ginger, garlic, chilies, and roasted coconut.
Zamboanga's adobo is thiclc with coconut cream. Seafood eaten raw, broiled, or fried; or put in soups with lemongrass,
Three other items represent mainstream tastes and might be
called "national" dishes. Sinigang, the lightly boiled, slightly sour ginger, and green papayas; or coconut cream and turmeric. Chicken
is served in curry; or combined with taro in a stinging soup.
soup, has a broth as tart as the heart (or taste buds) desires. An
array of souring agents-unripe guavas; tamarind leaves and flowers; Glutinous rice is often mixed with shrimp, spices, or coconut milk; or
belimbi; tomatoes- help make a home-cooked sinigang of seafood or cooked with turmeric and pimento. Finally is Zamboanga, a Catholic
meat and vegetables as varied as the 7107 islands. There is the stew town with a distinct Spanish accent. Coddo, the traditional Sunday
known as dinuguan-basically pig blood and innards simmered with platter, is prepared like its Iberian prototype, with sausage, salted
vinegar and hot peppers. Most regions do the dinuguan stew in their pork, pork ribs, sweet potatoes, corn, and cooking bananas.
own versions. Finally there's lechon, the whole roast pig or piglet,
star of many fiesta occasions. Lechon is slowly roasted over live The Filipino Table
coals, basted regularly-and made crisp and luscious. The tasty
sauce is concocted from the pig's liver, simmered with vinegar, Whether at home or out in a restaurant, Filipinos love to eat
sugar, and herbs. communal-style, all together in an informal social gathering called
The Philippine archipelago has conjured a people with a a salu-salo. The components of a typical Filipino meal- fresh fish or
stubborn sense of regional identity. The scattered island geography other seafood; chicken, pork or beef; vegetables; hearty soups mixed
sustains multiple cultures-and many distinctly different cuisines, with coconut and noodles-are arrayed around a large container of
all alive and well. Regionalism can be sensed-rather, tasted-on steamed white rice. Eating is done frequently. On an ordinary day,
Philippine islanders' taste buds. While Filipino food comprises there are generally five small but tasty meals to munch through-
essentially a simple, tropical cuisine, diverse styles have evolved breakfast; morning merienda (10 am snack); lunch; afternoon
among seven major regions of the 7107 islands. merienda (4 pm snack), and dinner. Filipinos eat rice from morning
The northwest coast of Luzon is the Ilocos region, a strip of land until night, supported by rice cakes, nuts, and sugary snacks
between the mountains and the sea, where five provinces share the in between. Plus there's happy hour and the traditional pulutan or
same language, food, and tough challenges of nature. Ilocanos eat finger-foods, the sometimes exotic "appetite-ticklers" that accompany
meat sparingly, preferring vegetables and rice as the bulk of their the pre-dinner beer.
diet. Pinakbet is a popular vegetable medley identified with the What's most unique to the Filipino eating tradition is the saw-
Ilocanos, a combination of tomatoes, eggplant, and bitter melon, sawan-the mixing and matching of cooked foods with salty, sour or
lima beans, okra, and squash-all bound together with bagoong, a savory dipping sauces, called sawsawan. These myriad table sauces in
salty sauce made from fermented fish or shrimp. tiny plates turn the bland white rice and the simply roasted seafood
Two cuisines in the rice-and-sugar lands of Central Luzon- and meats into a meal that's sour, salty, sweet-salty or even bitter-
Pampanga and Bulacan-claim superiority over the other. Many sour-as one chooses. The most common condiments are: patis (fish
exotic dishes are attributed to land-locked Pampanga: fried catfish sauce), toyo (dark soy sauce ), suka (native vinegar), and bagoong
with buro, a fermented rice sauce; fermented crabs; frogs or millcfish (fermented shrimp paste). These conspire tastily with garlic, ginger,
in a sour soup; fried mole crickets, and cured pork slices called tosino. red chilies, peppercorns, onions, tomatoes, wansoy (cilantro), belimbi
From here comes bringhe (a fiesta rice made with coconut milk); (a sour fruit), and kalamansi (the small. sweet native lime).

SUGGESTED MENUS

Family meals Dinner parties Finger food A melting pot menu

For an easy family meal at For a fun Filipino party, serve Pulutan, or finger food to accom- For a sampling of various Asian
home, serve rice and: rice with: pany alcoholic drinks, are very flavors, serve:
• Chicken Rice Soup with • Philippine Fried Egg Rolls popular, so crack open a beer • Beef Soup with Chilies and
Ginger (page 141); (page 140); and nibble on: Tamarind (page 76) from
• Beef Stew with Tamarind • Fresh Coconut Noodles • Pork Crackling (page 140) Indonesia;
(page 142); (page 141); with Vinegar Dipping Sauce; • Chicken and Pork Adobo
• Bitter Melon Salad • Chicken and Pork Adobo • Philippine Fried Egg Rolls (page 142) from the
(page 140); (page 142); (page 140) with Sweet and Philippines and Shrimp
• Sour Shrimp Stew (page 141). • Stuffed Crab (page 142). Sour Sauce (page 140). Sambal (page 131) from
• Pork Crackling (page 140) Malaysia with plain rice
or with Indian Unleavened
Sweet snacks are often eaten Bread (page 54);
throughout the day: • Indian Ice Cream (page 63)
• Brown Rice Cakes (page 142) for dessert.
• Rice Patties with Sesame and
Coconut (page 143)
• Cassava Patties with Coconut
(page 143)






THE ESSENTIAL FLAVORS OF FILIPINO COOKING

Flavorings essential to Filipino cooking include bagoong (salty, fermented fish paste), patis (fish sauce), toyo (soy sauce), and suka (native
vinegar; substitute with white vinegar). Other common ingredients include fresh red chilies and small bird's-eye chilies, coconnt mill{,
kamias (belimbi; substitute with citrus juice or tamarind), fresh cilantro (coriander), kalamansi limes, Spanish chorizo sausage, and
tamarind pulp (and sometimes leaves if available). Lumpia (spring roll) wrappers are a must too and are readily avialable.

SNACKS & RICE


Place a level tablespoon of
filling on each egg roll wrapper. Manggang Hilaw
roll tightly and seal with a few Green Mango Salad
drops of water. Continue until
filling is all used. Deep-fry in hot
oil and drain on paper towels. 2 cups shredded green mango
Serve with Sweet and Sour 1 cup sliced ripe plum tomato
Sauce. 2 salted eggs, peeled and chopped
(see below)
3 shallots, chopped

Mix all the ingredients together
Agre Dulce and serve. Serves 2.
Sweet and Sour Sauce
To make salted eggs, pour
3/4 cup salt into a saucepan.
3 cups (750 mil water Add a dozen eggs in the shell
1/2 cup (125 mil ketchup and water to cover. Boil for
1/3 cup (80 g) sugar
2 minutes. then transfer the
1 teaspoon salt
eggs to sterilized jars and add
1 teaspoon red·hot (Tabasco)
salted water. Cover and leave
sauce (optional)
for 11/2 months. Hard cook the
2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved
Pork Cracking and Philippine Fried Egg Rolls eggs before using.
in 4 tablespoons of water
Filipino food is a tantalizing Combine all ingredients in a
concoction of textures, flavors, bowl. Mix well. Mix all ingredients together.
and colors. It is among the most Bring to a boil and simmer for Arroz a La Cubana
exciting and diverse cuisines in 5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Cuban-style Rice
Asia, as this delicious selection Makes about 3 cups (750 ml).
of recipes illustrates. Lumpiang Shanghai A favorite one-pot meal. This
Philippine Fried Egg Rolls "comfort food" is especially good
during the rainy season.
A popular Pilipinized version of Ensaladang Ampalaya
Chicharon the Chinese egg roll. usually Bitter Melon Salad
Pork Crackling stuffed with meat. shellfish or 3 tablespoons vegetable or
vegetables. 2 cups seeded and julienned corn oil
A favorite pulutan (finger food bitter melon 1 tablespoon minced garlic
to accompany alcoholic drinks), 1/2 Ib (250 g) ground pork 5 shallots, sliced 1/4 cup minced shallots
especially when it is just cooked 1/2 Ib (250 g) shrimp, finely chopped 3 tablespoons shrimp paste 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
and dipped in vinegar sauce. 1/2 cup chopped water chestnuts (bagoong) 1/2 Ib (250 g) ground beef
1/2 Ib (250 g) ground pork
1/2 cup finely chopped scallions 4 small, ripe plum tomatoes,
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 Ib (1 kg) pork rind, cut into (spring onions) sliced
1/4 cup raisins
l·in (2 1 /2-cm) squares 1 egg, beaten 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups (750 mil water 1 tablespoon soy sauce Sprinkle the bitter melon with 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon salt salt and let stand in a colander 1/2 cup peas
1 cup (250 mil vegetable 1 teaspoon ground black pepper for 30 minutes. Rinse off the salt. 5 tablespoons peanut oil
or corn oil 1 package egg roll wrappers (sold In a large mixing bowl.
mix the bitter melon with the 3 ripe plantains, peeled and sliced
in Asian food stores)
Boil cut pork rind in water and Oil for deep·frying remaining ingredients. Let stand 6 eggs
salt for 30 minutes. On a baking for 10 minutes so the flavors 5 cups (750 g) freshly cooked rice,
pan. spread out the cooked pork Mix pork. shrimp. water chest- develop. then serve. kept warm
rind and bake at 300 0 P (150°C. nuts. scallions. egg. and soy
gas mark 2) for 3 hours. Set sauce together. Season with salt Bitter Melon Salad and
aside and let cool. and pepper. Green Mango Salad
Deep-fry the rinds in a skillet
in hot oil over high heat until
they puff up. Serve with Vinegar
Dipping Sauce.




Sawsawang Suka
Vinegar Dipping Sauce


1/4 cup (60 mil soy sauce
1/3 cup (80 ml) white vinegar
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
to taste
l/S teaspoon ground cayenne

RICE, NOODLES & SOUPS ,-_______________________ _ ----'1 PHILIPPINES 1 141
I

In a large stockpot, heat the oil cool, crush the seeds and leave Chicken Rice Soup
and saute the garlic until light in the oil for 15 minutes, then with Ginger
brown. Add the shallots and strain and discard seeds.
cook until transparent.
Add the tomatoes and cook
for 5 minutes. Stir in the beef,
pork, and soy sauce. Cook until Sinigang Na Sugpo
the meat is brown. Add the Sour Shrimp Stew
raisins, salt, and pepper and stir
constantly. Add the peas and 8 cups (2 liters) rice water
simmer for another 5 minutes. (mix 8 cups of water with
In a separate skillet, heat 4 cups of rice thoroughly, then
3 tablespoons of the peanut oil drain, reserving rice water)
and fry the plantain slices. 1/2 cup (125 ml) lemon or
Remove from the heat and set kalamansi juice, or one 11/2 -oz
aside. Put 2 more tablespoons (50-g) package of tamarind
peanut oil in the pan and fry the ready-mix powder (available
eggs sunny-side up. Set aside. in Asian food stores)
On a large serving platter, 2 tablespoons oil Add rice
arrange the cooked rice with the 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic and saute
meat in the center. Top with the 1 cup chopped onion for 5 minutes.
fried eggs and surround the 2 cups diced ripe tomatoes Add water. Bring
sides of the platter with the fried 2 cups radishes, left whole mixture to a boil, stir-
plantains. Serve hot. 2 Ib (1 kg) jumbo shrimp ring occasionally. Reduce the
3 fresh, long hot green peppers heat to a simmer, add chicken, 1/2 Ib (250 g) cellophane noodles
11/2 Ib (750 g) watercress and continue cooking for another (sotanghon), soaked in water
or spinach 30 minutes or until rice is done. and when soft, cut into
Pancit Buko Fish sauce (patis) to taste While waiting for the rice 6-in (I5-cm) lengths
Fresh Coconut Noodles Ground black pepper to taste to cook, heat the remaining Fish sauce (patis) to taste
2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet Ground black pepper to taste
Fresh coconut is used instead of In a saucepan, bring rice water and fry the 2 remaining table- 1 cup finely minced scallion
noodles in this reinterpretation and tamarind ready-mix or spoons of garlic until golden (spring onion)
of the traditional pancit. lemon juice to a boil. Simmer for brown. Set aside.
15 minutes. In a skillet, heat the When the rice is fmally cooked, Chicken stock
1 teaspoon cooking oil oil and saute the garlic, onion, add fish sauce and continue 1 chicken, about 2-3 Ib (1_11/2 kg)
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic and tomatoes, then add this to cooking over low heat for 2 bay leaves
1/2 cup finely minced onion the rice water. Add radishes and another 3-5 minutes. Serve in 1 teaspoon peppercorns
1/2 cup sliced chicken shrimp and bring to a boil. a soup tureen or soup bowls. 1 cup minced onion
1/2 cup sliced pork belly Simmer until the radishes are Sprinkle the fried garlic, pepper, Reserved mushroom water
1/2 cup shrimp, shelled and tender yet crisp. Add the hot and chopped scallion, on top.
deveined peppers and watercress or The flavor of the soup is Soak the mushrooms and obtain
1/2 cup sliced green beans spinach. Add the fish sauce and improved if it is made the day mushroom water for the stock.
1/2 cup sliced carrots pepper to taste. before serving and left overnight To make the stock, boil the
1 tablespoon fish sauce (patis) in the refrigerator. chicken bay leaves, peppercorns,
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper water from mushrooms, and 1
cup minced onion in a stockpot
1 tablespoon annatto oil (see note)
1/2 cup (125 ml) chicken broth Arroz Caldo Con Polio until chicken is tender. Set aside
11/2 cups shredded fresh coconut Chicken Rice Soup with Ginger Sotanghon and let cool. Strain the stock
2 stalks fresh Chinese cabbage Chicken Vermicelli through a sieve. Set aside.
1 cup shredded green cabbage 5 tablespoons vegetable or corn oil Remove all flesh from the boiled
4 tablespoons minced garlic Noodles signify long life and chicken. Discard skin and cut
Heat the oil in a saucepan and 2 in (5 cm) ginger, cut crosswise Filipinos consume an abun- chicken meat into thin strips.
saute the garlic until brown and into 1/2-in (I-cm) slices dance of them. This is popular In a wok or frying pan, heat
onion until transparent. Add 1 large onion, peeled and diced Chinese-influenced dish, uses the oil and saute garlic and 1/2 cup
the chicken and pork and fry 11/2 cups (300 g) uncooked rice cellophane noodles as the main onion until transparent. Stir ill the
until slightly brown. 10 cups (2 1 /2 liters) water ingredient. chicken. Add the annatto water
Add the shrimp, beans, and 1 chicken, about 2-3 Ib (1-11/2 kg), and 3 cups of chicken broth and
carrots. Stir and season with cut into bite-sixe pieces 1/2 cup dried Chinese mushrooms bring to a boil over high heat. Stir
fish sauce and pepper. Stir in the 11/2 teaspoons fish sauce (patis) (soak in 2 cups/500 ml warm in the carrots, leeks, and celery
annatto oil. 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper water, strain and reserve liquid leaves and cook for 3 minutes.
Pour in the broth and bring 1/4 cup finely chopped scallion for stock) Add the cellophane noodles.
to a boil. Add the coconut and (spring onion) 3 tablespoons cooking oil Add the fish sauce and pepper
both kinds of cabbage and cook 1 tablespoon finely minced to taste. Garnish with scallions.
until the vegetables are done but In a stockpot, heat 3 tablespoons garlic Note: To make annatto water,
still crisp. Serve hot. Serves 4. oil and saute 2 tablespoons of 1/2 cup minced onion place 1 tablespoon annatto seeds
Note: To make annatto oil, garlic, the ginger, and the onion. 1/2 cup annatto water (see note) in 4 tablespoons water and
fry 1 tablespoon annatto or The garlic is done when light 1/2 cup julienned carrots crush using fingers to get red
achiote seeds in 2 tablespoons brown and the onion when 1/2 cup julienned leeks color. Leave 30 minutes then
oil for several minutes. When transparent. 1/4 cup julienned celery leaves strain to get water.

MAIN DISHES


10 pieces fresh tamarind or one
11 /2-0Z package tamarind
ready-mix powder (sold at Asian
food stores)
2 Ib (1 kg) beef ribs, cut into
pieces
5 cups (11/4 liters) water
4 tomatoes, sliced
1 onion, sliced
3 taros, peeled and halved
1 Ib (500 g) green beans,
cut into 2-in (5-cm) lengths
1 Ib (500 g) water spinach, leaves
Rellenong Beef Stew with Tamarind and stalks separated, stalks cut
Alimango into 2-in (5-cm) lengths
Stuffed Crab Fish sauce (patis) to taste

Black pepper to taste
Rellenado is a culinary technique
inherited from Spain. This dish Cook the fresh tamarind in
highlights the delicacy and Apritadang Manok In a large saucepan, heat the 11/2 cups (375 ml) water until
oil and saute the garlic and
richness of the shellfish. Chicken Simmered In Tomatoes onion. Add the chicken, pureed tender. Mash, then strain to
tomatoes, bay leaves, pepper, get the juice and set aside.
4 to 5 alimasag (native crabs) You should have approximately
A classic dish with Spanish salt, and water. Let simmer for
(blue or rock crabs may influences. 20 minutes over low heat. 1 cup (250 ml) of tamarind
be substituted) Add the potatoes and pimen- liquid.
2 onions, finely minced In a saucepan, boil the
2 tablespoons vegetable oil tos. Continue to cook until the
8 garlic cloves, finely minced beef in 5 cups water. Add the
2 garlic cloves, peeled and potatoes are tender. Serve hot.
1 Ib (500 g) ground pork tomatoes, onion, and tamarind
crushed
4 eggs juice. If using tamarind liquid,
1 cup chopped onions
Salt and ground black pepper add this to the saucepan.
1 chicken, about 2-3 Ib
to taste Add the taro pieces, and
(1-11/2 kg), cut into Adobong Manok
Oil for frying when the taro is slightly tender,
8 pieces At Baboy add the green beans and water
Steam the crabs. Remove shells 1 6-oz (185 g) can pureed Chicken and Pork Adobo spinach stalks. Season to taste
and flake the meat. Do not tomatoes This recipe is for just one of with fish sauce and pepper.
remove the claws and legs. 2 bay leaves the many versions of the ever- Add the water convolvulus
In a mixing bowl. combine 3 tablespoons ground black popular adobo. leaves and cook for another
the crabmeat, onion, garlic, pepper 3 minutes.
pork, 1 egg, salt, and pepper. 4 teaspoons salt
Return the mixture to the shells. 1 cup (250 mil water 1/2 Ib (250 g) pork, cut into
Beat the other eggs and dip the 5 medium-size potatoes, peeled I-in (2 1 /2-cm) cubes
crab shells into the beaten egg. and cut in cubes 1/4 cup (60 mil white vinegar Kutsinta
Fry in small amount of oil until 6 4-oz (125-g) cans pimentos 1/2 cup (125 mil soy sauce Brown Rice Cakes
golden brown. 1 whole bulb garlic, peeled
and crushed
A favorite snack, especially
1 cup finely minced onions
1 teaspoon ground black pepper when served with freshly grated
coconut.
2 bay leaves
2 cups (500 mil water
2 cups (125 g) rice flour
1/2 Ib (250 g) chicken, cut
2 cups (500 g) brown sugar
into cubes
3 cups (750 mil water
Combine the pork, vinegar, soy 1 teaspoon lye water (potassium
sauce, garlic, onions, pepper, carbonate solution sold in Asian
bay leaves, and water and bring food stores)
to a boil. Simmer until the pork is Freshly grated coconut
medium cooked. Add the chicken
and simmer for 20 minutes. In a mixing bowl. combine all
Serve hot. the ingredients and mix well.
Pour into muffin pans, until
halfway full.
Steam in a large pan with
Beef Sinigang a cover; the water should be
Beef Stew with Tamarind 2 in (5 em) deep. Cook for 30
minutes or until a toothpick
inserted comes out clean. Add
Sinigang, the quintessential more water if needed until
Filipino dish, is any fish, meat cooking is done. Remove from
or crustacean soured-stew with
vegetables. the muffin pans and serve with
freshly grated coconut.

~~~~~~~~~~~I PHILIPPINESI 143

































Palitao
Rice Patties with Sesame sugar, and
and Coconut lye water. Mix well
and pour into small muffIn
pans. Steam until soft and
1 cup (125 g) sweet rice flour
transparent, approximately
(sold in Asian food stores under
5 minutes. Remove from pans
the brand name "Mochiko") and roll in grated coconut. Fill the bottom half of
3 cups (750 mil water a coupe glass with the base
3 cups (300 g) grated fresh
ingrdients. Add enough ice to
coconut
reach the top.
2 cups toasted sesame seeds Pour the pandan syrup and
2 cups (500 g) sugar Halo Halo Supreme the milk onto the ice. Top with Rice patties with Sesame and Coconut
Exotic Fruit Mix (left), Brown Rice Cakes (middle) , and
In a mixing bowl, combine the Creme Caramel, pinipig and a Cassava Patties with Coconut (right)
sweet rice flour and water to Known as the "Queen of scoop of mantecado ice cream.
make a smooth dough. Desserts"-this is the country's
With floured hands shape most popular dessert. Similar Exotic Fruit Mix
the dough into small patties, to Malaysia's ais kachang, it
3 in (8 cm) in diameter and features the exotic fruits and
1/2 in (1 cm) thiclc. vegetables that Filipinos enjoy.
Bring water in a saucepan
to a boil and drop in the patties. Base
When they float to the top, 1 teaspoon sweetened red mung
scoop them out and coat with beans
grated coconut. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sweetened white
sesame seeds and sugar and beans
serve immediately. 1 tablespoon sweetened plantains
1 tablespoon violet yam (ube)
1 tablespoon coconut sport (maca
puna balls)
Pichi-Pichi 1 tablespoon coconut gelatin
Cassava Patties with Coconut (nata de coco)
1 teaspoon palm nut (kaong)
1 cup grated cassava (frozen 1 tablespoon creamed corn
cassava is available in Asian Ice
food stores)
1 cup pandan water (boil pandan Topping 1
leaves with water or use 2 tablespoons pandan syrup
McCormick pandan extract) 1/3 cup (85 mil water buffalo milk
1 cup sugar or evaporated milk
2 teaspoons lye water (available
in Asian food stores) Topping 2
3 cups grated fresh coconut 1 tablespoon creme caramel
1 tablespoon pinipig (rice crispies,
Squeeze the juice from the available at Asian food stores)
cassava and discard. In a bowl, 2 scoops mantecado ice cream or
combine cassava, pandan water, French vanilla ice cream

Sri Lankan cuisine is
a cuisine expressed in
spices-cinnamon,
cloves, nutmeg,
coriander, mace,
pepper, cardamom,
red chilies, mustard
seeds, cumin, fenu-
greek, and turmeric
are all used to flavor
curries, while some
add flavor to desserts
and cakes.

__________________________________________________________________ ~I SRI LANKAI 145






















Coursing through the cuisine of Sri Lanka is a great
observance to details and tradition. It truly is like tasting history.
























Left: Stilt fishermen
wedge wooden poles into
rock crevices to use as a
perch while fishing.
Right: (Clockwise from top
left) cinnamon, cloves,
nutmeg, coriander, mace,
pepper, cardamom, dried
red chilies, mustard
seeds, cumin, fenugreek,
fennel, and turmeric.


Sri Lanka, the fabled island of sapphires, rubies, small island comprises Sinhalese, Tamils, Moors
and other precious stones, is home to one of Asia's (Muslims), Burghers and Eurasians, Malays, and
least known cuisines. Rarely found in restaurants Veddhas. Over the centuries, the cooking of the
outside the island itself, Sri Lankan fare is often Sinhalese has evolved into two slightly different
mistaken for yet another Indian regional cuisine. styles: coastal or "low country" Sinhalese, and
To the culinary explorer, however, Sri Lankan food Kandy or "upcountry" Sinhalese. Regardless of
is as intriguing and unique as the many other where they live, the staple food for Sinhalese (and
customs of this island paradise. indeed, for all Sri Lankans) is rice. This is usually
accompanied by a range of spiced vegetables, fish,
Multiethnic Influences poultry, meat, or game dishes.
Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, is located off In coastal Sinhalese cuisine, fish, and other
India's southeast coast. The rugged terrain of the seafood feature far more widely than poultry or
central highlands-characterized by high moun- meat, and coconut milk is the preferred base for
tains and plateaus, steep river gorges, and swathes curries. One Sinhalese specialty from the coast is
of tea plantations-dominates much of the island. ambuIthiyal, or sour claypot fish. At its best in the
This falls away to sandy lowlands, rice paddies, Southern town of Ambalangoda, ambuIthiyal is a
and long stretches of palm-fringed beaches. Sri dish of balaya(bonito) which uses goraka (gamboge)
Lankan cuisine, which is based upon rice with as both a flavoring and a preservative. Crab curries
vegetable, fish, or meat curries, and a variety of and numerous shrimp dishes are also popular. An
side dishes and condiments, reflects the geographical ingredient known as Maldive fish is widely used as
and ethnic differences of the land. a seasoning throughout Sri Lanka, but especially
The multiethnic mix of people living on this in coastal regions. It is made from a type of bonito

1 4 6 I T H E FOOD OF A S I A



(also known as skipjack) which is boiled, smoked, and sun-dried unti which became the prime source of revenue for the Europeans. Sri

it is rock hard Lanka's cinnamon trees, which grew wild on the southern and western


Kandy, the heart of upcountry Sri Lanka, remained an independen coasts of the island, were said to produce the finest cinnamon in the


Sinhalese kingdom until the British finally took over in 1815, thus i world. Cinnamon was still the most important source of revenue by

largely escaped the social and culinary influences of the Portugues the time the Dutch seized control of the island. They introduce


and Dutch. Many Kandian curries are made with unusual ingredient penalties to protect it, making it a capital offence to damage a plant,







such as young jackfruit, jackfruit seeds, cashews, breadfruit, and green and to sell or to export the quills or their oil. The Dutch did eventually

papaya, while various edible flowers such as turmeric, hibiscus, an succeed in cultivating cinnamon, but still relied largely on the wild
sesbania may end up in an omelet or curry. Game, including dee supply. By the nineteenth century, however, the supremacy of cinna-



and wild birds, was also an upcountry favorite mon was challenged by the cheaper cassia bark grown elsewhere in

The first Tamils are believed to have arrived at about the sam Asia. Cardamom, indigenous to both Sri Lanka and southern India



time as the Indo-Ayrans, around 2,000 years ago. Successive waves was another valuable spice which flourished in the wetter regions of

of Tamils from southern India established themselves in Sri Lanka, the country. All of Sri Lanka's spices are used to flavor savory dishe



mostly in the north, on the Jaffna peninsula. Popular Tamil dishes such as curries; some also add their fragrance and flavor to desserts






found in Sri Lanka include rasam, a spicy sour soup that is an aid to and cakes. Spices such as cinnamon therefore command a very



digestion; kool, a thick seafood soup originating from Jaffna fisherfolk important position in Sri Lankan culture, not only as culinary


vadai, or deep-fried savories made with black gram flour; and man flavorings but also by virtue of their having played such a majo





types of vegetable pachadi, where cooked vegetables are tossed with role in the country's history



curd or yoghurt, and freshly grated coconut. Thosai, slightly sou


pancakes made with black gram and rice flours, constitute anothe

delicious Tamil contribution to the culinary scene The Sri Lankan Tabl




Malays, who were brought by the Dutch, have intermarried wit





the Muslim community and brought with them several dishes which Breakfast in Sri Lanka is often a batter of rice flour cooked in specia
have since become part of the Sri Lankan kitchen. Sathe is the Sri hemispherical pans to make appa or hoppers. These are small, bowl-




Lankan equivalent of satay, or cubes of meat threaded on skewer shaped pancakes with a soft, bready center and crisp brown edge





and served with a peanut and chili sauce. Other Malay dishes include that goes well with treacle and buffalo-milk yoghurt. Crack an eg



gula melaka (sago pudding with jaggery), nasi kuning (turmeric rice), into the middle of a hopper before turning the pan results in an eg
barbuth (honeycomb tripe curry), seenakku and par song (two types of hopper; these go best with thick, highly spiced sambol. Another rice-


rice flour cakes. batter dish, called the "string hopper," is quite different. These are
tangled little circles of steamed noodles usually served with a hodhi


or thin curry sauce.

Colonial Taste Sri Lankans lunch between noon and two, often with a plate of


The wave of Western expansionism, which began at the end of th "short eats." These divide equally between crisply baked filo-doug

fifteenth century, was also to have a significant impact on Sri Lanka. biscuits and frikadels or deep-fried rolls or balls. The interiors ar






Colonialism affected not only the agriculture, social structure, an filled with meat, fish, or vegetables. Short eats are joined by vadai, or


religions of the country, but also the cuisine. The first Portugues deep-fried donuts of lentils, spices, and flour. Another commo



ships chanced upon Sri Lanka in the early sixteenth century and se snack is roti, a square or triangular wrap of dough stuffed with fres


about trading in cinnamon and other spices. There followed fou chilies, onions, vegetables, and cooked egg, meat, or fish, which i



hundred years of Western presence in the form of Portuguese, Dutch, fried on a searing sheet-metal griddle over a propane burner. Man


and finally the British before Sri Lanka regained her independenc prefer a rice-and-curry lunch packet. Inside a banana leaf or thin




in 1948. The Portuguese introduced a number of plants they had plastic wrap is a cup or two of boiled rice, a piece of curried chicken



discovered in the Americas, the most important being chili, as well as fish, or beef for non-vegetarians, or simply some curried vegetables



corn, tomatoes, and guavas. It is hard to imagine Sri Lankan cuisin A proper rice-and-curry dinner involves three or more accompa-



without chili, but prior to the introduction of this taste-tinglin niments, at least two of them vegetables. When choosing whic


plant, all Asians had to rely on pepper for heat. The Portugues




impact on the cuisine of Sri Lanka has lasted until today, but almos curries to serve with the rice, Sri Lankan cooks ensure that there is a


exclusively in the area of rich cakes; bolo de coco (a coconut cake), variety of textures as well as flavors, with at least one fairly liquid

foguete (deep-fried pastry tubes with a sweet filling), and bolofolhadao or soupy, curry to help moisten the rice, and usually a relatively dry





(a layered cake). The Dutch left a number of cakes to become part o curry with a thick gravy. One of the curries will most likely be a

the culinary legacy of Sri Lanka, and particularly of the Burgher spiced lentil dish, and there is sure to be at least one pungent sid




community, including breudher, a rich cake made with yeast. Dutch dish or condiment known as a sambol. These sambol, also know a


meatballs, or frikadel, appear as part of a cross-cultural dish served on "rice pullers," are guaranteed to whet the appetite with their basi

special occasions in many Sri Lankan homes. Lampries (a corruption ingredient—anything from onion to bitter gourd, dried shrimp to


of the Dutch lomprijst) combines these meatballs with a typically salted lime—heightened by the flavors of chili, onion, salt, an


Sinhalese curry made with four types of meat and a tangy sambol, all Maldive fish. One of the most popular sambol, pol sambol, is made




wrapped up in a piece of banana leaf and steamed. Another Dutc with freshly grated coconut


recipe is smore, or sliced braised beef. There are few native desserts but many rasokavili or sweets.






is a battercake made of flour and treacle deep-fried in coconut oil

Aluvas are thin, flat, diamond-shaped halvas, or wedges of rice flour

Spice and Other Things Nic treacle, and sugar cane. Coconut milk laboriously boiled down wit



Spices, so important to the Sri Lankan kitchen, actually helped shap jaggery and cashew nuts yields kalu dodol. Kiribath, a festive dish of
the history of the island. The Portuguese arrived at the beginning o rice cooked in milk, is the first solid food fed to babies. Kiri peni or
the sixteenth century, and it was Sri Lanka's famous cinnamo "curd and honey" is buffalo-milk yoghurt and treacle.

SUGGESTED MENU





Family meals Dinner partie Finger foo A melting pot men






For a simple family meal, serve For a dinner party with a Sri The following snacks an For a fun pan-Asian menu
plain basmati rice and Coconut Lankan seafood theme, serv appetizers may be eaten serve:







Sambol (page 148) with: plain basmati rice and Bird's-ey throughout the day, even a • Hoppers (page 148) fro



• Eggplant Pickle (pagel49); Chili Sambol (page 149) with breakfast: Sri Lanka as a starter






• Sour Claypot Fish (page 150) • Jaffna Seafood Sou • Hoppers (page 148) with o • Green Chicken Curr







or Seer Fish Lemon Stew (page 149) without an egg (page 165) from Thailan



(page 150) • Tempered Eggplant (page 149) • String Hoppers (page 148) with plain rice;



• Spicy Lamb Curry (page 151); • Crab curry (151) • Creamy Shrimp Curr





• Fresh fruits for dessert. • Seer Fish Lemon Ste Serve both with Coconut Sambo (page 60) from India

(page 150) (page 148), Bird's-eye • Grilled Eggplant Sala




• Mixed Spice Coconut Slice Chili Sambol (page 149) (page 26) from Burma



(page 151) for dessert and Coconut Milk Gravy • Rich Rice Pudding (page 62



(page 148)
from India for dessert

THE ESSENTIAL FLAVORS OF SRI LANKAN COOKIN



Ingredients common to the Sri Lankan pantry include dried spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, fennel



fennugreek, mustard seeds, and turmeric. A good supply of basmati rice is a must. Fresh or dried curry leaves, fresh cilantro


coconut milk, and tamarind are also easy to come by and will prove indespensible. Fresh green chilies are used in curries and






dried red chilies, chili flakes, and chili powder are common too. If Maldive fish is unavailable, substitute with small dried shrimps.

148 I THE FOOD OF ASIA LI ______________________ ----"I SNACKS & APPETIZERS



Sri Lanka, famous for its pristine in its center and the rest plain). Replace the pan over the heat,
beaches and stunning land- Although the traditional method cover with any saucepan lid. and Pol Sambol
scapes, also boasts one of the of preparing them requires cook until the surface of the Coconut Sambol
most intriguing cuisines in Asia. placing a hopper pan on hot hopper at the bottom is almost
The fruits of land and sea are coals (with more coals on its lid), firm and the sides are crispy and 1 teaspoon finely chopped
plentiful, and sitting down to hoppers may be prepared on brown, about 5 minutes. dried chili
a Sri Lankan meal is a truly regular stoves. Hopper pans are Remove the hopper with a 1 tablespoon finely chopped
fantastic epicurean adventure. readily available from Indian metal spatula (a curved instru-
and Sri Lankan foodstores. ment would be ideal) and serve onion
hot. Grease pan again and 1 teaspoon pepper
3 cups (500 g) rice flour repeat with remaining batter. 1 teaspoon Maldive fish. ground
Roasted Curry Powder 1/4 cup (60 mil kitul palm toddy Makes about 20 hoppers. (optional)
2 cups (200 g) freshly grated
(1/3 oz or 109 fresh yeast or
This is used as an ingredient in 1 teaspoon dried yeast may be coconut
curries or can be sprinkled on substituted) 3 tablespoons lime juice
vegetables before serving. 2 teaspoons sugar Idappam Salt to taste
3/4 cup (200 mil thin coconut String Hoppers
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds Salt to taste Grind together the chili, onion.
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 cups (500 ml) thick coconut milk 3 cups (500 g) rice flour pepper, and Maldive fish. Add
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 11/2 teaspoons sa It grated coconut and season with
3/4 oz (20 g) cinnamon sticks Combine the rice flour, toddy (or 220 ml (1 cup less 2 tablespoons) lime juice. Mix well by hand to
6 cardamoms yeast), sugar, and thin coconut boiling water, or as needed ensure all the coconut is coated.
Best served freshly made.
3 1/2 oz (100 g) coriander seeds milk in a mixing bowl. Stir to
6 cloves form a thick batter. Cover with a Warm the flour in a low oven,
damp tea towel and leave to stand then sieve into a bowl. Add the
Dry-roast all the ingredients in a overnight, or 6 to 8 hours, by salt, then slowly add the hot water
skillet until the mix becomes a which time the batter should have and work into a soft dough. Place Kiri Hodi
deep golden color. Grind them to a doubled in volume. When the the dough in a string hopper or Coconut Milk Gravy
fme powder in an electric blender. batter has risen. soften it by work- vermicelli press, and press the
Store in an air-tight container. ing in the salt and thick coconut plunger to squeeze small, flat 1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds
milk to form a thinner batter. noodle patties onto hopper mats. 2 cups (500 mil chicken stock
Heat a greased hopper pan Place the mats in a steamer, 1 Bombay or large red onion.
(or any high-sided, small hemi- or a large pot with a trivet at the finely chopped
Appa spherical pan with two handles) bottom and sufficient water to 2 sprigs curry leaves
Hoppers over low heat. Pour a large just reach the trivet's rungs. 2 pieces pandanus leaf (rampe)
spoonful of batter into the pan Steam until strings are fully 3 cloves garlic. finely chopped
Hoppers are small bowl-shaped and, being mindful to use oven cooked and springy in texture, 1 in (2 1 /2 cm) stick cinnamon
rice flour pancakes which are gloves or pot holders, pick up about 10 minutes. 4 pods cardamom, crushed
eaten with curries and sambols the pan by both handles and Remove string hoppers from 2 green chilies, deseeded and
(it is usual to serve each person swirl the pan so the batter rides the steamer and serve hot with finely sliced
one hopper with an egg baked up the sides almost to the rim. Pol Sambol and Kiri Hodi. 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons powdered Maldive
String Hoppers (left) and Egg Hopper (right)
fish
2 cups (500 mil coconut milk
Salt and lemon juice to taste
Wash the fenugreek seeds and
soak them in the chicken stock
in a saucepan for 30 minutes.
Add all the remaining ingredi-
ents except the coconut milk,
salt, and lemon juice. Bring to
a boil and simmer on very low
heat until the onions are tender.
Add the coconut milk and
heat the entire mix to boiling
point, then reduce the heat and
simmer for about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and cool
slightly. Add lemon juice and
salt to taste

SOUPS & VEGETABLES LI ______________________________________________________ I SRI LANKA I 149


Jaffna Seafood Soup 112 teaspoon red chili flakes with a slotted spoon and set
1 Salt to taste aside to cool.
3 tablespoons lime juice In the same pan, add onions
and saute until soft. Add
Wash the thibattu eggplants remaining ingredients and the
then crush with a spoon. Fry fried eggplant slices. Cook for
in the hot oil until they lose 10 to 15 minutes. Serve at room
their firmness. temperature. Serve as an
In another pan, heat 2 table- accompaniment to other dishes.
spoons of oil, add the onion,
pandanus leaf, curry leaves,
cinnamon, and green chilies,
and saute until the onions are Amba Maluwa
golden brown. Add the Maldive Mango Curry
fish, coconut mill( or water, chile
flakes, and salt, and cook over This classical Sinhalese dish can
medium heat for 5 minutes. Add be traced back to the fifth century,
the fried thibbattu eggplants and when it was served at the court
lime juice, and season to taste. of King Kasyapa of Sigiriya.
Serve hot as an accompaniment
to other dishes. 1 tablespoon oil
3 1/20Z (100 g) onion, chopped
1 1 /20Z (40 g) garlic, chopped
3/40Z (20 g) dried chilies, broken 1/20Z (10 g) ginger, chopped
Kochchi Sambol into pieces Brinjal Pahie 2 sprigs curry leaves
Bird's-eye Chili Sambol 1/2 tablespoon tamarind juice Eggplant Pickle 2 red chilies, sliced
1 fish head (about 1 Ib/500 g) 4 teaspoons Roasted Curry Powder
1/2 cup (100 g) bird's-eye chilies of grouper, cod, or other mild- 2 tablespoons oil (page 148)
1/4 cup (50 g) finely chopped flavored fish 500 g (lib) eggplant (aubergine), 1 in (2 1/2 cm) cinnamon stick
red onion 7 oz (200 g) flesh of the same thinly sliced 1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper fish, cubed 11/2 oz (40 g) onions, cut into rings 1 Ib (500 g) green mangoes, peeled
3 tablespoons lime juice 3 1 /20Z (100 g) medium shrimp, 2 teaspoons mustard seeds, and cut into long, thick pieces
Salt to taste peeled, with tails intact ground 1/3 cup (100 ml) thin coconut milk
1 teaspoon sugar 4 teaspoons mustard seeds
Combine chilies and onions and In a large pan, bring the stock, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 3 tablespoons vinegar
grind finely. Add pepper, lime rice, long beans, tapioca, jack- 3 tablespoons vinegar 3/4 cup (200 mil thick coconut milk
juice, and salt. Best when served fruit seeds, and jackfruit pieces 5-8 green chilies, halved lengthwise 1 tablespoon sugar
freshly made. Store in covered to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 2 tablespoons Maldive fish, ground
container in a cool place and for 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste Heat the oil in a pan and saute
use as desired. Add the turmeric, flour, salt, the onion, garlic, ginger, curry
chiles, and tamarind juice, and Heat oil and fry eggplant slices leaves, and red chilies until
simmer for a further 2 minutes. until golden brown. Remove onion is soft.
Add the fish and fish head, and Add the curry powder, cin-
Jaffna Kool simmer 10 minutes then add namon, salt, mango, and thin
Jaffna Seafood Soup the shrimp and cook until coconut mille Bring to a
shrimp are cooked, about 5 boil and simmer until
Jaffna, in the north of Sri minutes. Serve hot. the mango is just
Lanka, is famous for its kool, or tender, about
rich seafood soup. Originating 10 minutes.
from the Tamil fishing commu-
nities of the north, this soup is Thibattu Beduma
traditionally made with whatever Tempered Eggplant Eggplant Pickle (above) and
leftover seafood is available. Tempered Eggplant (below)
Thibattu are tiny round
eggplants (aubergines) which
6 cups (1 1 /2 liters) fish or shrimp
may be substituted with pea
stock, or water
1/4 cup (50 g) red (or other) rice eggplants.
3 1 /20Z (100 g) long beans, cut
lengthwise 500 g (1 Ib) thibattu, substitute
11/20Z (50 g) tapioca (or potato), with pea eggplants (pea
cut into 1/2-in (1-cm) cubes aubergines)
1 1 /20Z (50 g) jackfruit seeds 1 cup (250 mil oil
5 oz (150 g) red onions, sliced
3 1 /20Z (100 g) jackfruit, cubed
2 in (5 cm) pandanus leaf (rampe)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 sprig curry leaves
1/2 teaspoon palmyra root flour
1 in (2 1/2 cm) cinnamon stick
(substitute with potato flour,
1/2 teaspoon sliced green chilies
or other strong flour)
1/2 teaspoon ground Maldive fish
Salt to taste 4 tablespoons coconut milk or water