Jiu Hu Char (Fried Shredded Cuttlefish with Vegetables)

Another nyonya dish seldom found in KL. This is one of "the must" dish during our Chinese New Year reunion dinner.  

Goes excellent with Sambal Belachan & Lettuce Leaves. One piece of advise !...without either the Sambal Belachan or Lettuce Leaves, don't bother to make the Jiu Hu Char. Imagine you are having Nasi Lemak without any Coconut Milk in the rice...erh, you got what I mean...right ? 

The main ingredients in the Jiu Hu Char is the Shredded Cuttlefish and the Yam Bean, but for my mum, she would add in the Pee Hu (Dried Sole Fish). 

Trust me ! It definitely taste better ! 

Preparation:Chopped or finely shredded the yam bean, carrot, leek, onion, garlic, dried shiitake mushroom, pork belly, dried cuttlefish & Pee Hu (Dried Sole Fish)

Heat oil in wok to saute the garlic till fragrant.

Add in pork belly, mushroom, cuttlefish & pee hu,... stir fry for a few minutes before adding the rest of the vegy. Leave the leek till last. 

Bring to boil and simmer for 10-15minutes, stir occasionally.

Once all the vegy soften, add in pepper powder, oyster sauce, salt, & a bit of soya sauce. You can add water if too dry.

Remember the leek ! Serve with white rice

Serving for 6 person

Ingredient:

300g Pork Belly (chopped finely)
50g Shredded Dried Cuttlfish
30g Dried Pee Hu
1kg Yam Bean (chopped finely)
120g Carrot (chopped finely)
50g Shiitake Mushroom (chopped finely)
30g Garlic (chopped)
60g Leek (chopped)
100g Onion (chopped)
4tbsp Oyster Sauce
1tsp Pepper Powder
1tsp Salt, or to taste
4tbsp Oil
2tsp Soya Sauce, or to taste
200ml Water

Penang Loh Bak (Meat Roll)

The word "Loh bak" actually derived from two components of the dish,...the dark starchy dipping sauce (loh) or (lor)..depend on who spells it,.. and the meat (bak)

Most of my KL friends when they hear I am cooking lohbak they were very happy at first, but when they saw the finished product,..first thing they will ask me,...where's the prawn fritters ?...taukua ?
...century egg ????

Over the years the loh bak sellers had expanded the variety,...some places you can find crab sticks, seafood,...or even pigs' ears.

Well...try this traditional loh bak for a change !

First combine all the filling ingredients such as the meat, egg, seasoning: oyster sauce, pepper,salt, sugar, tapioca flour & five spice vegy: shred the yam bean, carrot, garlic & spring onion. (Optional ingredients water chestnut , onion,..etc) 

Mix well all the ingredients

Cut the beancurd sheets into rectangles approxiamately 5x7"

Spoon up the mixtures onto the sheets. Fold in the two sided and roll up tightly.

Let the whole thing marinate overnight in the fridge

The next day take out the meat roll & let it settle down at room temperature.

Heat up the oil and deep fry the meat rolls over a medium fire till golden brown

Drain the excess oil on paper towel & let it rest for 10mins.

Goes very well with Carlsberg Beer !


Serving (6-8 Person)

Ingredients:

1kg Lean Meat (cut into strips)
2pcs Beancurd Sheets
500g Yam Bean (chopped)
150g Carrot (chopped)
80g Garlic (chopped)
20g Spring Onion (chopped)
3tbsp Sugar
3tbsp Oyster Sauce
4tbsp Tapioca Flour
1tsp Five Spice Powder
1tsp Pepper
1tsp Salt
2 Eggs
500ml Oil

Kiam Hu Kut Curry (Salted Fish Bone Curry)

Check out....another Nyonya creation !

Surprisingly...we don't seem to be able to find this dish in KL

It's a very tasty dish...salty,...the sourness & the sweetness all in 1.

Cut the eggplant, pineapple, long bean & cabbage into cubes or smaller pieces.

This is how the salted fish bone (Kurau Fish) looks like..the so called famous salted fish bone normally comes from Pangkor, Penang...the West Coast area.

Soaked it in water for 5-10 minutes to wash away the additional salt.

Heat oil over medium flame. Deep fry the salted fish bone until golden brown & put aside

With the same oil, saute the spice paste until aromatic.

The art of nyonya cooking, especially curry,....the flame has to be low and..slowly saute the spice until a bit dried up. 10-15 minutes.

Once it's done, add in the salted fish bone & stir fry for 2-5 minutes.

Add in tamarind water,...the pineapple, eggplant, long bean & cabbage.

Simmer till all the vegy are soft.

Add in the prawn and coconut milk. Season to taste with sugar and bring the curry to a boil.

Serve hot,...with hot steam rice. Guarantee you will fall in love with it !

It taste even better the next day

Serving 4-6 person


Ingredient:

Spice Paste
30g Dried chillies
150g Shallots
20g (3 Cloves) Garlic
10g Coriander Seeds
20g Turmeric
40g Lemongrass
50g Belachan (Toasted)

50g Tamarind Pulp, Mixed with water
500ml Water
50ml Oil
500g Salted Fish Bone (Kurau Fish)
500g Prawn, shelled
400g Pineapple
300g Eggplant
200g Long Beans
200g Cabbage
100ml (1/2 Grated Coconut) Coconut Milk
2tsp Sugar, To taste

Kerabu Vermicelli (Kerabu Beehoon)

Check this out !

This will be good for all food lovers who luv Spicy, Sour,...& Smelly...erh...I meant the pungent smell from the dried shrimp paste (Belachan)

Soak the vermicelli until soft. Bring a pot of water to boil & put in the vermicelli.

Allow to boil approximately 2 minutes. Transfer to colander & rinse in running cold water to prevent from breaking. Set aside.

Shell & devein the prawn and boil to cook, set aside. Keep the water which contain the prawn stock.

Toast grated coconut until turn brown & then pound. (Kerisik)

Prepare the Sambal Belachan

Wash the fresh red chillies and pound together with the toasted belachan. Running out of time ?... blend them !

Add calamansi lime juice to taste

Slice the coriander leave, kafir lime leaves, shallot, mint leave & ginger flower (Bunga kantan)

Once all the ingredients are ready !

In a large mixing bowl, combine the vermicelli together with all the ingredients. Use chopstick to toss well and add seasoning to taste.

Add the prawn juice if it's too dry to mix.

Final touch....Garnish with mint leaves.

Serving for 4-6 person

Ingredients:
200g Rice vermicelli
300g Prawn
100g Coriander leaves (Finely sliced)
10g Kafir lime leaves (Finely sliced)
50g Mint leaves (Finely sliced)
100g (10) Shallots (Sliced)
50g (2) Ginger flower (Finely sliced)
50g 1/2 Coconut (Grated & Toasted)
20g (10) Calamansi lime

Sambal Belachan
30g Shrimp paste (Sightly toasted)
300g Fresh red chillies
1/2 tbsp salt, to taste
1/2 tbsp sugar, to taste