Assam Laksa (Kedah Version)

Dunno exactly what to call it,...the Malay version or Kedah Laksa.

The differences...compared to Penang Assam Laksa...it's much sour, whereas, Penang version is on the sweet side. To add to that, they tend to blend the fish into a thick paste.

Check out the Assam Laksa Kedah version !

Prepare the laksa paste; shallots, turmeric, lemongrass, galangal, garlic, fresh chillies, dried chillies & belachan. Blend together till become paste.

Cut and clean the fish. Bring water to boil, add the fish. Boil for approximately 5min. Remove the fish and let it cool down before you blend it. Boiled the remaining bones again for another 5min. Strain the fish stock into new/clean pot.

Add the laksa paste ingredients, tamarind juice, tamarind peel & polygonum leaves, and boiled for 20min. Then add the fish flake simmer for another 30min. Salt and sugar to taste.

How to serve....add in the laksa noodles and garnish all vegetables on top. Pour the Assam Laksa soup in.

Remember to serve with a spoonful of prawn paste (Har Ko).

Ingredients

100g Shallots
30g Fresh Red Chillies
5g (10) Dried Red Chillies, soaked
30g Galangal

20g Turmeric
20g Stalks Lemongrass
10g Garlic
30g Belachan, toasted
500g Mackerel
2Lit Water
20g Polyganum Leaves (Daun Kesom)
10g Stalks Lemongrass, bruised
100g Tamarind Pulp, soaked in water

10g Tamarind Peel

250g Cucumber, cut into thin strips

100g Lettuces Leaves, cut into thin strips

50g Mint Leaves
50g Ginger Flower, sliced finely
5tbsp Prawn Paste, mixed with hot water
300g Laksa Noodles, scalded
2tsp Salt, or to taste 
2tsp Sugar, or to taste

Nyonya Assam Laksa

Honestly, the origin of the name "laksa" is unclear. One theory says it is referring to a type of vermicelli. Second theory says that "laksa" may also be derived from the meaning "spicy sand" due to the dried prawns which make the gravy taste extremely sandy. Well just THEORY ! There are many version of Assam Laksa depending where you are eating; Kedah, Johor, Ipoh, Sarawak...& not forgetting the famous Penang Assam Laksa.

The recipe I am sharing with you is the Penang Assam Laksa,....Nyonya Style,....this is not the Nyonya Laksa or what they called Laksa Lemak.

This recipe is from a typical nyonya auntie from Penang. Interesting !..., the differences between this Nyonya Assam Laksa and the one you get it from the Penang hawker stalls are; the is the colour is a bit yellowish, strong aroma & taste from the shallots, lemongrass, turmeric,...etc. BUT...taste good.

Try this for change !

First prepare the laksa paste; shallots, turmeric, lemongrass, galangal, garlic, dried chillies & belachan. Blend together till become paste.

Cut and clean the fish. Bring water to boil, add the fish. Boil for approximately 5 minutes. Remove the fish and let it cool down before you flake it. Boiled the remaining bones again for another 5 minutes. Strain the fish stock into new/clean pot. 

Add the laksa paste ingredient, tamarind juice, tamarind peel & polygonum leaves, and cook over low heat for 30 minutes. Then add the fish flake boiled for another 5-10 minutes. Salt and sugar to taste.

Serve with toppings; slice pineapple, cucumber, onion, lettuce leaves, ginger flower, mint leaves & final touch...prawn paste (Har Ko).

Serving for 6paxs

Ingredients

Paste
200g (15)Shallots
10g Dried Chillies, soaked
50g Galangal
50g Turmeric
60g 2-3 Stalks Lemongrass
10g Garlic
15g Belachan

Stocks
800g Mackerel (Kembung Fish)
2Liters Water
40g Polyganum Leaves (Daun Kesom)
20g 2 Stalks Lemongrass, Bruised
150g Tamarind Pulp (Assam Jawa)
5g Tamarind Peel (Assam Keping)

Toppings
300g Cucumber, cut into thin strips
100g Lettuces Leaves, cut into thin strips
40g Mint Leaves
200g (1/2) Pineapple, cut into thin strips
50g Ginger Flower (Bunga Kantan), sliced finely
5tbsp Prawn Paste (Har Ko), mixed with hot water
300g Laksa Noodles, scalded
1tbsp Salt, or to taste
1tbsp Sugar, or to taste

Ang Chiew Mee Suah (Red Wine Vermicelli)

I found a bottle of Ang Chiew(Red wine) in one of the kitchen cabinet, Hmmm....from France ?...Chile ?..Australia ?...no label ? Aiyah...must be from my Hock Chiew friend.

The Ang Chiew(Red wine) it's quite foreign to Nyonya cooking actually, the Nyonya normally will cooked Mua Eu Kay(Sesame Oil Chicken) with chinese rice wine,...the Hock Chiew will cooked Ang Chiew Kay or Ang Chiew Mee Suah,...either you want stew or soup.

Both the cooking methods are almost similar, in addition to that, both are good for during the confinement to help get rid of the "wind" in the body system.

So....did anybody just gave birth ?....I don't mind cooking for you coz it's pretty simple

Check out the ingredients and method....

Preparations; Chicken drumstick(Wash & cut to desirable size), Garlic(Sliced), Ginger(chopped into strips), Mee suah(Vermicelli)...blanch with hot water, salt & pepper.

Remember the Ang Chiew(Red wine) ! 

Heat up the pot, add in some oil to saute the ginger and garlic. Cook till fragrant.

In goes the chicken, stir fry for 2-3min, then add in the water and let it boil. Once it's boiling, lower the heat and let it simmer for approximately 30min, or till the chicken is tender.

Add in the Ang Chiew(Red wine) and simmer for another 5min. Season with salt & pepper.

Some of my friends said when they cooked...it taste a bit sour !....they blamed the quality of the Ang Chiew(Red wine)....I don't really know how true is this.

I have tried 4-5 Ang Chiew(Red wine) from different sources, By right,....it should be Sweet ! All you need to do, is to balance the quantity of the....chicken(sweetness), salt(saltiness) & the Ang Chiew(sourness) then it will be the perfect..."yin & yang"

Note: Team bsg, it's about time we reopen the vineyard...

Ingredients

500g Chicken

1/2cup Ang Chiew

100g Vermicelli (blanch with hot water)

30g Ginger (chopped into strips)

10g Garlic (sliced)

1L Water

1tbsp Oil

1/2tsp Salt, to taste

1/2tsp Pepper, to taste

Pan Mee

Xplore & eat is my motto. You try,...you like it,....you do it !

In Penang I seldom see this dish,...or maybe I didn't really fancy, well,....maybe coz my favorite is always....spicy, sour, pungent....like Assam Laksa

I first experienced this dish from a Hakka mixed Teochew home cooking....it really open up my eyes at that moment.

Then only in KL I found this dish is everywhere.....worth xploring !

Make the dough: Flour, egg, pinch of salt, few drops of water,...and knead it

Preparation: Garlic, & chilli padi (chopped finely), shallot & mushroom (sliced into strips), minced pork, mani chai/sweet leaf, anchovies (put in the oven for 10 min or till golden brown)

Optional...you can also deep fry the anchovies

Add it some oil in the pot and saute the garlic & shallot slightly brown,...then fry the minced pork & mushroom for 3 min.

Add it chicken stock and bring to a boil. Tear the dough into 1 inch size & throw into the boiling stock...add in the mani chai/sweet leave let it boiled for another 3-5 min, or till cooked.

Serve with anchovies, a dash of pepper....& shallot crisps

For the sauce; mixture of garlic & chilli padi (chopped extra fine), lime juice & soy sauce.

Aiyah, I left out the black fungus !....forgot to buy !

Serving for 4 paxs

Ingredients

200g Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

1 Egg

5 tbsp Water, or just enough to mix the dough

200g Minced Pork

100g Anchovies

50g Mani Chai/Sweet Leaves

80g Garlic, chopped

50g Shallots, sliced into strips

30g Shitake Mushroom, sliced into strips

1.5L Chicken stock

1tsp Salt, to taste

1tsp Pepper, to taste

Sauce

2tsp Lime juice

2tbsp Soy sauce

30g Garlic, chopped finely

20g Chilli Padi, chopped finely

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