Rempah Udang

SUSHI MOULD

This is a Straits-born Chinese Wedding Speciality and it is a dumpling filled with spicy prawns. Another version is called Pulut Panggang of which the filling is different, dried prawns are used instead of fresh prawns. I was asked by a friend to translate a recipe in malay and it is called Pulut Lepa. I have not heard of this one before and i guessed the name changed cos this filling has fish meat. I have added a picture of the sushi mould used to form the cylindrical shape.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb glutinious rice - wash and soak overnight
350 ml canned coconut milk(do not shake the can and use only the cream)
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
8 pieces pandan leaves tied into a knot

Filling

1 lb prawns - peel and chop fine
8 ozs grated coconut
2 tsp coriander powder
8 shallots
1 lemon grass, slice very thinly
3 cloves garlic
pinch of kencur powder
1/2 tsp salt

Other:

banana leaves cut into 6" x 3" wash, wipe dry and greased.
Stapler
Sushi mould


Method:

Place glutinious rice in a muslin lined steamer with the pandan leaves. Make steam holes with the handle of wooden spoon and steam over rapidly boiling water for 20 minutes.

Remove glutinius rice into a saucepan. Pour in the coconut milk, salt and sugar and mix well. Cover saucepan and let sit for 5 minutes.

Return to steamer and steam for another 15 minutes until cooked. Cover to keep warm until ready to assemble.

To cook the filling:

Grind shallots, lemon grass, garlic to a fine paste, then add in the coriander powder and kencur.

Fry grated coconut in a very dry pan until brown and frangrant. Do not over-fry until oil is extracted. Put aside.

Heat oil and fry the ground ingredients until fragrant. Add the chopped prawns and salt. Stir well until ingredients become dry. Finally add in the coconut.

To assemble:

Using the sushi mould, press in glutinious rice making a trench for the filling. Put a spoonful of filling in the trench and top with more glutinious rice and press down to form into a cylindrical dumpling.

Remove from mould into a piece of greased banana leave. Roll up the banana leave and fasten both ends with stapler pins. Repeat this process until all rice and filling are used up.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a nonstick pan and pan fry the dumplings until heated through.





Serves

Yeong Tofu

Tofu/taufoo, however you call it or in whatever forms is my favorite staple which needs no introduction but just for reminiscing, i miss the tofu from Malaysia, - the 'sang far', 'sui tofu' and 'tau khon/taukuah'.

To 'yeong' in cantonese which means to stuff, Besides all forms of tofu or soy products, any vegetables can be stuffed. Leafy vegetables like 'kangkong' or 'choy sum' can be blanched and twirled up and then a patch of fish paste is added. Blanched Long Beans made into a small bundle is one of the best. The other popular candidates for stuffing are 'red and green peppers', 'fu chuk', okra, eggplant and all types tofus of course. I personally like to stuff 'shitake mushrooms' and cabbage.

The stuffing filling of just fish paste is the most common but the 'hakka' version of adding ground pork and salted fish is very flavorful especially with 'sang far' tofu. In the absence of 'sang far', the silken tofu is cut into squares and using a melon baller, scoop a hole to hold the filling and then steam or alternatively, cut the tofu into triangles and stuff the fish paste on the pointed side of triangle instead of the straight side which is too tricky.

The paste can be made into balls which are then cooked in simmering water/stock or made into a log/disk and pan-fried.

The stuffed tofus or vegetables are pan-fried or deep-fried and is served as is with chilly sauce for dipping. They can be served with a light thin sauce made with 'mein see/tau cheong' or in soups. i especially like the soup that is made with soya beans. At this stage, they can be kept in the freezer but not for the stuffed white silken tofu. They are the best accompaniment for noodles.

Ingredients:

1-1½ lb Spanish Mackerel fillet - using a spoon, remove the flesh from the skin

A
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp light soya sauce

1/2 tsp sugar

1 egg white

a pinch of msg(optional)

B

2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp salt mixed with 4 tbsp water

Method:

Put the fish fillet in the food processor and pulse until the fish is finely chopped up. The number of pulses depend on the freshness of the fish meat.

Remove from food processor and put minced fish meat in the cake mixer mixing bowl.

Add in the seasonings A and using the paddle, mix to combine

Add in B and turn on the highest speed to create 'kau' , then the paste will have the good crunchy texture

The paste is ready to 'yeong'/stuff whatever.

For Hakka version -

Add to fish paste

1/2 lb of ground pork with considerable amount of pork fat and make sure that it is not ground too fine. The best would be to chop pork with the cleaver

Salted fish - preferably 'mui heong'

To make soup:

Fish bones and skin(after the flesh has been removed for the fish paste)

or

A handful of ikan bilis

1 cup of soya beans - wash and soak for 2 hours, drain

3 - 4 slices of ginger

4 cups water

salt and pepper to taste

oil for frying the fish bones and skin

Heat oil and pan fry the fish bones and skin or the ikan bilis until very crispy

Remove and fill a muslin/cheesecloth bag with the fried fish bones and skin/ikan bilis, then put in the pressure cooker together with the soya beans, ginger and water

Close the pressure cooker and cook on high for 1/2 hour

Release pressure and open the lid Remove the muslin/cheesecloth bag

The soup is then ready for the yeong tofu/vegetables/etc

Add salt and pepper to taste.(Might not have to add so much salt as the goodies might be salty enough)

Enjoy

Serves