Thai-style Golden Cups

Ingredients

12-16 spring roll wrappers cut
into 2 inch squares
6-8 cooked salad shrimp
1 Tbsp ground peanuts
2 Tbsp diced green peppers
1 Tbsp diced red pepper
1 Tbsp diced celery
2 Tbsp diced cucumber
1 tsp minced mint leaves
1 tsp minced coriander

Lemongrass Sauce

1 cup lime juice
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
4 red Thai chili, minced
1 Tbsp minced lemongrass

Method

1. Make the sauce. Blend all ingredients in a blender and set aside.
2. In a small mini cupcake pan, overlap 2 spring roll wrappers perpendicular on top of one another. Push down in middle to make a cup, then bake in the oven at 350°F for 5 minutes.
3. Mix all ingredients with lemongrass sauce in a bowl. Scoop into cups and put a shelled and cooked shrimp on top.

Makes 2 to 4 servings.

Source: Ciao! magazine

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Malaysian-style Baked Tapioca Cakes

Ingredients

2 kg blended tapioca
250 g thick coconut milk
50 g grated coconut
450 g sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2 tsp sago flour
50 g butter
a few drops of yellow food colouring
a pinch of salt
banana leaf

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C.
2. Squeeze out the liquid from the blended tapioca under running tap water for a few minutes.
3. Combine all the ingredients with the tapioca and mix well.
4. Grease a baking tin on base and sides. Then line with banana leaf. Pour mixture into the tray.
5. Bake in a preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes until light brown. Switch to 150°C and bake for 40 – 50 minutes further or till cooked. Insert a toothpick at the centre of the kueh (cake). If it comes out clean, it is cooked.
6. Remove from oven and allow cooling for 10 minutes. Unmould kueh and allow kueh to cool completely before cutting.

Source: Delicious Nyonya Kueh and Desserts

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Vietnamese-style Baked Ground Pork and Eggs

Ingredients

4 eggs, separated into egg white and yolks
1/2 lb ground pork
1/4 cup anchovy, minced
1/4 cup pre-softened dried wood ears, minced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp minced chili pepper
1 tsp oil
2 tsp cornstarch

Method

1. Mix all ingredients except eggs together.
2. Add 1 egg white and mix thoroughly.
3. Add remaining egg whites, one at a time, and mix thoroughly again until mixture becomes a sticky meat paste.
4. Beat egg yolks and set aside.
5. Pre-heat oven to 350°F(180°C).
6. Grease pan with oil, fill with meat paste, and cover with aluminum foil. Poke some holes into the foil. Bake 40 minutes.
7. Remove foil and drizzle with egg yolk, add any desirable garnish, then bake an additional 10 minutes.
8. Serve hot with cooked rice.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Vietnamese Cuisine

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Mixed Vegetable Curry

Ingredients

1/2 lb turnips
1/2 lb potatoes
1/2 lb brinjal (eggplant)
1/2 lb carrots
1/2 lb tomatoes
2 bunches fenugreek leaves
1/2 lb onions
1 cup oil
2 teaspoons garlic and ginger ground together
2 teaspoons ground fresh green chilies
2 teaspoons salt

Method

1. Wash all the vegetables, peel as necessary, cut into pieces, and set aside.
2. Heat oil and fry all the vegetables together until they are light brown.
3. Chop onions finely and mix together with all the ground spices.
4. Add onions and spices to the vegetables and fry together until light brown. Add salt.
5. Add 1/2 cup hot water and cook over low heat until vegetables are done and thick gravy forms. Take care not to overcook or stir too vigorously to avoid mashing the vegetables.
6. Serve hot.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Source: Mughal Cuisine

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Deep-fried Bamboo Shoots with Dried Bonito Flakes

Ingredients

1 egg
6-inch takenoko (fresh bamboo shoots) or vacuum-packed boiled whole bamboo shoot
2 tablespoons bai niku (salted plum paste)
1-1/2 cups kezuri bushi (dried bonito flakes)
6 cups vegetable oil
8 kinome (young sansho leaves), to garnish

Method

1. Beat the egg in a bowl large enough for dipping the bamboo shoot slices.
2. Slice the bamboo shoot lengthwise into 4 wedges. Make a lengthwise incision on the thick part of the wedge, about 1/2-inch deep. Using a knife, spread the salted plum paste into this incision.
3. Put the bonito shavings in a saucepan over low heat and crumple them with your hands so they dry further and break into fine pieces. Place in a flat container large enough to roll the bamboo shoot slices.
4. Pour the vegetable oil in a saucepan and heat to 325°F (160°C). Dip the bamboo shoot wedges into the egg and coat evenly. Next, coat each wedge evenly with the bonito shavings, then carefully slip into the oil and deep-fry. Turn the bamboo shoots occasionally so that they are fried evenly. When nicely browned, remove from the oil with a slotted spoon. Gently shake above the pan to remove any excess oil and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh kinome leaves.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Shunju – New Japanese Cuisine

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