Posts in Main Dish
Shallot Oil Noodles

This RECIPE for noodles has been used in my family for ages. For me, eating this dish brings back nostalgic memories. The recipe for Shallot Oil Noodles was requested by my children who were in self-isolation in college during the 2020 pandemic. It's a simple and delicious noodle dish. The shallot oil can be swapped with garlic oil if preferred.

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Sweet Potato Leaves in Spicy Coconut Gravy

Today's RECIPE is quintessential in a Peranakan household. Huan Chu Heok Masak Lemak/Sweet Potato Leaves in Spicy Coconut Gravy is a favorite of many. Cubed sweet potatoes may be added to this dish but we have added cubed pumpkin instead because of personal preference. Other vegetables (kangkung/french beans/long beans/cabbage) may be used to cook this dish as well.

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Tamarind Prawns

Tamarind Prawns or Assam Heh is a fast cooking appetizing dish. A little time to marinate then a quick stir fry and it’s ready. The tangy tamarind sauce makes for a perfect dish to eat with rice. Try the RECIPE, you will love it.

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Foochow Spicy Sour Fish Maw Soup (Koh Lu)

This is one of the legacy dishes I inherited from my mum-in-law. She was not fond of cooking like my own mother but this dish she cooked it well because she married a Foochow and lived among Foochows in Ayer Tawar for more than 70 years. I cook this Foochow Spicy Sour Fish Maw Soup (Koh Lu) in memory of her as she passed away in July 2020.

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Jiu Hu Char (Stirfried Jicama with Shredded Dried Cuttlefish)

Today's RECIPE is a compulsory dish for our Lunar New Year Reunion dinner. This dish is usually eaten wrapped like a parcel with fresh Chinese lettuce leaves. Jiu Hu Char/Stirfried Jicama with Shredded Dried Cuttlefish is fragrant with the addition of the cuttlefish. Some Peranakan/Chinese households add their favorite ingredients to this dish (prawns/pork belly/dried shrimps etc). Here is the basic version.

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Ayam Pongteh (Nyonya Chicken Stew)

Today's RECIPE is a Malaccan Peranakan Chicken Stew called Ayam Pongteh. Every Baba/Nyonya has his/her own special way of preparing this dish. Some may omit mushrooms or potatoes and some add bamboo shoots. However you cook it...the essential ingredients are the shallots and garlic paste and the preserved bean paste/taucheo. It is a flavorful dish and when served with sambal belacan, it tastes awesome!

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Acar Nyonya/Acar Awak (Nyonya Pickles)

Acar Nyonya/Acar Awak (Nyonya Pickles) is a family favorite among the Peranakans. Making acar nyonya is back-breaking work hence it's normally done with other family members. Working together in the kitchen to produce this delicious delicacy is also bonding time for the family members involved. Recruit your loved ones/children in the process...it's a fun activity for the long school holidays.

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Palm Sugar Stewed Meat/Gula Melaka Bak

This dish is a crowd pleaser and a favorite among old and young for its sweet, salty, spicy(adjustable to your preference) and fragrant taste. Stewed in palm sugar (gula melaka) and coconut water, the tender chunks of meat are a delight to eat with rice or bread together with a side dish of pickles. We used boneless skinless pork shoulder here but it will taste good with beef or chicken as well. Try the RECIPE and enjoy!

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Hong Bak/Babi Hong/Braised Pork in Fragrant Spice Sauce

This dish, Hong Bak/Babi Hong/Braised Pork in Fragrant Spice Sauce, is a Penang Peranakan dish. The essential ingredients for this dish are the cekur root (sar keong/kencur/lesser galangal) and coriander powder. If you can’t get hold of fresh cekur root, substitute with the powder form which you can purchase from Chinese medical halls in Malaysia/Singapore. Here’s the RECIPE, happy cooking!

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Main Dish, PorkMama DingComment