Homemade Assam Laksa

This is special dedicated to my high school schoolmate whom came to visit me in AZ, I am really happy she kept her promise. She told me she would like to learn how to make assam laksa without the overwhelming “her kor” – prawn paste flavor, which is exactly the same as my preference. So, I decided to take this opportunity to record my making of assam laksa properly, as you may know, all the while, my cooking is always based on “agak-agak” – estimation. Gigi, 你的面子够大了吧？老娘为你从出江湖！ :-p

My version of assam laksa soup is clearer, taste more close to Malay version with a lot of chunky fish fleshes (again, my preference), if you like the typical Penang Chinese version of assam laksa, just add another 2~3 tbsp of her kor (prawn paste). I usually cook the soap one night ahead before serving.

Ingredient and steps for the soup:

1. 4 lbs Indian Mackerel/Ikan Kembong

2. 3.5~4 liter water

3. 1 bunch kesom leaves (Vietnamese mint)

4. 2 stalks lemon grass – smashed

5. 5~7 tamarind skin

6. 1 – 2” cube salted markerel fish – slightly roasted and mashed. (yes, salted fish, my secret recipe :-p).

7. Tamarind Juice – 1 pingpong ball size of tamarind paste mixed with 400~500ml of water, rub the paste until the flesh dissolve in the water.

Spices – grind/blend the following ingredients

1. 400~450g shallot

2. 18~20 dried chili (soaked)

3. 5~6 fresh red chili (I couldn’t get this from the store, substituted it with 4 chili padi, thats why my soap is not that red in color)

4. 1 large sweet onion (chop to cubes before grinding)

5. 1 – 1” cube belacan (slightly roasted)

Seasoning

1. Salt to taste

2. Adjust your preference taste with the following solutions :

   • spiciness – add more chili padi

   • sourness – add more tamarind skin or tamarind juice

   • sweetness – add more onion or prawn paste (if you like it)

Steps :

1. Bring the water to boil, add in fishes, cook for about 10~12 minutes.

2. Take out the cooked fishes to a big bowl and let it cool.

3. Add in kesom leaves, tamarind skin, lemon grass, salted fish and ground spices to the fish stock, bring it to boil again, turn to low heat.

4. When the fishes are cool, peel the fleshes and discharge the bones. Mash the fleshes with fork into chunky or tiny pieces.

5. Before adding the fish fleshes back into the stock, pick up the kesom leaves from stock first (you don’t want all the fish fleshes stick on the leaves later).

6. Add in the fish fleshes, tamarind juice (reserve some for later adjustment) bring to boil and turn to low heat, continue to cook for at least 3 hour before serving. Or you can let it sit overnight (with the heat off).

7. Season with salt. Adjust the taste to your personal liking with the following solutions :

• spiciness – add more chili padi

• sourness – add more tamarind juice

• sweetness – add more ground onion or prawn paste (if you like it)

Penang Char Koey Teow

I like to use extra large prawn for my Char Koey Teow (CKT). I should have named it Penang Lorong Selamat Char Koey Teow!!!- The famous stall in Penang with "sombong" Auntie and over priced CKT. Many years ago it was about RM4~RM5 a plate, I don't know how much is that right now, may be RM7~RM8?? Why pay so high? We can make it our own with extra prawn too!!

I came from a hawker family, I grew up from a famous hawker center/food court in my home town. I liked watching how those hawker prepare the food, like Hokkien Mee, Jawa Mee, Ikan Bakar, Char Hor Fun, Hokkien Char, Char Koey Teow...etc. I was there until I finished my high school - 15 years of watching...LOL!! I will never forget how they control the heat, the timing of cooking. It is just become my instinct now.




Tricks to make a good CKT :

1. Sauce (everyone has their own secret recipe/ratio in sauce mixing, it is all about soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar)
2. Heat
3. Timing ( a plate of CKT should be done in approx. 3 minutes with appropriate heat The best way to learn is watch closely every time when you order CKT outside, compare the differences of the texture when you eat it at different places)
4. Use pork lard
5. Fresh ingredients


The recipe I am going to share today is from my relative. She is not as famous as Lorong Selamat Auntie, but has a good reputation too. Trust me, I was seriously thinking of selling CKT if I have never met Tom. I was so frustrated and tired of my work, and had deeply considered to switch my carrier. I used to worked 16 hours a day. My relative who is selling CKT works only 4~5 hours a day, 5 day week, and her income is more than those Manager levels...LOL!! Never mind, I think I will still want to sell CKT one day when I retire and move back to Penang with Tom.. :-) . Use extra large prawn for my CKT and sell it cheaper than Lorong Selamat CKT, I really "beh siok" - not happy with the owner! LOL!!!

Here's the recipe for the CKT sauce, you can mix extra and refrigerate it :

Mix and stir to blend well.
1. 2/3 cup soy sauce
2. 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
3. 2 tbsp oyster sauce
4. 2 tbsp fish sauce
5. 1 tsp sugar


Ingredients for a plate of CKT :


1. 2~3 garlic - chopped
2. 3~4 extra large prawn (personal preference)
3. Bean sprout (soak in the water, when you add the bean sprout to your CKT, the water drip will keep your CKT moisture)
4. Fresh Koey Teow (keep in mind that if your koey teow have been kept in fridge, it will need longer time to cook through - probably extra 60~90 seconds)
5. Lap Cheong (Chinese Wax sausage) slices
6. Fresh cockles (I couldn't find it here, so I skip it)
7. Chinese chives
8. Pre-mixed CKT sauce
9. Chili Paste
10. An Egg
11. Some while pepper powder


Steps (I can not tell you exact timing when do you need to add the ingredients, it is all depending on the heat and experience, it should be done in approx 3 mins for a plate of CKT, like I said before - watch closely how those hawker prepare your CKT) :

1. Heat up the pan
2. Add a table spoon of oil/pork lard (those hawkers usually add more than that)
3. Add garlic, then prawn (stir for few seconds)
4. Add 1/2 of your bean sprout
5. Add koey teow, immediately follow with a 1~1.5 table spoon of the CKT sauce, chili paste, stir to coat well.
6. Stir the koey teow to the side of the pan, grease the middle of the pan with some oil, drop an egg, few drops of CKT sauce, some white pepper.
7. Cover the egg with the koey teow, immediately add in cockles, lap cheong, another half of bean sprout, chives.
8. Stir to mix well, remove from heat and serve warm.

Sizzling Chicken Noodle (铁板面)

My friend in Penang complained that I should have posted more Asian recipes. Eerrr?? I think I have been posting more Asian recipes..dear :-P

Tom bought me a cast iron sizzling pan few months ago. I like to serve my food in a clay pot or a sizzling pan because they keep your food warm longer. I especially like pipping hot. :-p

I like to order sizzling noodle if I dine in at the food court inside the shopping mall. I can say it is available in every shopping mall? It is because I seldom find a good noodle stall operate in the food court. If the sizzling noodle served to me is not good, I could just simply add in soy sauce and chili to "cure" them and it won't tasted too bad since the noodle served warm with the sizzling plate.



It is not difficult to make sizzling noodles on your own, here's my recipe and direction. Hope you like it. :-)


A) Noodle for 3~4 people.
1. I use ramen noodle - cook to about 80% doneness, as it will be cooked again on the sizzling pan. You can substitute ramen with Yi Mee.
2. 3~4 eggs
3. Some green onion or cilantro for garnishing.

B) Chicken
1. 600g boneless chicken leg meat - marinate overnight with :
i) 1tbsp soy sauce
ii) 1 tbsp oyster sauce
iii) 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
iv) 1 tsp sesame oil
v) 1/4 tsp white pepper
vi) 2 cloves garlic - crushed
vii) few ginger slices

C) Gravy
1. 2~3 cloves of garlic - minced
2. Few ginger slices
3. 1 tsp soy paste (normal or spicy)
4. 3~4 dried chili - unseeded, pre-soaked
5. 2~3 dried mushroom - pre-soaked, sliced then rub with some sugar (a trick to make the mushroom more springy)
6. 250~280ml water.
7. 1 tsp oyster sauce
8. 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
9. A pinch of sugar or to taste
10. Salt to taste
11. 1 tbsp spoon corn starch mix with 2 tbsp water to thicken the gravy.

Steps :

1. Heat and grease a frying pan.
2. Fragrant garlic and ginger slices.
3. Add in soy paste, dried chili, mushroom slices, stir for about 20~30 seconds, watch out the heat, don't burn the ingredients.
4. Stir in marinated chicken, cook for about 4~5 minutes.
5. Slowly pour in water, bring to boil.
6. Add ingredients C7~C10, thicken the gravy with corn starch liquid.
10. Remove from heat and set aside.
11. Heat up the slightly greased sizzling pan (about 2~3 minutes).
12. Add in noodle, immediately, scoop the chicken and gravy to the sizzling plate, cook for about 1 minutes.
13. Slightly stir the noodle to coat well with the gravy.
14. Add in egg, for another 30~45 seconds or the egg reach your desired doneness.

Penang Hokkien Mee (Penang Prawn Noodle)

It is long a weekend, don't have to work on Monday (Memorial Day). Hence, I gave myself 3 big cooking assignments to achieve:-p!! These need a lot of work and time to prepare. I don't want to ruin the taste by rushing it.

Here is one of my cooking assignment for this weekend - Penang Hokkien Mee!! I have been long craving for it. I grabbed all the ingredients from Lee Lee and started my adventure!! It has been about 7 years since last time I made it. Fortunately, it turned out good. Again, Cici was doing so much better than her dad, she loved it the first time she had it!





The ingredients and steps for the soup :

Soup :

1. 5 Liter water
2. 1.5 kgs prawn or as desired
3. 0.5kg prawn head
4. 1 kg pork bones (hot water bathed)
5. 1 Jicama (about 450g) peeled and cut to 4 big chunks.
6. 60g rock sugar
7. 1 tsp belacan (optional)
8. 5 dried red chili (or as needed, I didn't make it spicy because Cici could only handle mild level)
9. 1/4 cup crispy onion, prepare extra for topping.
10. Salt to taste.

Chili paste :
1. 250g red chili
2. 10 dried chilies
(blend # 1 and #2 together, don't add water)

3. 1/4 tsp salt
5. 4 tbsp oil

Steps :

1. Boil the water.
2. Add in the prawn and cook until they are 90% done, remove from the soup, set aside to cool.
3. Add in the prawn head and pork bones, return to boil. Switch to low medium low heat and continue to cook.
4. At the meantime, peel the prawns and save the heads and shells. Then return the prawn heads and shells back to the soup.
5. Add in jicama, belacan and dried chili, simmer for 1 hour.

For Chili paste
6. In another stove, heat up a sauce pan, add in the oil, stir in the blended chili, cook over medium heat for about 10~15 minutes, add in salt.
7. Scoop out the cooked chili paste to a bowl.
8. Scoop in some prawn soup to wash out the remaining chili and oil in the pan then pour them back to the soup pot.
8. Grease the pan with some oil.
9. Add in prawns (those already peeled), stir and cook for 5~8 minutes, sprinkle some salt to taste.
10. Remove from heat, set aside.
11. Again, scoop some prawn soup to wash the pan and pour them back to the soup pot.
12. After an hour, add the crispy onions to the soup. If you want the spicy soup base, add in the chili paste you just cooked, or add in separately when serve.
13. Simmer for another 2 hour or longer for better taste (I like it overnight).
14. Salt to taste.
15. Discharge the prawn heads and shells before serve.

For the noodle and other condiments, it is adjustable according to your personal liking.

1. 400g yellow noodles (can substitute with instant noodle or ramen)
2. 100g bean sprout.
3. 50g rice vermicelli - soaked(omit it if you use instant noodle or ramen)
4. Some water spinach (空心菜) (I used yam leaves as substitute)

Steps :

1. Boil the water.
2. Put the strainer in the broiling water.
3. In sequent, add in vermicelli, noodle, bean sprout and vegetable.
2. Shake the strainer and cook for about 15~20 seconds.(don't over cook it)
3. Rinse it from the broiling water, and serve in a bowl.
4. Scoop in prawn soup, top with the following :

Topping :
1. Cooked prawned at # 9.
2. Crispy Onion
3. Hard broiled egg slices
4. Pork mean slices (can precooked in the soup)
5. Chili paste

A lot of prawns!!! LOL!!


I love this pot so much (got it at Target.) The built-in strainer saved me a lot of work when I removed the prawn heads and shells.

滑蛋鸳鸯 (Silken Egg Yuan Yang)

I have been busy for my work lately. Even though, I will not stop posting about my cooking, stay tuned, OK?

This is one of the famous hawker food (street vendor) in Malaysia - fried flat noodle sheets mix with rice noodle then served with thicken gravy with or without egg. If you order "hor fun" it will come with just flat noodle. It is also one of the popular item served in most of the Chinese restaurants in US, but I seldom order it. Because I like it best tasted with sambal chili.




To my surprise, Tom loved it and told me don't hesitant to cook it again in future. :-)!!

Here's the recipes :

Ingredients :

For frying Yuan Yang :

1. 500g Hor Fun (flat noodle sheets) - cut to smaller size
2. 150g Bee Hoon (rice noodle/rice vermicelli) - soak in water to soften it.
3. 11/2 tbsp soy sauce
4. 1 tsp dark soy sauce
5. 1 tbsp oyster sauce
6. 1/8 tsp sugar
7. 1/8 tsp fish sauce
8. 2~3 cloves large garlic - finely chopped
9. 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil for frying

For Gravy :

1. 1000~1200ml pork bones stock/chicken stock (cook in advance)
2. 200g medium~large shrimp (can adjust to your preferred amount)
3. 200g pork/chicken slices (can adjust to your preferred amount)
4. Some Choi Sum (vegetable)
5. 2~3 cloves large garlic - chopped
6. 1 tsp soy sauce
7. 1 tsp oyster sauce
8. Some salt to taste
9. Some white pepper to taste
10. 4 tbsp corn starch (or as needed) mix with some water
11. 3~4 eggs - lightly beaten

Steps :

For frying Yuan Yang, it must be done in high heat in order to provide enough "wok hei" - wok breath.

1. Mix together all ingredients from #3~7
2. Heat the fry pan with some oil
3. Over high heat, fragrant the chopped garlic, then stir in the flat noodle and vermicelli.
4. Add in mixture # 1, stir the noodle to coat well.
5. Cook for 2~3 minutes, remove the yuan yang from the frying pan to the serving plates.

For gravy :

1. Heat up the pan with some oil.
2. Fragrant the chopped garlic.
3. Add in shrimps and meet slices, stir for 1 minutes.
4. Pour in pork bones/chicken stock
5. Season with ingredients #6~#8
6, Bring to boil, add in vegetable.
7. Thicken the soup with corn starch.
8. Drop the beaten eggs, wait for 5~8 seconds, stir it.
9. Scoop the gravy and others ingredients to top the yuan yang, sprinkle some white peper to taste.
10. Best served with sambal chili.

Enjoy :-)