Sotong Masak Hitam

Literally translated - Squid in Black Ink, this is a classic malay dish which is one of my old time favourites.  It is rare to find squids with its black ink intact where I am staying. In its replacement, I bought a glass of squids' ink from the delicacy section of the supermarket.  Do not be turned off by the look of this dish ... all black from the ink!  I must say the taste is awesome when eaten with hot rice!

Ingredients (serves 4):
16 squids (with ink)
1 stalk lemon grass, to be bruised
2 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kicap manis)
2 medium-sized onions, to be peeled & thinly sliced into rings
2 stalks red chillies, to be washed & halved
3 - 4 tbsp cooking oil

Pounded Ingredients:
2 medium-sized onions, to be peeled & coarsely chopped
3 pips garlic, to be peeled & coarsely chopped
a tiny piece of fresh turmeric (or 1/2 tsp turmeric powder)
one thin slice of fresh ginger

Method:
Clean squids under running water and add to a sieve to drain the excess water.  This time, I only managed to buy mini octopus (without ink) and a glass of squid's ink. Note:  I added only one tablespoon of ink.

In a medium-sized pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add pounded ingredients and lemon grass.  Stir-fry until fragrant.  Then, add sliced onion rings and stir-fry until almost soft.

Add squids and ink.  Stir well and let it simmer lightly.  Do not overcook or else the squids will become tough.  Then, add sweet soy sauce and red chillies.  Stir well.

Serve with hot rice!

Bon Appetit!

French Beans in Coconut Gravy (Boncis Masak Lemak)

A typical malay dish which is easy to prepare.  Since hubby loves french beans, I prepared this simple dish today.  It is not necessary to pound or blend the shallots, chilli or garlic.  Just finely sliced them before sautéing them.  To round up the dish, I added prawns, tang hoon and coconut milk.  The taste is up to my hubby's satisfaction (our younger son's too) and I served it with Crispy Squid Rings, Sambal Belacan and hot jasmine rice on a cold and wintry Sunday afternoon.

Ingredients (serves 4):
250 g french beans, to be washed, tails removed and cut into 5 cm lengths
250 g prawns
some tang hoon (vermicelli), to be soaked in water until soft
400 ml coconut milk
salt to taste
2 tbsp cooking oil

1 stalk lemon grass, to be bruised
1 stalk red chilli, to be finely sliced
1 stalk green chilli, to be finely sliced
2 shallots, to be peeled and finely sliced
2 pips garlic, to be peeled and finely sliced

Method:
Wash and drain french beans.  Remove both ends and cut into 5 cm lengths.

In a medium-size pot, heat cooking oil over medium heat.  Add sliced shallots, garlic, chillies and lemon grass and sauté until fragrant.

Add french beans and sauté for about 3 to 4 minutes.

Then, add tang hoon, prawns and coconut milk.  Bring to a light simmer and add salt to taste.  If the gravy is too thick, just add water to your preferred consistency.  Let it simmer until the french beans are cooked.

Serve hot with rice!

Bon Appetit!

Sambal Sotong

Literally translated as Squids in Chilli Sauce, we never fail to order this dish whenever we go for seafood back home in Singapore.  As the weather is rather cool and rainy today, I prepared a seafood lunch for my two boys:  Sambal Sotong, Stir-fried French Beans and Cereal Prawns & Squids served with hot Jasmine rice cooked in my new, small rice cooker which I managed to bring in as cabin luggage.

This sambal recipe has been in our family's collection since ages.  To get a sambal with an appetising colour, one has to have patience to cook it.  It took me about an hour to cook it over low/medium heat.  I added a little palm sugar (gula melaka) to add taste and colour to the sambal.  Instead of squids, one can also use other kinds of seafood.

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):
500 g fresh or frozen squids, I sliced them into rings
20 g fresh tamarind, to be mixed with 150 ml water
salt to taste
sugar to taste
a little palm sugar (gula melaka), to be crumbled
1/4 cup cooking oil

Blended Ingredients:
50 g dried chillies, to be cut into strips & soaked in warm water until soft
2 large onions, to be peeled & sliced
1 pip garlic, to be peeled & sliced
8 g belacan (shrimp paste)

Method:
Heat 4 tbsp of oil in a wok over medium heat.  Add blended ingredients and stir-fry until fragrant. As and when needed, add cooking oil in order that the mixture is not too dry.  Cooking time will take about one hour in order that the sambal is well-blended with the oil.  Believe me, it is worth the wait!

Add tamarind juice (please use a small sieve in order that only the juice is used) a little at a time. Cook until sambal is thick.  Season with salt, sugar & palm sugar to taste.  Then, add the squids.

Cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes or until the squids are cooked.

This sambal can be served either hot or cold.

Bon Appetit!

Ikan Pari Masak Asam Pedas Lada Hitam

A spicy malay dish due to the addition of black pepper (lada hitam) in the ingredients. Stingray and laksa leaves are specially used in this recipe.  One thing for sure, the longer this dish is kept, its taste will be more intensified.  I did not add any okras (ladies fingers) or brinjals this time because my two boys hate them.

Ingredients (serves 4):
1 medium-sized onion, to be peeled and sliced
8 pcs okras (ladies fingers/bendeh) or one can use brinjal
1 small stingray, to be washed clean and cut into serving pieces
half a handful of laksa leaves (daun kesom)
3 tbsp fresh tamarind, to be mixed with one cup water
enough water
salt to taste
cooking oil

Blended Ingredients:
1 large onion, to be peeled and sliced
4 pips garlic, to be sliced
2 cm fresh turmeric, to be sliced
a handful dried chillies, to be cut and soaked in warm water
5 pcs candlenuts (buah keras), to be soaked in warm water
1 tsp black pepper seeds (lada hitam biji)
1 tsp (heaped) belacan (shrimp paste)
half a handful of laksa leaves (daun kesom)
Note:  Above ingredients to be blended or pounded finely.

Method:
Add a little salt to stingray pieces and leave aside.  Before using, rinse with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

Heat cooking oil in a medium pot.  Add the sliced onion and stir-fry until slightly browned. Then, add in the blended ingredients and stir-fry until it is separated from the oil.

Add in tamarind juice (please use a small sieve in order to separate the tamarind seeds). Then, add in enough water and okras.  Bring to a slight boil and cook until okras are almost tender.  This will take about 10 to 15 minutes.  Season with salt to taste and add the laksa leaves.

Lastly, add in the stingray pieces and cook for a few minutes.  Serve hot with rice.

Bon Appetit!

Trout in Salted Soy Beans Sauce

The malay name for this dish is Ikan Masak Taucheo Lemak.  One can use any kind of fish whose texture is not "soft" i.e. breaking up during the cooking process.  This time, I used trouts in this dish.  This recipe is my mum's creation and serves 4.  Other side dishes such as Fried Cabbage with Egg, Sambal Terasi and Salted Egg will compliment this dish very well.

Ingredients:
2 trouts, to be cleaned, washed, dried and cut into 3 portions each
1 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt
a little water

1 big onion, to be peeled and finely sliced
1 clove garlic, to be peeled and finely sliced
1 red chillie, to be finely sliced
100 ml coconut milk
1 tbsp fresh tamarind pulp, to be mixed with 4 tbsp water
salt and sugar to taste
oil for frying

Blended Ingredients:
5 dried red chillies, to be cut into pieces and soaked in warm water
1 tsp shrimp paste (belacan)
3 tbsp salted soy beans (taucheo)

Method:
Mix turmeric powder, salt and a little water to a paste and marinate the fish pieces.  Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the fish pieces until golden brown.

Heat oil in a pot and stir-fry onion, garlic and chillie slices until fragrant.  Then, add in the blended ingredients and cook for a further 5 minutes.  Add in coconut milk and tamarind water (without pulp). Check seasoning by adding sugar and salt according to taste.  Finally, add in the fried fish pieces and let it simmer gently for a few minutes before turning off the heat.

Fried Cabbage with Egg

Ingredients:
300 - 400 g cabbage, to be cut in bite pieces
1 big onion, to be peeled and finely sliced
1 clove garlic, to be peeled and finely sliced
1 red chillie, to be finely sliced
1 egg
salt to taste
a little oil

Method:
Heat oil in a medium-size pan and add onion, garlic and chillie slices.  Stir-fry until fragrant and then, add in the cabbage pieces.  Season with salt to taste.  Break an egg (see step-by-step pictures below) and let it set for a while before breaking it up.  Mix egg and cabbage well.

Serve with hot rice, Sambal Terasi and Salted Egg!

Bon Appetit!