Mee Siam (Spicy Rice Vermicelli) Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

12 oz vermicelli (rice sticks)
12 oz bean sprouts
12 shrimps (shelled and deveined)
4 oz chicken (cut into thin strips)
3 pieces fried bean curd/firm tofu (cut into pieces)
3 stalks Chinese chives (chopped into 1-inch length)
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
Soy sauce or fish sauce to taste
3 tablespoons oil

SPICE PASTE:

4 red chilies
5 shallots
5 garlic
2 tablespoons taucheo (fermented yellow bean sauce)

GARNISH:

2 eggs (lightly beaten, seasoned with a pinch of salt)
2 stalks scallions (chopped into 1/2-inch length)
2 limes (cut into wedges)
1 red chili (thinly sliced)

METHOD:

Soak the vermicelli in warm water for about 30 minutes or until they turn soft. Drain and set aside. Using a food processor, grind the spice paste and set aside. Heat up a wok with some oil and make the beaten eggs into an omelet. Fold and slice the omelet thinly. Set aside.

Heat up the wok and add 3 tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is heated. fry the spice paste until aromatic and the oil separates. Add shrimps and chicken, stir-frying until half done, then add the fried tofu pieces.

Add the vermicelli and keep stirring until the the spice paste has spread evenly. Add sugar and salt to taste, follow by bean sprouts and chives. Continue to stir-fry until the vegetables are cooked. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt or sugar to taste. If the noodles taste bland, add a little soy sauce / fish sauce to taste.

Transfer the Mee Siam onto a big serving bowl and garnish with the omelet strips, chopped scallions, chili and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

Steamed Asari (Manila) Clams with Sake

Recipe: Steamed Asari (Manila) Clams with Sake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. asari/manila clams
1/3 stick unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup water
1/2 cup cooking sake
1/4 cup mirin
salt to taste
Chopped scallion (the green part only)

Method:

Clean the clams thoroughly and set aside. Heat up a saucepan on medium heat and add the butter. As soon as the butter melts, transfer the clams into the pan and do a few quick stirs. Add the water, sake, and mirin into the clams and cover the pan with its lid. Turn the heat to high and bring the clams to boil. As soon as all the clams are open, add in salt to taste. Dish out into a bowl, garnish with the chopped scallion, and serve immediately.

Indonesian Style Curry Prawns

By Amy Beh

Ingredients

• 400g fresh water prawns, feelers trimmed
• 4-5 tbsp oil
• 1 kaffir lime leaf, shredded
• 100ml thick coconut milk
• 50ml fresh milk
Spice mix (A)
• 2 stalks lemongrass, smashed
• 2 tbsp dried prawns, soaked and coarsely chopped
• 2 kaffir lime leaves, torn
• 1 stalk curry leaves
Ground spices (B)
• 4 shallots
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 red chilliles, seeded
• 5 dried chillies, soaked
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 slices galangal
• 1 tbsp meat curry powder, mixed with enough water into a paste
Seasoning
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp sugar or to taste
• ½ tsp anchovy stock granules

Method

Heat oil and sauté spice mix (A) until fragrant. Add ground spices (B) and fry until aromatic and oil separates.
Pour in coconut milk and fresh milk, and add the prawns and seasoning. Cover and simmer for 1-2 minutes or until prawns are cooked through and the sauce thickens. Dish out and serve with a sprinkling of shredded kaffir lime leaves.

Oreo and Mocha Cheesecake

By Chef Foo Hai May

Ingredients

Biscuit Base

• 200g Oreo biscuits (crushed)
• 50g cornflakes (crushed)
• 50g almond flakes (toasted and crushed)
• 30g cocoa powder
• 80g dark chocolate (melted)
• 150g butter (melted)

Oreo Filling

• 250g cream cheese
• 65g icing sugar
• 250g whipping cream
• 1 tbsp vanilla essence
• 100g Oreo cookies (coarsely crushed)
• 10g gelatine
• 40g cold water

Mocha Filling

• 250g cream cheese
• 70g icing sugar
• 250g whipping cream
• 1 tbsp vanilla wssence
• 1 1/2 tbsp instant coffee powder
• 2 tbsp instant cocoa powder
• 50g whipping cream (warm)
• 10g gelatine
• 40g cold water

Method

Biscuit Base

Combine all the crushed ingredients into a bowl. Sift in cocoa powder. Mix well.

Stir in melted chocolate and butter into the dry items and mix well.

Press the biscuit base into a greased 23cm springform pan, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Oreo Filling

Beat cream cheese and icing sugar till smooth.

Sprinkle gelatine on cold water; allow it to stand for 5 minutes. Then double boil the gelatine until it is dissolved. Keep it covered until ready to use.

Whisk cream and vanilla until soft peak.

Fold whipped cream into cheese mixture, add in crushed Oreo and stir in melted gelatine lastly.

Mocha Filling

Beat cream cheese and icing sugar till smooth.

Sprinkle gelatine on cold water; allow it to stand for 5 minutes. Then double boil the gelatine until it is dissolved. Keep it covered until ready to use.

Whisk cream and vanilla until soft peak.

Stir in coffee and cocoa powder into warm cream, mix well till it forms a mocha paste.

Lastly, fold whipped cream into cheese mixture, add in mocha paste and stir in melted gelatine.

Assembling of Oreo and Mocha Cheese Cake

Pour Oreo filling on biscuit base till half full.

Fill up the remaining 1/2 pan with Mocha filling on top of the Oreo filling.

Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight until the cake is set and firm.

Unmold and transfer cheesecake to a serving plate, decorate with whipped cream and Oreo cookies.