7

KERANG MASAK REMPAH ARSIK

Pipis with Batak sauce

SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 10 MINS (PLUS SOAKING)

“I don’t remember where I got this recipe, probably from a Batak or Mandailing neighbour, but it’s

delicious,” says Tan. “Made with torch ginger flower, lemongrass and a member of the Sichuan pepper

family, it is aromatic with a mild tingling sensation. The Batak and the Mandailing people originate from

Sumatra. Recently, I discovered this preparation is called arsik sauce in Indonesia, which combines

similar ingredients and the lemony member of the Sichuan pepper family called, andaliman. More tangy

and less numbing than red Sichuan pepper, I have used green Sichuan pepper for this recipe. This sauce

is particularly good with fish, though just about any seafood is delicious.”

100 ml vegetable oil

1 lemongrass stalk, cut into

5cm pieces

1 torch ginger flower, halved

(see note in asam laksa

recipe p111)

1 spring onion, cut into

5cm pieces

5 makrut lime leaves

1 turmeric leaf (optional;

see note), sliced

1 kg pipis, soaked in cold

water for 1 hour to purge

them of sand

1 tsp caster sugar

Coarsely chopped coriander,

to serve (optional)

Steamed rice, to serve

SPICE PASTE

2 golden shallots

10 garlic cloves, coarsely

chopped

30 gm (6cm piece) galangal,

thinly sliced

30 gm (6cm piece) ginger,

thinly sliced

5-6 long red chillies, or to taste,

finely chopped

8 candlenuts (see note in

pan-fried fish recipe p116)

30 gm (3cm piece) fresh

turmeric or ½ tsp

ground turmeric

1 tbsp green Sichuan

peppercorns (see note)

1 For spice paste, blend

ingredients to a fine paste in

a food processor.

2 Heat oil in a large saucepan

over medium-high heat. Add

spice paste and fry until fragrant

and just golden (2-3 minutes).

Add lemongrass, torch ginger,

spring onion, lime leaves

and turmeric leaf, if using, and

stir-fry until soft and fragrant

(3-4 minutes).

3 Add 375ml water and bring

to the boil, then stir in pipis and

sugar, cover tightly with a lid

and cook until pipis just open

(3-4 minutes). Remove pipis

(discard any that haven’t

opened), season to taste,

top with coriander and serve

with rice.

NoteTurmeric leaves are sold

frozen in Australia and can be

found at select Asian grocers.

If you can’t find them, leave

them out. Green Sichuan

peppercorns are available

from Asian supermarkets.

Wine suggestionFragrant spicy

gewürztraminer.

CHAR KWAY TEOW

Stir-fried lat rice

noodles

SERVES 2-4 // PREP TIME 10 MINS
// COOK 10 MINS (PLUS SOAKING)

“A popular street food, the
best char kway teow is smoky
and laced with lard, Chinese
sausage and prawns,” says Tan.
“Made with fresh rice noodles,
it’s my go-to dish when I yearn
to eat Malaysian food. It’s best
to cook one serving at a time so
the noodles take on the charry
taste of the wok. In Malaysia
char kway teow traditionally
also includes blood cockles,
known as kerang.”
Pictured p109.

5 dried long red chillies, torn

and softened in hot water

300 gm fresh flat rice noodle

sheets (see note)

125 ml (½ cup) vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

8 small green prawns, peeled,

tails intact, deveined

1 lap cheong (Chinese

sausage), thinly sliced

1 tbsp dried turnip(optional;

see note), finely chopped

2 eggs, beaten

2 tsp dark soy sauce

2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 handfuls of bean shoots

30 gm garlic chives, cut into

5cm lengths

1 Drain chillies and blend to a

fine paste with 3 tbsp water in a

small food processor (see note).

2 Cut noodle sheets intostrips

about 1cm wide and carefully

separate them with your fingers.

3 Heat half the oil in a wok over

high heat. Add a tablespoon of

chilli paste and half the garlic.

Stir fry for 5-10 seconds – the

chilli paste burns easily. Then

add half the prawns, half the

lap cheong, half the dried turnip

and half the noodles, toss well

to coat and combine, and stir-fry

until lightly charred (3-4 minutes).

4 Push noodles to the side of

the pan and add half the beaten

egg. Add half the soy sauces,

half the bean shoots and half the

garlic chives, stir-fry to combine

(about 1 minute), season to taste,

then transfer to a serving plate.

5 Wipe wok clean with paper

towels and repeat with

remaining ingredients to

make a second serve.

NoteFresh rice noodle sheets

and dried turnips are available

from Asian grocers. If rice

noodle sheets are unavailable,

use refrigerated pre-packed

noodles brought to room

temperature; they’re brittle

when cold. As an alternative

to blending dried chillies, use

shop-bought sambal oelek.

Drink suggestionCold bottle

of Tiger lager. ➤