Dee'lish Trip

10 dried red chillies
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 cup dessicated coconut
500g pumpkin, cut in 3cm cubes
200g wintermelon, cut in 2cm cubes
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbls tamarind, soaked in a little water
2 tbls coconut oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1 stalk of curry leaves

Dry roast chillies until aromatic then soak in water to just cover until soft.
Dry roast fenugreek seeds. Dry roast coconut until golden brown.
Cool and combine coconut, fenugreek and drained chillies –
grind to a course paste with some chilli water – set aside.
Remove pulp from tamarind water.
Place pumpkin and wintermelon in a saucepan with turmeric,
tamarind water, salt and 1.5 cups water – simmer 15 to 20 minutes until tender.
Add coconut paste, mix well then remove from heat.
For tempering heat coconut oil and sizzle mustard and cumin seeds, add
asafoetida and curry leaves – when they start spluttering add to curry and mix well.

Inspired by random curry house, Kottayam – Kerala

2 shallots
3 red bird’s eye chillies
1 cm fresh galangal
1/4 tsp trasi powder
2 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
1 tsp palm sugar
100g grated coconut
1 tbls coconut oil
80g kangkung leaves
2 snake beans, slivered
80g beansprouts
80g cabbage, shredded

Puree together shallots, chillies, galangal,
trasi, lime leaves and palm sugar.
Dry fry coconut until browned, add coconut oil
and pureed paste – saute 15 minutes.
Blanch vegetables individually, refresh in cold water
then mix with sauteed coconut.

Inspired by breakfast stall in alleyway, Pasar Satrya – Denpasar

400ml thick coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla paste

Refrigerate coconut milk overnight.
Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
Churn in ice cream maker 30 minutes. Freeze.
Serve with sticky rice soaked in sweet coconut milk,
peanuts, basil seeds, etc…

Inspired by Natthaporn Coconut Ice Cream shop,
Rattanakosin – Bangkok

1 stalk lemongrass
1 shallot, halved and sliced
2 birds eye red chillies, finely sliced
1 kaffir lime leaf, finely shredded
pinch trasi powder
1 tbls lime juice
dash coconut oil

Bruise and finely slice lemongrass.
Combine all ingredients with a generous pinch of salt.
Serve with barbecued fish and ‘sambal tomat‘, or
with nasi campur.

Inspired by Warung Mina, Renon – Denpasar

2 cloves garlic, crushed
2cm ginger, shredded
3-4 shallots, thickly sliced
1 cup pineapple chunks
1 small cucumber, cut in chunks
4 small green chillies, sliced
1 tomato, cut in wedges
1 tbls sugar
1 tbls rice vinegar
1 tbls soy sauce

Heat 1 tbls oil and sizzle garlic.
Add all remaining ingredients with 1 tbls water
and fry until tomato starts to soften.

Inspired by buffet lunch at Nasi Kandar Era – Lumut

200g squid, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 eggs
4 shallots, sliced thickly
4 birds eye green chillies, bruised
1 tbls ginger, shredded
2 tbls carrot, shredded
2 tbls snake bean, sliced
2 tsp dried chilli flakes
1/2 tsp belacan powder
1 tbls oyster sauce
1 tbls soy sauce
2 cups cold, cooked rice
2 tbls coriander leaves
cucumber slices

Heat 2 tbls oil and saute squid and garlic
until just opaque – remove from pan.
Reheat oil and add eggs – move gently in pan until almost set.
Add shallots and green chillies – stir.
Add ginger, carrot, snake bean and chilli flakes – stir.
Add belacan, sauces, then rice – stir. Add squid and stir until rice is hot.
Remove from heat and stir through coriander. Serve garnished with cucumber.

Recipe from Makcik Chah, Teluk Nipah – Pangkor

2 cloves garlic, crushed
50g chicken, diced
1/8 tsp belacan powder
1 onion, sliced
180g cabbage, sliced
50g carrot, shredded
2 red bird’s eye chillies, sliced
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tbls soy sauce

Heat 2 tbls oil and saute garlic, chicken
and belacan until coloured.
Add onion, cabbage, carrot and chillies
– fry until coloured.
Add sugar and soy sauce – stir 2 to 3 minutes.

Inspired by Kedai Makan Liasari, Teluk Nipah – Pangkor.

2 bananas, mashed
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tbls sugar
2 heaped tbls grated coconut
(NOT dessicated coconut)
pinch salt
1/2 tbls sugar (extra)
2 pieces banana leaf 30cm x 30cm

Combine banana, flour and sugar –
smear onto banana leaves.
Combine coconut, salt and sugar –
place onto batter and fold carefully to enclose.
Seal edges of leaves and barbecue 5 minutes each side.

Recipe from seaside street vendor, Teluk Nipah – Pangkor.

2 chicken thighs, skinned
2 chicken drumsticks, skinned
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 dried red chillies, soaked in water
2 cm ginger
2 cloves garlic
1 onion
1 tomato
1 tbls tomato paste
1 red onion – 1/2 in rings
– 1/2 sliced
1 stalk curry leaves
1 tbls palm sugar
1 tbls oyster sauce
1 tsp tamarind, soaked in water

Coat chicken in turmeric and salt, then fry until
golden and almost cooked – set aside.
Puree together drained chillies, ginger, garlic and onion – set aside ‘puree 1’.
Puree together tomato, tomato paste and 1/2 cup chilli soaking water – set aside ‘puree 2’.
Heat 3 tbls oil and fry sliced red onion until fragrant, add curry leaves – sizzle.
Add ‘puree 1’ and saute until fragrant.
Add ‘puree 2’, tamarind, palm sugar, oyster sauce and chicken – simmer 20 minutes, covered, until cooked.
Add onion rings – cook 1 or 2 minutes.

Inspired by Kedai Makan Liasari, Teluk Nipah – Pulau Pangkor

150g pork mince
1 tsp cornflour
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 tbls pounded ginger
4 cloves garlic, pounded
3 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked
1 tsp sugar
2 tbls yellow bean paste
1 tbls dark soy sauce
450g fresh wheat noodles
1 carrot, julienned
300g cabbage, chunky cut
2 spring onions, sliced

Combine pork, cornflour and white pepper.
Heat 2 tbls oil and fry pork 1 minute until browned.
Add ginger, garlic and sliced mushrooms – stir 2 minutes.
Add bean paste, sugar, dark soy sauce and 1/2 cup of the
mushroom stock – simmer 5 minutes.
Add carrot and cabbage – stir.
Add noodles and spring onion – stir until hot and well combined.

Inspired by random noodle vendor – Beijing.