At the recently concluded Singapore Food Festival, Executive Chef Haikal Johari of the Michelin Star diner Alma by Juan Amador exhibited his culinary flair at one of the virtual masterclasses.
Johari who has worked at some of the finest restaurants in Asia, including the highly-acclaimed Water Library restaurants in Bangkok, shares two popular recipes from the region – Kue Pie Tee, a traditional savoury pastry native to Malaysia and Turnip Cake, a Chinese dim sum.
Kueh Pie Tee with Singapore Black Pepper Chicken Sauce
Serving Portion: Approx. 10 Shells
For the Chicken
300g Minced Chicken
3 Tbsp Chopped Shallot 1 Tbsp Chopped Garlic
1 Tbsp Chopped Curry Leaves 2 Tbsp Thai Shrimp Paste
2 Tbsp Thai Oyster Sauce 1 Tsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Shao Xing Wine
3 Tbsp Crushed Black Peppercorn
¼ Tsp Salt
¼ Tsp Sugar 150ml of water
Tamarind Sauce
100g Tamarind Paste 250ml Warm Water 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
½ Tsp Salt
Others
Coral Lettuce
Quail Egg
Coriander Leaf 3tbsp
Canola Oil
Method:
Step 1: Heat 3 tbsp of canola oil in a non-stick pan, add the minced chicken. Stir-fry for about five minutes until the chicken is 70 percent cooked. Turn off the heat and set it aside.
Step 2: Take another small saucepan and heat it. Take 2 tbsp of canola oil and 1 tbsp of butter in the pan. Let the butter melt until it bubbles up. Put in the curry leaves and fry till fragrant.
Step 3: Saute the shallots till lightly brown. Add garlic and crushed black peppercorn and cook for 3 minutes on low heat. Then add the Thai Oyster Sauce and Thai Shrimp Past. Mix, for a minute before adding the cooked minced chicken.
Step 4: Add in Shao Xing Wine, Dark Soy Sauce, salt, sugar, and 150ml of water. Cook for another three minutes on low heat before turning it off. Note: Do not let the liquid dry up.
Step 5: For the tamarind sauce, mix all the ingredients and bring to a boil until the sugar melts. Pour in a small bowl and let it cool down.
Step 6: Wash the coral lettuce and cut into small pieces.
Step 7: Fry the Quail Egg (sunny side up).
To serve, take the Kueh Pie Tee Shells and place the coral lettuce, followed by a spoonful of the minced Black Pepper Chicken and add Tamarind Sauce. Place the Quail Egg on top and garnish each cup with coriander leaves.
Turnip Cake
Serving portion: 5
4 Tbsp Chopped Onion
1 Tbsp Chopped Garlic
200g Radish or Carrot (Cut into fine strips
Soak in warm water for at least 20 minutes:
2 Tbsp Chopped Dry Shitake 3 Tbsp Chopped Dry Scallop
1 Tbsp Chopped Dried Shrimp
Others
1 Tbsp Canola Oil
Mixture
200ml water
100g Rice Flour
50g Tapioca Flour
1Tsp Salt
¼ Tsp White Pepper Powder
2 Tbsp Chopped Spring Onion / Scallions
Sambal Mayonnaise
2tbsp Mae Pranom Chilli Paste
10ml Calamansi Juice or 1 lime
4tbsp Kewpie Mayonnaise
Method
Step 1: Heat the non-stick pan to medium heat, add 3 tbsp of canola oil. Sauté onions till lightly brown. Add in the chopped garlic, shitake, dried scallop, and dried shrimps. Sauté for 5 minutes on low heat until fragrant.
Step 2: Cook the radish in another cooking pan on medium heat for 10 minutes, until soft. Don't add any oil or water. Add the mixture of dried shrimps and cook for another five minutes. Take off the flame and let it cool in another bowl.
Step 3: Mix the salt, white pepper, rice, and tapioca flour. Slowly whisk in the 200ml water bit by bit until it thickens. Put the mixture in another saucepan and slowly whisk the mixture again on low heat until it forms a medium-thick slurry. Add the cooked prawns and spring onions into the slurry. Ensure all ingredients are mixed well.
Step 4: Line a 14 x 21 cm (depth: 3cm) tray with a cling wrap over it. Pour the final mixture and spread it on the tray. Wrap another cling wrap over the mixture and steam them for 1 hour. After steaming, let it cool down until it is at room temperature. Thereafter, put it in the chiller overnight.
Step 5: Take out the turnip cake mixture and cut them up to approx. 1.5 x 5cm each. Coat them with rice flour and deep-fry at 175 degrees Celsius oil until golden brown.
Step 6: For Sambal Mayonnaise, mix all the ingredients.
Pour the mayonnaise in a saucer and serve it together with the crispy turnip cake.