If you’ve ever visited an Asian bakery, you’d have noticed that the tables are predominantly covered with bread-y pastries.
Some are savory and others sweet. Most of the fillings are very common to Asians, like red bean paste, lotus paste, and custard for sweet buns or charsiew, curry chicken, pork/meat floss, and sausage for savory buns. I especially enjoy things that have red bean filling in it.
Have a cough? How about a fever? Sore throat? No problem – drink some barley tea!
When fresh fish and Southeast Asian spices meet, the results are outstanding!
When I first visited Malaysia, one of the many dishes that stuck out in my mind was Ikan Bakar – a fresh skate wing that was marinated in a spice paste, wrapped in a banana leaf and grilled. The sweet and spicy chili paste, coupled with the smokiness of the singed banana leaf, permeated the tender flesh of the skate. Everytime we go back, I look forward to having this dish.
Here in the Bay Area, we were introduced to Bay Leaf Indonesian Restaurant in Sunnyvale. They have a dish similar to the grilled skate wing called ikan pepes. Ikan simply means “fish”. Pepes is the type of cooking process used: wrap in banana leaf, steam until cooked through, then finish off on the grill. Ever since having ikan pepes at Bay Leaf, I’ve been meaning to do this dish at home.
Continue reading Ikan Pepes – Indonesian Spiced Fish
I heart Pie Tee!
No, this has nothing to do with tea, which is something else I heart a lot! Kuih Pie Tee or “Top Hats” (because the shape is sometimes like a top hat) is an appetizer that is popular in Malaysia. It is a wonderful treat–crisp shell, sweet and slightly crunchy vegetal flavors of jicama, carrots, and green beans, and meatiness from pork and shrimp.
Continue reading How do You Top Mum’s Popiah? With Kuih Pie Tee