Vegan "Fish Head" Noodle

Fish Head Noodle (Bee Hoon) recipe usually call for milk, for this vegan version, unsweetened soy milk is used as a substitute. Unlike using milk, this can be added generously, the amount of soy milk need to be control in order not to be too overpowering. Serve this soup with rice instead of noodle, if desired. And do not forget to have a plate of freshly sliced red chilli padi with light soy sauce.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 25 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 1 carrot, peeled and cut into small chunks
° 9 dried kelps in knot
° 4 seedless red dates (optional)
° 2-6 slices fresh ginger
° 750ml water
° 1 vegetarian fish slice, cut into 4 section and deep-fried
° 75g yam, sliced and deep-fried
° 150g silken tofu, cut into 6 sections
° 2 tomatoes, cut into 4 wedges
° 60ml unsweetened soy milk
° 20g dried seaweed
° salt to taste
° ½ teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
° 200g thick rice vermicelli
° small handful freshly chopped coriander leaves, for garnish

Method
1. Place the dried kelp, carrot, red date, ginger and water in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove all the ingredients with a slotted spoon and discard, if desired.
2. Add in the tomato, tofu, yam, vegetarian fish and bring to a boil. Season to taste with salt. Stir in the soy milk, sesame oil and off the heat.
3. To serve, divide seaweed and rice vermicelli between serving bowls. Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Vegetarian Bak Kut Teh Noodle (Tofu Puff & Mushroom Version)

Home cooking does not require all that much effort and require little culinary skill to cook. With the instant bak kut teh sachet, with some fresh ingredients plus a fairly short time, you can enjoy a bowl of piping hot bak kut teh noodle soup. For a more robust flavour either simmer longer or let it stands for half to one hour and heat up again. Carrot is used to lend its sweetness to the soup, alternatively, used sugar cane. Garlic can be omitted, if desired. This soup goes well with plain rice too. Just serve with a plate of freshly red chilli slices and light/dark soy sauce.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 1 sachet A1 vegetarian bak kut teh
° 1 carrot, peeled and cut into small chunks
° 3-5 cloves garlic
° 1-1.25 litres water
° 8-9 fresh shiitake mushrooms
° 6 big beancurd puffs, washed or blanched
° 6 button mushrooms (can mushrooms)
° 50g Chinese lettuce
° salt, pepper, light soy sauce, to taste
° 300g hokkien mee, blanched
° a small handful fresh chopped spring onion or coriander leaves (optional), for garnish

Method
1. Place the vegetarian bak kut teh sachet, carrot, garlic and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Add the mushrooms, beancurd puff and simmer 10-15 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper and light soy sauce.
2. To serve, divide lettuce, hokkien mee between serving bowls. Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls and serve hot.

Wonton in Soup

For a healthier version, wonton in soup is better than deep-fried wonton. Here is a simple recipe for the wonton in soup! As for the making of wonton, it is the same as wonton for deep-fried, just ensure that the filling is less moist by adding a bit more flour, if there is a need.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 25 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 2 litres water
° 1 carrot, peeled and cut into small chunk
° 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunk size
° 25g Chinese dried mushrooms
° ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
° 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, or to taste
° ½ teaspoon sesame oil
° pepper, to taste
° finely shredded spring onion or coriander leaves, for garnish
° 20 wontons
° 1 fresh red chilli or chilli padi, sliced

Method
1. To make the stock: place the carrot, potatoes, mushrooms and 1 litre of water in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Strain the stock.
2. Bring another 1 litre of water in another pot to boil. Add in half of the wontons and return to boil. Remove wonton with a slotted spoon as soon as they float to the surface and transfer to the stock pot. Repeat with the remaining wontons.
3. Season to taste with salt, light soy sauce and reheat until it about to boil. Add in the sesame oil, pepper and spring onion or coriander leaves.
4. Ladle the soup and wontons into individual serving bowls and serve with a small plate of sliced red chilli with light soy sauce.

Udon Noodle Soup

This udon noodle soup usually uses dashi broth (consist of konbu - kelps and katsuobushi - dried bonito flakes) and topped with tempura fritter. In here, this recipe utilizes the kelps and mushrooms to make the dashi soup base. Just add some vegetables tempura or agedashi tofu, if desired.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 8 dried kelps in knot
° 4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced or halved
° 2 thin slices ginger
° 750ml water, for soup base
° 1 teaspoon sugar
° ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
° 30ml shoyu (Japanese soy sauce) or light soy sauce, or to taste
° 30ml mirin or 10ml cooking rice wine
° 750ml water, for cooking udon
° 2 packs (400g) udon noodle
° finely shredded spring onion, for garnish
° shichimi togarashi (optional), to serve

Method
1. Place the dried kelps, mushroom, ginger and water in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add in sugar, salt, shoyu, and mirin and simmer for 1 minute.
2. Meanwhile, place the udon in a pot or wok of lightly salted boiling water and cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain the noodle thoroughly and divide among 2 individual serving bowls. Garnish with spring onion.
3. Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls, sprinkle with spring onion, shichimi togarashi and serve immediately.

Tip
1. Substitute shichimi togarashi(seven-spice mix) with chilli powder and a few lightly toasted black and white sesame seeds, if desired.

Simple Vegetable Fried Rice Vermicelli

A simple and easy fried “white” rice vermicelli with lots of vegetables added and yet not too overwhelming. The amount of oil used is minimal, there is a need to add 1-2 tablespoons of water for easy tossing if the rice vermicelli is too dry. Serve with pickled green chilli or fresh sliced chilli.

Preparation: 8 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 300g cooked rice vermicelli
° 150g-175g beijing cabbage, shredded
° 20g carrot, peeled and shredded
° 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
° 5-10g dried shredded black fungus (wood ear), soaked
° 1 slice ginger or 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
° 1 – l ½ tablespoons olive oil
° ¼ teaspoon salt
° pepper, to taste
° 3-4 tablespoons light soy sauce, or to taste
° ½ teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

Method
1. Heat oil in a wok, fry the ginger or garlic for half a minute or until fragrant.
2. Add the carrot, mushrooms, black fungus, cabbage and stir fry over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Throw in the rice vermicelli, add the light soy sauce, sesame oil and toss gently to mix over low heat. Sprinkle some water for easier tossing, if needed.
4. Dish up and serve immediately.

Simple Vegetable Fried Noodle

A simple fried noodle dish using just French beans, mushroom and carrot! It looks colourful and sprinkle some roasted black and white sesame seeds on it if desired.

Preparation: 8 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 200g hokkien mee, blanched and drained well
° 100g French beans, trimmed and cut into 5cm section
° 25g carrot, peeled and shredded
° 2 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
° 1 slice ginger (optional), finely chopped
° salt, to taste
° 1 tablespoon olive oil
° 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, or to taste

Method
1. Heat oil in a wok or pot, fry the ginger for half a minute or until fragrant.
2. Add the French beans, carrot, mushrooms and stir fry over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Season with salt.
3. Throw in the noodle, add the light soy sauce and toss gently to mix over low heat. Sprinkle some water for easier tossing, if needed.

4. Dish up and serve immediately.

Spicy Tom Yum Fried Glass Noodle

Tom Yum Fried Glass Noodle, anybody? If you like spicy food with a little sour, this is a yummy dish that suits your palate. Rice Vermicelli or Beehoon can be used instead, if desired.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 6 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 100g bean vermicelli, boiled and drained
° 1 stalk lemongrass, peel off outer layers leaving tender whitish centre, cut out 5cm, bruised
° 4-6 kaffir lime leaves
° 100g king oyster mushrooms, sliced
° 6 straw mushrooms or button mushroom, sliced
° 1½- 2 tablespoons olive oil
° 1 thin slice ginger, finely chopped
° 2 tablespoons vegetarian tom yum paste
° 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, or to taste
° 1 tablespoon (2 limes) freshly squeezed kalamansi lime juice (optional)
° ½ fresh red chilli (optional) , finely shredded
° a small handful fresh coriander leaves (optional), for garnish

Method
1. Heat the oil in a wok. Add the ginger and lemongrass fry till fragrant. Stir in the tom yum paste and fry for less than ½ minute.
2. Add the lime leaves, mushrooms, bean vermicelli and fry for 1-2 minutes
3. Season with light soy sauce, lime juice and toss well. Sprinkle some water if it is too dry.
4. Mix in the chilli, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Quick Noodle Soup

This is a quick and simple noodle soup. You may use corn on the cob, carrot, potatoes or cabbage to make the stock. Corn on the cob can be reserved for a snack and the potatoes can be used to make potatoes salad. As for the noodle, you can opt to have bean vermicelli (glass noodle), rice vermicelli (beehoon), rice noodle (kway teow), mee thye mak or even udon.

For a much more simplified version, use just ginger, vegetarian fishballs and ginger for the soup base. It tastes good too, as the preserved salted vegetable and light soy sauce will impart some flavour to the soup.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 200g hokkien mee, blanched

° 100g beanspouts, tailed and blanched

° 1 tablespoon preserved salted vegetable (Tong Chai)

° few chinese lettuce leaves (optional)

° finely shredded spring onion or coriander leaves, for garnish

° 1 fresh red chilli or chilli padi, sliced

Soup Base

° 1 litre water
° 4 vegetarian fishballs
° 1 thin slice ginger

° 1 carrot, peeled and cut into small chunk

° 1 potato, peeled and cut into small chunk size

° 1 corn on the cob, halved
° salt, to taste
° light soy sauce, to taste

° pepper, to taste

Method
1. To make the quick stock: place the carrot, corn, potato, ginger, vegetarian fishballs and water in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Removed the carrot, corn, potato and ginger. Alternatively for a even simplified soup, just place water, ginger and vegetarian fishballs in a pot and bring to a boil. Season to taste with salt, light soy sauce and pepper.

2. Divide the noodles, beanspouts, preserved salted vegetable, lettuce leaves among 2 individual serving bowls. Garnish with spring onion or coriander leaves.
3. Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls and serve with a small plate of sliced red chilli with light soy sauce.

Dried Mee Siam

This is a slight modification of the mee siam with gravy to form this dried mee siam. I tried to keep the amount of oil used to the minimum, therefore, there is a need to sprinkle water on the noodle for easy mixing.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 8 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 100g rice vermicelli, cooked according to packet’s instruction
° 100g beanspouts, tailed
° 2 tablespoons carotino oil or vegetable oil
° 1 tablespoon fine salted soy bean paste
° 1 tablespoon assam/tamarind paste, knead with 3 tablespoons hot water and strained
° 2-3 beancurd puffs (optional), toasted and diced
° sugar, to taste
° salt, to taste
° 2 kalamansi limes

Spice Paste
° 10 dried chilli, soaked and chopped
° 1 fresh red chilli (optional), seeded and chopped
° 2 lemongrass, peel off outer layers leaving tender whitish centre, cut out 5cm, chopped
° 3 slices ginger, chopped
° 2 teaspoons vegetarian belacan powder
° 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
° ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

Method
1. Grind spice paste ingredients until fine and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok or pot, fry the spice paste for half a minute or until fragrant. Stir in the salted soy bean paste and tamarind juice.
3. Add the beansprouts and stir fry over medium heat for 1 minute. Throw in the rice vermicelli, beancurd puffs and mix well. Add in water if need for easier tossing. Season to taste with salt and sugar.
4. Dish up, garnish with lime and serve immediately.

Indian Mee Goreng

Indian Mee Goreng is the result of intermingling of food culture, using Chinese yellow noodles, Indians spices and western ingredients like tomatoes sauce and potatoes. In this recipe, I had left out the potatoes, you can add in prior to stir frying tomatoes, if desired. Alternatively, you might add green peas to make it more vibrant.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 200g hokkien mee, blanched
° 100g beanspouts, tailed
° 1 onion (optional), sliced
° 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
° 1½ -2 tablespoons olive oil
° 1 tablespoon chilli powder
° ½ teaspoon curry powder
° 1½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
° 1½ -2 tablespoons tomatoes sauce
° 4 tablespoons water
° salt, to taste
° 1 fresh red or green chilli, sliced for garnish

Method
1. Mix the chilli powder and curry powder with a tad of water to form a paste.
2. Heat oil in a wok or pot, fry the onion for half a minute or until fragrant. Stir in the chilli paste and keep stirring over low heat to prevent burning.
3. Add the tomato, beansprouts and stir fry over medium heat for 1 minute. Season with salt.
4. Throw in the noodle, add the dark soy sauce, tomatoes sauce and mix well. Add in water if need for easier tossing.
5. Dish up, garnish with green chilli and serve immediately.

Vegetarian Mee Rebus

Mee Rebus is Malay dish which use Chinese yellow noodle with spicy sweet potato gravy. For this simplified version, I have omitted hardboiled eggs which are commonly serve with mee rebus. You can make this dish interesting by adding some red and green chilli. Mix some potatoes with the sweet potatoes to make the gravy, if desired.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 300g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
° 750ml water
° 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

° 2 teaspoons fine salted soy bean paste
° 200g hokkien mee, blanched
° 40g beanspouts, tailed and blanched
° 1 firm tofu/beancurd, deep-fried and diced
° 2 kalamansi limes
° 1 fresh green chilli, sliced
° 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce (optional)

Spice Paste
° 4 dried chilli, finely chopped
° 2 slices ginger or galangal, finely chopped
° 1 teaspoon curry powder
° ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
° 1½ -2 teaspoons vegetarian belacan
° 1 teaspoon sugar

Method
1. Place the sweet potatoes and water in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender. Remove the sweet potatoes, mashed and set aside. Reserve stock.
2. Mix all the spice paste ingredient in a bowl and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a wok or pot, fry the spice paste for half a minute or until fragrant. Stir in the 500ml of stock, mashed potatoes and salted soy bean paste. Season with salt, bring to a boil and simmer till the gravy thickens
4. To serve, divide beansprouts, hokkien mee, beancurd between serving bowls. Ladle the gravy into individual serving bowls. Garnish with green chilli, lime and drizzle some dark soy sauce. Serve hot.

Vegetarian “Prawn” Noodle

Prawn Noodle is one of the popular local foods in Singapore. To create a vegetarian version of it, is very challenging, as one of the main ingredient of the stock made used of prawn shell that gives it a very unique flavour. However, to close the gap a bit, vegetarian prawn paste or belacan can be added. To serve, top with streamed king oyster mushroom slices or add a few vegetarian fishballs, mock lards crisps, crispy shallot. Don’t forget – a small plate of fresh red chilli with light soy sauce.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 800ml water
° 1 slice ginger
° 1 ear corn, cut into 4 pieces
° 1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1cm thickness
° 6 dried kelps in knot
° ½ teaspoon sugar
° 1- 1½ tablespoons light soy sauce
° 1 teaspoon vegetarian belacan
° ¼ - ½ teaspoon chilli powder
° pepper, to taste
° salt (optional), to taste
° 1 teaspoon salt
° 200g hokkien mee, blanched
° 40g water convolvulus/kangkong, blanched
° 40g beanspouts, tailed and blanched

Method
1. Place the carrot, kelps, corn, ginger and water in a pot. Bring soup to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes to make the stock. Remove the ingredients with a slotted spoon and discard.
2. Season with sugar, light soy sauce, vegetarian belacan, chilli powder, pepper and salt.
3. To serve, divide beansprouts, water convolvulus, hokkien mee between serving bowls. Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls and serve hot.

Curry Potatoes Noodle

Before I converted to a vegetarian, my mother used to cook curry chicken with potatoes and serve with noodle instead of rice. I like the curry gravy, the noodle and the potatoes. To satisfy my craving for my mom’s cooking, I recreated this dish – the vegetarian version. In fact, it tastes equally good without any meat or mock meat.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 25 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 150g-200g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
° 50g vegetarian meat or vegetarian stewed muttons
° 50g carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
° 15 curry leaves
° 2 tablespoons curry powder (meat blend)
° 1 teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
° ½ cinnamon stick
° 2 lemongrass, peel off outer layers leaving tender whitish centre, cut out 7.5cm, bruised
° 150ml coconut milk
° 500ml water
° 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
° 1 teaspoon salt
° 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
° 200g hokkien mee, blanched
° 40g beanspouts, tailed and blanched

Method
1. Mix the curry powder and chilli powder with a tad of water to form curry paste.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan, fry the curry leaves for half a minute. Stir in the curry paste and fry until fragrant.
3. Stir in potatoes, carrot, vegetarian meat, water, cinnamon stick, lemongrass and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add in the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Season with salt and sugar.
4. To serve, divide beansprouts, hokkien mee between serving bowls. Ladle the curry into individual serving bowls and serve hot.

Tip
1. To thicken the curry gravy, mashed one or two pieces of cooked potatoes and mixed well with the gravy. Alternatively, thicken with cornsflour mixture.

Hokkien Mee with Tomato and Chilli Sauce

Anyone can whip this up easily without any problem at all. Basically, just blanching hokkien mee in boiling water for a minute, mixed with sauce and oil. It is simple yet delicious and goes well with a bowl of simple hot soup, which can be tofu and seaweed soup or any soup that you like.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 200g hokkien mee, blanched
° 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
° 1 tablespoon chilli sauce
° 1 tablespoon olive oil
° a small handful fresh spring onion or fresh coriander leaves, for garnish

Method
1. Mix hokkien mee with tomato sauce, chilli sauce, olive oil and spring onion or coriander leaves. Toss evenly. To serve, divide hokkien mee between serving bowls and serves hot.

Dried Wonton Noodle (Penang-Style)

Dried Wonton Noodle (Penang-Style)

Dried "Mee Bok" Flat Noodle (Penang-Style)

Dried wonton noodle tossed with a simple homemade sauce. Top with some blanched vegetables and crispy fried wonton or Wonton in Soup and serve with a small bowl of wonton soup and pickled green chilli.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 8 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 2 pieces (150g) fresh wonton mee
° 1.25 litres water
° 1 tablespoon olive oil
° 1 teaspoon vegetarian oyster sauce
° 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
° 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
° ½ teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
° 100g Chinese flowering mustard (chai sim), cut into 5cm length

Method
1. Place the Chinese flowering mustard in a pot or wok of boiling water and blanched for 1 minute. Set aside.
2. Loosen and rub the noodle lightly with your hand to remove any excess flour coating.
3. Place the noodle (one at a time) in the boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes. Drain the noodle thoroughly and place in a serving bowl. Add oil, salt, vegetarian oyster sauce, dark and light soy sauce. Toss well to mix.
4. Transfer to individual serving dish, top with Chinese flowering mustard, crispy fried wontons.

Tip
1. Only olive oil can be consumed as it is. To make ginger oil or garlic oil, heat the ginger slice or chopped garlic in vegetable oil until light brown.
2. Alternatively, cook the noodle following the packet instructions. Discard the water for cooking noodle if it turned “cloudy and starchy”, it will affect the texture of the cooked noodles.

Stir-Fried Mushroom Noodle

This is a simple and inexpensive, fairly quick and easy to prepare dish, but looks and tastes very impressive. Serve with pickled green chilli.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 150g canton Yee mee(noodle)
° 50g carrot, peeled and shredded
° 50g cardoncello mushrooms/king oyster mushroom, finely shredded
° 4 chinese dried mushrooms or shiitake mushroom, soaked and shredded
° 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
° 2-3 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce
° 300-350ml water
° 15 mangetouts/snow peas (optional), trimmed
° ½ teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

Method
1. Blanch the mangetouts in a pot of boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan. Add the ginger and fry till golden brown.
3. Add the carrot, mushrooms and stir-fry briskly for a moment. Add the water, vegetarian oyster sauce and yee mee, continue to cook, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the yee mee is tender.
4. Add the mangetouts, sesame oil and toss to mix. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.

Vegetarian Laksa (without shallot)

Laksa is spicy noodle soup which is very popular in Singapore and Malaysia. Shrimp paste, dried shrimps and cockles are the important ingredients used in cooking laksa. This vegetarian recipe takes away the shrimps and uses straw mushrooms to substitute the cockles.

Preparation: 30 mins Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 200g rice vermicelli or hokkien mee, blanched
° 80g beansprout, tailed and blanched
° 2 pieces tofu puff (big), sliced
° 300ml fresh coconut milk
° 4 vegetarian fishballs (optional)
° 500ml water
° 40g laksa leaves (with stalk)
° 10 straw mushrooms, halve
° a small handful finely shredded laksa leaves
° salt and sugar, to taste

Laksa Paste (makes 75g)
° 6 dried chilli, chopped
° 3 stalk lemon grass, peel off outer layers, cut out 7.5cm, chopped
° 25-30g galangal, chopped
° ¾ thumb-sized fresh turmeric, chopped
° 2-3 candle nuts, chopped
° 1½ teaspoons vegetarian belacan
° 5-6 tablespoons vegetable oil, for frying
° ½ teaspoon salt
° 1 teaspoon sugar

Method
1. Grind laksa paste ingredients until fine and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan. Add the laksa paste and fry for 10 minutes or until thickened and fragrant. Set aside.
3. Place the laksa leaves and water in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove all the laksa leaves with a slotted spoon and discard. Stir in the laksa paste, coconut milk, tofu puffs, vegetarian fishballs and bring to a boil. Season with salt and sugar to taste.
4. To serve, divide beansprouts, rice vermicelli/hokkien mee and straw mushrooms between serving bowls. Ladle the laksa soup into individual serving bowls and sprinkle some shredded laksa leaves.

Tip
1. To make vegetarian cockles, place 10 straw mushrooms (halve or sliced) in a pot. Stir in 3½ tablespoons light soy sauces, 4 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer until sauces thicken. Unsweetened soy milk can be used to replace coconut milk, if desired.

Vegetarian Laksa

Laksa is spicy noodle soup which is very popular in Singapore and Malaysia. Shrimp paste, dried shrimps and cockles are the important ingredients used in cooking laksa. This vegetarian recipe takes away the shrimps and uses straw mushrooms to substitute the cockles.

Preparation: 30 mins Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients (serves 3)
° 300g rice vermicelli or hokkien mee, blanched
° 120g beansprout, tailed and blanched
° 3 pieces tofu puff (big), sliced
° 450ml-500ml fresh coconut milk
° 6 vegetarian fishballs (optional)
° 750ml water
° 60g laksa leaves (with stalk)
° 15 straw mushrooms, halve
° a small handful finely shredded laksa leaves
° salt and sugar, to taste

Laksa Paste (makes 125g)
° 75g onions or shallots, chopped
° 6 dried chilli, chopped
° 1 stalk lemon grass, peel off outer layers, cut out 7.5cm, chopped
° 1 thick slice galangal, chopped
° ½ thumb-sized fresh turmeric, chopped
° 1 candle nut, chopped
° 1 teaspoon vegetarian belacan
° 5-6 tablespoons vegetable oil, for frying
° ½ teaspoon salt
° 1-2 teaspoons sugar

Method
1. Grind laksa paste ingredients until fine and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan. Add the laksa paste and fry for 10 minutes or until thickened and fragrant. Set aside.
3. Place the laksa leaves and water in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove all the laksa leaves with a slotted spoon and discard. Stir in the laksa paste, coconut milk, tofu puffs, vegetarian fishballs and bring to a boil. Season with salt and sugar to taste.
4. To serve, divide beansprouts, rice vermicelli/hokkien mee and straw mushrooms between serving bowls. Ladle the laksa soup into individual serving bowls and sprinkle some shredded laksa leaves.

Tip
1. To make vegetarian cockles, place 15 straw mushrooms (halve or sliced) in a pot. Stir in 5 tablespoons light soy sauces, 6 tablespoons water, 2-3 tablespoons sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer until sauces thicken.
2. Unsweetened soy milk can be used to replace coconut milk, if desired.

Vegetarian Assam Laksa (Hot and Sour Noodle Soup)

Assam Laksa is a uniquely Malaysian dish and an all time street food. This sour fish-based soup used tarmarind to give its sour flavor. There are many different variants of assam laksa, this recipe omits the mackerel and is not as red as the normal Assam Laksa.

Preparation: 10 mins Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients (serves 4)
° 10-12 dried kelps in knot
° 3-4 stalks fresh lemon grass
° 40g laksa leaves
° 4 slices fresh ginger
° 3-4 tablespoons assam paste
° 12 shallots or 3 onions, peeled and halve
° 1.25 litres water
° 4 fresh chilli, seeded and halve
° 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
° sugar and seasoning, to taste
° ½ cucumber, finely shredded
° 80g beanspouts, tailed and blanched
° 40g pineapple (optional), diced
° 4 kalamansi limes (optional)
° 400g rice vermicelli, soaked in warm water for 10-15 minutes

Method
1. Peel off the outer layers of the lemon grass stalks, leaving the tender whitish centre. Cut into 5cm pieces and bruised.
2. Place the dried kelps, lemon grass, ginger, assam paste, laksa leaves, shallots or onions and water in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove all the ingredients with a slotted spoon and discard. Add chillies, light soy sauce, salt, sugar and seasoning.
3. To serve, divide beansprouts, shredded cucumbers, pineapple and rice vermicelli between serving bowls. Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls and serve with lime on the side.

Dried Wonton Mee

Dried Wonton Mee

Dried Mee Bok (Flat Noodle)

Plain wonton noodle are tossed with oil and soy sauce for an economical meal. Quick to prepare and is ready in a moment.

Preparation: 10 mins Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 1)
° 1 piece wonton mee
° 750ml water
° ½ -1 tablespoon olive oil
° ½ teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
° salt and light soy sauce to taste
° fresh coriander leaves or spring onion, chopped

Method
1. Loosen and rub the noodle lightly with your hand to remove any excess flour coating.
2. Place the noodle in a pot or wok of boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes. Drain the noodle thoroughly and place in a serving bowl. Alternatively, cook the noodle following the packet instructions.
3. Add oil, salt, light soy sauce, coriander leaves or spring onion to the noodles. Toss well to mix and serve immediately.

Tip
1. Only olive oil can be consumed as it is. To make ginger oil or garlic oil, heat the ginger slice or chopped garlic in vegetable oil until light brown.
2. Blanched vegetables can be added, if desired.