This is a great recipe from my friend Norman Musa's new book, Bowlful, which is available on Amazon.
My sister Melissa, who lives in The Hague, loves to cook this dish with prawns for family gatherings. Usually, it is served during Eid celebrations in Malaysia. There are plenty of condiments to go with the dish, and my simple vegetarian version uses tempeh, tofu, vegetables, boiled eggs, and glass noodles.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium carrot, cut into 4cm wedges
100g fine beans, cut into 4cm pieces
300ml coconut milk
200g firm tofu, cut into 3cm cubes
200g protempeh, cut into 3cm cubes
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp palm sugar
100g glass noodles, soaked in lukewarm water for 15 minutes
4 eggs, boiled for 8 minutes and halved
2 tbsp shop-bought chilli oil
1 tbsp shop-bought crispy fried shallots
8 sprigs fresh coriander, leaves picked
For the paste
1 banana shallot
3 garlic cloves
2 stalks lemongrass
5cm galangal
5cm fresh turmeric or 1 tsp ground turmeric
Method
Prepare the paste: Blitz together the paste ingredients with 2 tablespoons of water using a hand stick blender or food processor until fine and smooth.
Cook the paste: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the paste for 3 minutes.
Add seasoning and vegetables: Add the salt, sugar, carrot, and beans, and stir well. Cook for 1 minute.
Combine coconut milk and proteins: Stir in the coconut milk, tofu, and tempeh along with 300ml of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
Assemble and serve: Divide the glass noodles between four bowls. Ladle the sauce and ingredients over the noodles. Place the eggs on top, garnish with coriander and fried shallots, and drizzle with chilli oil.
Enjoy this delicious and comforting dish!