Terengganu laksa

I AM a Malaysian residing overseas and I miss Terengganu laksa very much. I hope you can share with me this recipe so that I can prepare it for my family and friends when we have home parties for special occasions. – James Lim Here’s the recipe as requested. 

Terengganu Laksa

1kg mackerel

1 tsp salt

1 grated coconut with enough water added and squeezed for 1.5 litres coconut milk

1.5kg dried laksa noodles, boiled until just right to the texture or al dente (or use fresh thick rice noodles, scalded in boiling water and well drained)  

Ground ingredients (A)

20g (22 pieces) dried chillies, soaked

175g shallots

2cm galangal

1cm fresh turmeric root

20g ground black pepper

3 stalks lemon grass, use the white part only

1cm knob ginger  

Ingredients (B)

3–4 pieces dried tamarind skin, if not available substitute with 30g lime juice

8 stalks polygonum leaves (daun kesum)  

To prevent cookies from turning out too hard,beat the sugar and butter for your cookiemixture well and do not use too much flour.

Seasoning

1–2 tsp salt or to taste

1 tsp sugar or to taste

1/2 tsp monosodium glutamate  

Garnish

1 cucumber, halved and soft centres discarded and shredded

200g bean sprouts, tailed and scalded briefly

1 wild ginger bud (bunga kantan), sliced finely

Some mint leaves

Some basil leaves

5 small limes, halved  

Season fish with salt. Boil 1 litre water in a pot and drop in the fish. Remove the fish when eyes pop out. Flake the fish and leave aside. 

Strain the fish stock clean from bones and add ground ingredients (A). Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer the gravy for 10 minutes. Add ingredients (B) and pour in the coconut milk. Simmer for another 15–20 minutes, stirring frequently. Adjust seasoning to taste.  

To serve, put some thick rice noodles in individual serving dishes and garnish with a little of each garnishing ingredient, then pour the hot fish stock or gravy over.  

COULD you please share with me a recipe for Har Loke? 

In your first recipe book which I have bought, can you please explain “tepid water” which is used in the yeast mixture to make Mi Ku. – Lim  

Tepid water is lukewarm water. Here’s the recipe for Har Loke. 

Har Loke

600g medium large prawns, trim off the tip of the head and pointed sharp end of the tail

2cm knob ginger, minced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1–2 tbsp oil

1 tsp rose wine  

Sauce (combined)

125ml water or fresh chicken stock

1 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 tsp chilli sauce

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1/2 tsp sugar

Dash of monosodium glutamate

1/4 tsp sesame oil  

Thickening

1 tsp corn flour mixed with 1 tbsp water  

Garnish

3 stalks spring onions, cut into 4cm lengths 

Panfry prawns lightly in as little oil as possible. When one side starts to brown, turn to the other side immediately to brown as well. Dish out and put aside. 

Heat wok with 1–2 tablespoons oil and sauté minced ginger and garlic until fragrant. Return prawns to the wok and add in the rose wine. Cover the wok for a minute. 

Remove the wok cover and pour in the sauce. Allow to simmer for a while until it begins to boil.  

Add the spring onion and glaze the dish with a sprinkling of sesame oil. Add thickening to mix and dish out to serve immediately. 

SOME recipes require buttermilk. What is buttermilk? Does it come in liquid or powder form? Is there a substitute for butter milk? – Chan Yoke Chooi 

I would like to try out a few cake recipes but some of them need buttermilk. Is it available in Malaysia? Also, where can I get tamarind pulp? – Jessica L  

I will like to know where and how to obtain buttermilk. My sister from overseas has sent me many recipes that require buttermilk.  

I live in Seremban and have never seen it being sold here. If there is an alternative to prepare at home, please advise. – Chris  

Buttermilk is the product that remains after milk has been churned to make butter. You can use skim milk as a substitute although its fat content is lower.  

Buttermilk is available in leading supermarkets as cultured buttermilk in powdered form. 

Tamarind pulp is the same as tamarind paste and is known locally as asam jawa.  

THE cookies that I bake mostly turn out hard. Is there something wrong with my techniques? What is the correct way to fold in flour into a mixture? – Grace Goh  

The reason your cookies turn out hard is because you could have not beaten the butter and sugar well enough or you could have used too much flour. You have not provided me with the recipes so it is very difficult to gauge the problem. 

Please send your cooking queries, with full name and address, to: Amy Beh, Culinary Queries, StarTwo, Star Publications (M) Bhd,Menara Star, 15 Jalan 16/11, Section 16, 46350 Petaling Jaya Tel: [phone] / E-mail: [e-mail]