April 30, 2010

Seasoned Mung Bean Sprouts/Sukjunamul

This is one of the many side dishes (banchan) that comes with your Korean meal. You can serve this warm or cold.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb mung bean sprouts
1 spring onion, chopped finely
¾ tsp. soysauce
1 tsp. sesame seed oil
½ tsp. garlic powder or fresh minced garlic
dash of pepper
1 Tbsp. sesame toasted sesame seeds
Method:
1. Bring a pot of water to boil and blanched bean sprouts. Remove from heat and rinse in cold water. Remove and squeeze most of the water and put in a larger bowl.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Serve warm or cold with rice.
Printable Recipe

Mango Pudding

If you are dim sum lover, you would love this popular dessert! It is frequently found in the dessert carts when the server roll it over to your table. It is sweet with a rich and silky texture with a refreshing flavor of mango. It is quick and easy to make at home with either fresh or pureed mangoes. You can serve it with a some fresh cream or evaporated milk.
Ingredients:
2 packets (1 Tbsp.) of unflavored gelatin
½ cup sugar (¾ cups if you like it sweeter)
¾ cup hot water (1 cup if you like it softer)
1 cup evaporated milk
3 cups pureed fresh mangoes
5 ice cubes
Method:
1. In a bowl, add gelatin and sugar to hot water and mix well to dissolve and mixture is smooth.
2. In another bowl, mix mango puree, milk and ice cubes. Add in the gelatin mixture and stir until ice cubes are melted.
3. Pour mixture into jelly mould and chill until set, at least 2-4 hours. To serve, dip jelly mould in hot water and turn pudding onto plate. Serve with fresh mango slices and some chilled evaporated milk.
Printable Recipe

April 25, 2010

Sweet Potato Balls with Palm Sugar/Ondeh-Ondeh

  
Onde-Onde is a colorful and delicious Malaysian dessert. Onde-Onde in Javanese, literally means a round or small food in the shape of a sphere. It is a small sweetened dumpling of sweet potato dough filled with Gula Melaka, a rich brown sugar from the palm tree. The cooked dough is coated with freshly grated white coconut. Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to get fresh grated coconut, the only alternative is to use the frozen ones imported from the Philippines. It goes by the brand name of "Masagana". The palm sugar, Gula Melaka is wrapped in dried palm leaves and you can find them in Asian supermarket.
Ingredients: (about 24-30 balls)
200 gms. sweet potato, peeled and cubed
200 gms. glutinous rice flour
1 Tbsp. tapioca flour
100 ml. water
25 ml. pandan flavoring essence
6 drops of green coloring
pinch of salt
125 gm. gula melaka, grated
3 tsp. white sugar
150 gm. grated coconut, thawed at room temperature
Method:
1. Steam sweet potatoes until soft and mash finely. Set aside. Mix a pinch of salt with the grated coconut and steam for about 5 minutes and set aside to cool.
2. Combine sugar and grated gula melaka in a bowl. Add glutionious rice flour into a large mixing bowl.
3. In a measuring cup, add in pandan essence, green coloring and water to mix. Pour this into a small saucepan and add in salt and tapioca flour and bring to a boil over low heat. Keep stirring until the mixture is slightly thickens. Remove from heat.
4. Pour this warm mixture into the bowl with the flour, mix well to combine. Add the mashed potato and mix to form a dough. Add a little more glutinous rice flour if the dough gets too soft and if it is too dry, simply wet your hands and knead the dough till it is smooth and pliable. Roll into a long rope, cut into 1" cubes and flatten the dough with the palm of your hand. Spoon about ¼ teaspoon of sugar in the middle of dough. Pinch the edges to seal and roll again into a smooth sphere. Do the same with the rest of the dough in the same manner.
5. Fill a deep saucepan with water halfway and bring to a boil. Drop the balls into the boiling water in small batches and cook until they float to the surface about 3 minutes. Remove the cooked balls with a slotted spoon and roll in grated coconut to coat. Serve with tea.

Cheese Soufflés

This is a simple and elegant approach to present eggs and cheese, and yet makes an enjoyable meal. It is great served by itself or with a salad and fruits.
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
3½ ozs. soft goat cheese
3 eggs, separated
3 Tbsps. chopped mixed herbs (chives, tarragon, and sweet basil)
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsps. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsps. unsalted butter
5-6 ramekins (glass or ceramic)
Method:
1. In a saucepan melt the butter over medium heat, add the flour and stir vigourously for about 30 seconds to remove lumps. Remove from heat and gently add in the milk and mix until mixture become smooth. Next, return saucepan to the heat and stir constantly until the mixture thickens slightly, but not lumpy. Remove from heat to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter the ramekins well on all sides.
3. In a clean bowl, beat in the cheese, egg yolks, herbs, salt and pepper. In another bowl, beat the egg whites unitl it resembles soft peaks. Fold in the egg whites gently into the cheese mixture.
3. Spoon the cheese mixture into prepared ramekins and bake in oven for 15-20 minute until mixture risen and golden on top. Remove from oven to cool. Serve it straight from the ramekins or turn them out onto plates.
Printable Recipe

April 19, 2010

Stewed Pork with Preserved Beancurd/Hakka Char Yok

Char Yok is a traditional Hakka cuisine that my mother would prepared during the Chinese New Year. I often joked with her that this dish is the major highlight as it brings happy and familiar faces of her extended family members: the Tai's, Cheong's and the Goh's. They would often praise her about it and my mother takes great pride in her cooking.
Hakka Char Yok is belly pork marinated with spices and fried till crispy and then gently braised with preserved red bean curd (nam yu red sauce), wood ears, and pickled mustard. I like to use the pickled mustard from Ipoh-Malaysia, which has a distinctive flavor and is less salty. This post is a tribute to my late mother, who has influenced my cooking with her penchant to perfection--Bon Appétit!
Ingredients:
1 lb. side belly pork (skin removed)
1 oz dried wood ears (soaked in water)
400 gms pickled mustard (ham choy)
1 Tbsp. Chinese wine or brandy
1 piece star anise
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. cornflour
2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
1¾ cups warm water
6 pieces nam yu
2 shallots, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small piece ginger, minced
Cooking oil
½ cup flour (coating)
Method:
1. Washed and cut pork in 2" pieces, dried with paper towels. In a bowl, mix well the following: Chinese five-spice powder; 2 pieces of nam yu; flour; cornflour; wine; and egg. Add in the pork and marinate meat overnight.
2. Washed and soak pickled mustard to remove any impurities and until water runs clear. Squeezed out excess water and cut into 2" pieces. Remove woody parts from wood ears and cut in 2" pieces. Set aside.
3. Heat enough oil in a deep saucepan on high heat. When oil is hot, coat each piece of meat with flour and shake off excess flour. Gently add to the hot oil to cook. Do not put in too much meat at one time as the meat will not cook properly. Do the same with the rest of the meat. Deep fried meat until golden brown. Drain meat on paper towels.
4. In another pot, add about one tablespoon oil, toss in the wood ears and pickled mustard and stir fry for about 5-10 minutes until the vegetables has absorbed most of the oil. Remove and set aside.
5. In the same pot, add in two tablespoon oil, fry the shallots, garlic, ginger, star anise till fragrant. Add in the rest of the nam yu and rest of the water. Using the back of the ladle, mashed the nam yu till it dissolved. Add in the wood ears, pickled mustard, and rest of the water. Stir in to mix well and let mixture comes to a boil, then simmer on low for about 30-45 minutes, until vegetables are soft and tender. Season to taste or add slightly more warm water if you like more gravy).
6. Add in the fried meat, mix and simmer on low for another 30 minutes till the meat has absorbed some of the gravy. Serve hot with rice.
Printable Recipe

April 12, 2010

Steamed Artichokes with Lemony Mustard Sauce


There are many ways to cook an artichoke. I've seen it baked, stuffed, grilled, or deep-fried. The most common method is steaming it with water and served with butter. This is just how I like mine, steamed and peels each overlapping leaf and dipping in a tangy lemon sauce. The best part is the heart at the bottom of the artichoke. It is covered with inedible fuzzy hairs (called the choke). After removing the "choke" with a spoon or a knife is the best part of this vegetable. Here is my version of a simple and elegant way to serve artichokes.
Ingredients:
4 large to medium artichokes
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lemons, cut in wedges
¼ tsp. sugar
¼ salt
Lemon Sauce Dip:
3 stalks scallion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup lemon juice
4 Tbsps. brown rice vinegar (white will do)
½ cup olive oil
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. thyme
2 Tbsps. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Soak artichokes in water for about 10 minutes to remove any bugs (just in case). Using a sharp knife cut an inch from the top and remove the base of the stem. Remove any tough outer leaves, and snip the tip end of each leaf evenly. Rub each end of the leaves with lemon wedges.
2. In a large stainless steel pot, add the artichokes, half of the lemon wedges, sugar, salt and garlic. Add water to completely cover the artichokes. Cover and bring to a fast boil, reduce heat to simmer for about 30-35 minutes until tender. Turn off heat, drain artichokes upside-down to remove excess water. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes (or serve it warm).
3. In a medium sized bowl, add all of dipping ingredients and whisk well to incorporate. Season to taste. Serve artichokes on a large platter with lemon wedges and sauce in separate smaller bowls.
Notes: Artichokes will discolor if cooked in a cast iron or an aluminum pot. Another good idea is to include lots of napkins or place little bowls of water to wash your hands.
My artichoke plant.

Steamed Turnip Dumplings/Soon Kueh/Loh Pat Pan

This is a classic snack that is sold in the wet markets in Malaysia. It goes by many names like "loh pat pan" in hakka dialect or "soon kueh" in hokkien. The only difference is the latter has bamboo shoots, or "soon" in Peranakan as an added ingredient. This is one of my favorite food growing up in Malaysia, it brings back sweet childhood memories.
Ingredients: (inspired and adapted by rose kitchen)
Dough recipe: 300 gms rice flour; 100 gm tapioca starch, extra for dusting, 1 tsp. salt; 600 ml. boiling water; 2 Tbsp. oil
Stuffing recipe: 50 gm dried shrimps (rinse and soak in little water to soften); 50 gm dried mushroom (soaked to soften, cut into thin strips); 1-2 lbs of jicama (sliced and cut into thin strips); 1 Tbsp. sugar; 3-4 Tbsp. light soy sauce; 1 tsp. oyster sauce; 2-3 cloves garlic; ground white pepper to taste; 2-3 bamboo shoots (cut into strips if used) enough oil for frying
Presentation: banana or pandan leaves if available
Method:
1. Add a pinch of salt to the jicama, and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Squeezed out excess water. Pound dried shrimps finely in a mortar and pestle (or use food processor). If using banana leaves, cut into 4 x 3 inch shapes. Brush leaves lightly with some oil.
2. Heat some oil in pan and fry shallots and dried shrimps till fragrant. Add jicama and the rest of the vegetables, stir to mix well, then add the seasonings. Continue to fry until ingredients are well mixed and cooked through. Add some water if mixture gets dry. Season to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. To make the dough: In a large bowl add the 2 types of flours, salt and mix well. Drizzle with the boiled water, and stir to mix quickly, let it sit for a few minutes to cool. Next, add in oil and knead to mix thoroughly. and add boiling water. Continue to knead until there is no more lump and texture is smooth, dust with some tapioca starch if it gets too sticky. Cover the dough and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.
4. To make dumplings: roll out dough, and dust with tapioca starch if sticky. Continue to roll on a floured board until smooth. Cut into log and cut into equal portions. Roll a portion into a ball, flatten and dust a bit tapioca starch on top and gently roll the middle part gently and move the edges with less pressure.
5. Fill the dumpling skin with a spoonful of mixture, press to seal and flute the edges if you like. Do the same with the rest of the dough. Heat a steamer with water. Place dumplings on banana/pandan leaves if used and space them an inch apart on the steaming tray. Brush top of dumplings with some cooking oil. Steam over fast boiling water until cooked for 10 minutes. Remove carefully on to serving dish.
6. Serve piping hot with chili sauce.
Tips: you can also pan fried the dumplings with some oil until crispy brown for a different taste and texture.
Printable Recipe

Steamed Salty Rice Cakes with Radish/Wun Chai Go

This is another one of my favorite snacks whenever I visit Malaysia. I remembered fondly how we used to wait for this hawker to come by our house with these delicious cakes in his basket. He would turn the hot steamed cakes on a plate with a bamboo stick and serve savory sauce on top. It is so good that we often went back for seconds.
Ingredients:
1¼ cups rice flour
3 cups water
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup salted radish, rinsed well and cut in small chunks
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
½ cup lean pork, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
6-8 shallow bowls
Method:
1. Mix rice flour, water, and salt in a bowl. Stir well to mix. Pour into a saucepan and cook over low heat till mixture get thick, but not lumpy. Remove from heat.
2. In a food processor blend radish and pork in small pieces. Heat pan with 1 tablespoon of oil, fry shallots till soft and add radish/pork mixture until they become fragrant. Season to taste.
3. Brush bowls with some oil. Pour some batter into each bowls and spoon some turnip mixture on top. Place the bowls in a pre-heated steamer tray and steam over high heat for about 30-35 minutes (until the skewer comes out clean when poke in the middle).
4. Serve it in the same bowl or wait for it to cool and invert it over a plate. Top with soy sauce mixed with some oil, and leftover toppings.
Printable Recipe

April 9, 2010

Tomato and Endive Salad with Anchovy Vinaigrette


If you love anchovies in your salad, this might be interesting to serve on any occasions. The vinaigrette is also great on toasty bread if you have leftovers. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 small endive
3 ripe and firm tomatoes
sea salt and pepper
Vinaigrette:
2 ozs. fillet of anchovies (Star brand)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
small handful of fresh basil leaves
4 Tbsp. brown rice vinegar (or white will do)
Method:
1.Rinsed and washed off excess oil from anchovies. In a food processor add half of the anchovies, garlic, vinegar, and blend. Slowly add oil and then the basil leaves till fine and smooth texture. Chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the greens.
2. Gently peel and washed the endive leaves and drained well. Cut tomatoes into wedges or slices. Arrange the tomatoes, endives, anchovies, and onions on a platter or individual plate. Drizzle with vinaigrette over the salad and season with pepper. Serve immediately.
Printable Recipe

Pineapple Fried Rice

Ever since both my college kids moved out of the house, I have to learn to cook less and sometimes there are still leftovers for the both of us. I have some leftover brown rice and the dish that comes to mind is fried rice served in hollowed out pineapple. If you don't have fresh pineapple, you can substitute with canned pineapple, which is a bit too sweet. This is my version of what you can do with leftover rice.
Ingredients: (serves 2)
1 cup cooked brown rice (or white)
1 fresh pineapple
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
¼ lb. prawns (peeled and deveined)
½ cup frozen peas (rinsed and drained)
2 small sweet peppers, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. roasted cashews (optional)
¼ cup raisins
1 egg (beaten)
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
½ tsp. turmeric powder
¼ tsp. cayenne powder
1 piece kaffir lime leaf (thinly sliced)
salt and pepper to taste
oil for frying
cilantro for garnishing
Method:
1. Rub the cooked rice to separate them if they are in lumps. Cut pineapple in half, remove fruit and cut in small chunks. Be carefully not to cut through the skin. Reserve one cup of fruits for the rice.
2. Mix fish sauce, turmeric powder, and cayenne powder in a small bowl.
 3. In a frying pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and fry shallots till soft and fragrant. Add the prawns and kaffir lime leaf and cook till prawns turned red in color, stirring occasionally.
4. Add in the peas follow by the beaten egg, stir to mix for about 5-10 minutes. Add in rice, spices, raisins, pineapples, and nuts if used. Stir to mix until all the ingredients, or until the rice is slightly dried.
5. Remove from heat, spoon into hollowed-out pineapple halves and garnish with cilantro.
Printable Recipe           

April 8, 2010

Pork Meat Balls with Dipping Sauce

This dish is perfect for an informal or a cocktail party. You can substitute the pork with chicken or turkey and use small sweet peppers if you want a milder sauce. 
Ingredients:
1½ lbs lean ground pork
1 egg, beaten
5 stalks Chinese long beans, finely diced
1 small red chili, finely diced
2 tsp. lemon grass powder
1 tsp. galangal powder
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small bunch cilantro, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1½ Tbsp. fish sauce (nam pla)
oil for frying
salt and pepper to taste
Chili Dipping Sauce
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
1¼ cups vinegar
1 medium size shallot, finely sliced
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
pinch of salt
3 red chilies, thinly sliced
Cucumber Relish
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
1 small cucumber, center removed and sliced finely
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. pineapple, thinly sliced
2 tsp. sesame seeds
pinch of salt
Method:
1. In a mixing bowl add pork, egg, vegetables, spices and sugar and mix till all the ingredients are incorporated to a smooth texture.
2. In separate bowls, mix all the ingredients for the cucumber and chili dipping sauces together. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Add a little more vinegar or sugar according to your taste. Cover and chill in refrigerator.
3. Take about 2 tablespoons of mixture and roll into the size of a golf ball. Repeat with the remaining mixture and put the balls on a plate. Chill for about 30 minutes.
4. Fill a deep wok or saucepan one-third full of oil and heat on high or until a piece of bread browns in 30 seconds. (this is a test that my cookery teacher used on us at school). Carefully place the balls and deep fry in small batches over medium heat until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on paper towels.
Printable Recipe

April 6, 2010

Tea with Spices/Chai Tea

Whenever we dine at an Indian restaurant, we would often ordered Chai tea with our meal. Then I asked them to make it strong and spicy for us, which invariably is not so as they were all pre-mixed ahead of time. It is nothing like making it at home.
Ingredients: (serves 4)
2½ cups water
2 Tbsp. black tea
5 green cardamons, slightly crushed
5 black cardamons, slightly crushed
3 whole cloves
1 star anise
3-4 peppercorns, slightly crushed
1 tsp. fennel seeds
One 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced
One 2-inch piece cinnamon stick
1 cup milk
honey to taste
nutmeg for garnishing
Method:
1. In a saucepan, combine water, tea, spices. Cook over medium heat until hot, cover and let mixture steep for about 10 minutes.  
                                  
2. Remove from heat, add milk and pour tea through a fine strainer. Serve in pre-warmed cups or teapot and honey and nutmeg on the side. Tips: I made a small bag with cheesecloth for the tea and spices or you can use a tea ball
Printable Recipe

April 4, 2010

Turtle-shaped Rice Cakes/Ang Ku Kuih

Ang Ku Kuih is a Malay word for small bite-sized sweet tea cakes or snacks. They are usually made by hand using molds of intricate designs or roll and wrapped with banana leaves. Ang Ku Kuih (红龟糕) is a small red oval shaped Chinese steamed cake with soft mung bean fillings in the center. The oval shaped Ang ku kuih, (红龟糕) is designed to resemble a tortoise shell which signifies longevity to the Chinese tradition. They are usually served during religious events, birthdays, and the birth of a child. You can easily buy these molds in Malaysia, or simply roll it into an oval or round shape and create your own design. This is a tribute to my late mother who had made this and other kuih everyday for years to sell in the market as another source of income to feed her large family.
Skin ingredients: (makes about 1/ 1/2 dozens)
300 gms glutinous rice flour
200 gms potato flour/starch (or same amount of sweet potato, steamed and mashed)
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
¾ cup warm water
2 tsp. pandan essense
2 tsp. red coloring
1 tsp. sugar
1 sheet banana leaf, cut into several oval shapes
Ang Ku mold
Steamer
Fillings ingredients:
1 packet (14 oz) split mung beans (without skin)
150 gm sugar
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Method:
1. Wash and soak mung beans overnight to soften. Drain well and steam mung beans with pandan leaf for about 20-30 minutes or until soft. Mash finely and set aside.
2. In a pot, mix mashed beans, sugar and oil and cook over medium heat. Stir continuously until mixture is thick and almost dry. Set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, rub some oil in your palm and roll them into small golf sized balls. (You can also use a teaspoon to spoon the filling into the dough).
3. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients, mashed potato (if used), and sugar together. Mix the pandan essense, oil, red coloring and 1/2 of the water together in a small bowl. Add this to the flour mixture. Mix and knead the mixture to form pliable dough, by adding little water at a time if necessary. Cover with cloth and set aside.
4. Brush the mold with some oil and dust with some rice flour. Shake off excess flour. Take a small amount of dough and flatten to a round, put a ball of the filing in the center. Wrap skin over and close back to a ball making sure the filling is concealed. Press it into the mold and lightly tap it on the table to remove. Place it on a banana leaf. Do the same with the rest of the dough and fillings. Trim around the raw dough before steaming.
5. Fill a steamer with water and steam the kuih on the top rack for 10-15 minutes. Set aside and brush lightly with some oil on top.

April 3, 2010

Fresh Spring Rolls/Popiah

Popiah is another popular snack in my hometown, Malaysia. It is a light paper-thin crepe wrapped with shredded jicama, string beans, cucumber, prawns, and fried shallots. The skin is made of wheat flour and water. Making popiah skin is labor-intensive as it involves standing in front of a hot griddle and using the palm of the hand to dip into the flour mixture and press the dough on the griddle with a "pull and dip" rythmn. We would normally buy fresh popiah skin in the local wet market by the pound. You can purchase frozen popiah skin or pastry wrappers in local Asian markets. I like to serve this dish at a party as this allows my guests to have fun in making their own spring roll.
Ingredients (A):
1 cup prawns
2 cups jicama, julliened
1 cup french beans, sliced thinly
1 cup firm beancurd, julliened
1 cup cooked beansprouts
½ cup shallot, sliced
2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
oil for stir fry
Ingredients (B):
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup cucumber, julliened
½ cup toasted peanuts  (skins removed and finely grind)
1 head lettuce
cilantro, shredded
chee hou sauce or plum sauce
chilli sauce (optional)
popiah skins, thawed at room temperature
Seasonings (C):
salt and sugar to taste
2 tsp. white pepper powder
2 Tbsps. light soy sauce
1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
Method:
1.Wash and cut all ingredients. Toast and grind peanuts finely.

2. Heat 1/2 Tbsp. of oil in pan over medium heat. Add prawns and cook until it turns red in color, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove shells, cut in half and remove black thread on top of the prawn. Cut prawn into thin slices.

3. Heat some oil on a skillet and pour some egg mixture to form a thin omelet. Turn over to cook the other side. Do the same to the rest of the egg mixture. When cool, cut in thin slices.

  
4.In the same skillet add 1 tablespoon oil and 1/2 of the shallots and garlic. Fry until shallots are soft and aromatic over medium heat. Add jicama and cook until it reduced in volumne. Remove and place in a larger pot. 
5. Using the same skillet, add some oil and brown beancurd on both sides. Remove beancurd and saute string beans till it is cooked but not soft. Add this to the jicama mixture.
6. Reheat the larger pot and add the seasonings (salt, pepper, soy sauce, oyster sauce) stir in to mix and simmer over low heat for another 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings, remove from heat.
7. In another saucepan, heat enough oil and fry the rest of the shallots and garlic till crisp and brown. Drain on paper towel to remove excess oil.




 

To assemble:
8. Set out the vegetables, sauces, and garnishing into separate containers on the table.
 

9. Place thawed popiah skin on a flat surface or a plate. Brush the popiah skin lightly with chee hou sauce or chilli sauce in the center. Tear a piece of lettuce away from the middle vein (this will make it easier to roll and not poke through the skin). Place lettuce about 2" away from the side of the skin.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of jicama ingredients on top of lettuce, squeezing out excess gravy. Arrange the other ingredients (eggs, prawns, cucumber, peanuts, cilantro) Sprinkle top with some fried shallots. Roll up from front, fold the sides, tucking in firmly and roll up firmly. Serve immediately.