of coriander, chopped, plus extra to serve
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp honey, to taste
Dee, wife to Gong, who helped us arrange our Thailand trip, recommended this Kai jiaw moo as it is their favourite snack. Eggs are commonly used in Thai cuisine, and the Asian influence in this omelette makes it a tasty and filling snack.
It may seem unusual that you add the pork raw, but frying the omelette in the wok over a high heat will cook the mince in minutes; however, you do need to get the oil really hot first. If you prefer, you can subsititute the pork with turkey or chicken.
This omelette is delicious served with a crisp, green, herby salad, but for extra heat offer the Thai chilli sauce alongside.
First make the chilli sauce. Place the oil in a sauté pan set over a medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic and chillies and sauté for 1–2 minutes, to soften. Allow the mixture to cool, then place in a food processor with the remaining ingredients and pulse until smooth.
Set aside.
For the omelette, whisk the eggs together in a large mixing bowl then add the minced pork, soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper and spring onion. Mix well. Place a wok or frying pan over a medium heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot enough (add teaspoon of the mixture to the pan and if it sizzles straight away, it’s ready), add the rest of the mixture. Fry for 2–3 minutes until it is golden brown on the bottom. Turn over the omelette and fry for another 2–3 minutes, until the pork is cooked through.
Remove the omelette from the pan immediately and place on a serving plate. Garnish with the coriander leaves and serve with the chilli sauce alongside.
SERVES 4–6 (MAKES 12 SMALL SANDWICHES)
2 leftover large unsliced sandwich loaves or bloomers
4–5 eggs, beaten and seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
STUFFING
vegetable oil, for frying
8 shallots, peeled and finely diced
6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground nutmeg tsp white pepper
2 tbsp dark sweet soy sauce
2 tbsp water
400g minced pork
Deriving from the Nonya cusine of Malaysia, Roti babi can be literally translated as pig bread (roti meaning bread, babi meaning pig) – it is essentially a stuffed pork mince sandwich. It is best made with bread that has been left out overnight to harden, otherwise the sandwich will be too soggy, but if you can’t do this, slice the bread and place it in a heated oven for a few minutes to dry it out a little.
There are many versions of this recipe, and in Malaysia crab and cabbage are also added, but for me simplicity is key. Don’t be concerned if your mince looks fatty, as you want all the fat to soak into the bread whilst cooking. This is a delicious and different (although admittedly not healthy) approach to the humble sandwich.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok over a medium heat and add the shallots and garlic. Stir-fry until translucent, taking care not to burn the garlic. Add the ground spices and white pepper and cook until fragrant – the mixture should now also turn a little dry as the oil is absorbed. Add the soy sauce, water, pork and a pinch of salt and mix well. Stir-fry the pork mince for 4–5 minutes until the pork is cooked. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Remove the crusts from the bread and discard. Cut the remaining bread into 5cm thick slices. Taking one slice at a time, cut each one into a 7.5 x 7.5cm square. To create a pocket for the stuffing, lay the trimmed bread flat on a chopping board. Using a small, very sharp knife, make a horizontal slit into the side of the bread, taking care not to go all of the way through. Push about 2 tablespoons of the pork mixture into the pocket and carefully stuff, pressing down the mixture. Repeat this process, using up the remaining bread slices.
Place a frying pan with a thin layer of oil on a medium heat. When the oil is hot, dip one of the stuffed sandwiches into the seasoned egg mixture, making sure the sandwich is evenly coated, then fry it over a low heat until all sides are slightly brown. Remove and drain on kitchen paper while you fry the rest. Cut open and serve immediately.
SERVES 4
GRILLED SQUID
500–600g whole squid (including tentacles), cleaned
olive oil, to drizzle
sea salt
TUK MERIC
1 tbsp Kampot peppercorns, lightly crushed
1 tbsp sea salt
juice of 4 limes
When squid is cooked to perfection, very little is needed to enhance its natural flavour – except perhaps a Cambodian dipping sauce called Tuk meric.
This sauce celebrates one of Cambodia’s finest ingredients: Kampot pepper. Grown in the region of the same name, this pepper is regarded as one of the best in the world because of its eucalyptus taste and unique heat. Like many other trades in Cambodia, Kampot-pepper production was greatly affected by the war in the 1960s, but since then locals have worked hard to keep the pepper in production. Although limited quantities of this vegetable translate to a higher price, it is worth every penny.
Kampot pepper is available online and is best bought on the vine and when green in colour – the black and red peppercorns are the dried version and have a more intense flavour. Buying the peppercorns whole gives them a longer shelf life. If you can’t get Kampot, use your favourite pepper variety instead.
Wash the squid and pat dry with kitchen paper. Cut off the tentacles and place them in a large bowl. Cut open the bodies and then, using a sharp knife, score them in a criss-cross pattern on the inside. Add these to the bowl with the tentacles, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Light the barbecue or heat the grill. Make the tuk meric dipping sauce before you start cooking the squid. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together to combine. Taste and add more lime juice or pepper, if necessary.
When the barbecue or grill is ready, cook the squid for 30 seconds on each side until opaque and just cooked – do not overcook it or it will become tough and chewy. Cut the pieces in half on the diagonal, if you wish, then transfer to a plate and serve alongside the tuk meric.
Coconut prawns with a sweet chilli sauce
SERVES 4
COCONUT PRAWNS
110g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
pinch of salt tsp cayenne pepper