Ayam masak merah

recipes by Amy Beh.

Ingredients

1 kg chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces 2 onions, quartered 3 potatoes, cut into wedges 2 tomatoes, quartered 1 small can tomato paste 150ml water 4cm piece cinnamon stick 4 cloves 1 star anise 3–4 tbsp oil Ground spices (A): 10 shallots 4 cloves garlic 12 red chillies, seeded 3cm ginger 2 tbsp coriander powder 1 tsp cumin powder Seasoning (B): 1 tsp salt or to taste 1 tbsp sugar or to taste Method Heat oil until hot, sauté ground spices (A) until fragrant. Add in cinnamon stick, cloves and star anise. Fry for 1–2 minutes. Add onions, tomato paste and potatoes. Stir-fry well. Mix in water and tomatoes. Cook until mixture starts to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is tender and gravy turns thick. Add seasoning to taste and serve this mildly spiced curry dish with bread slices or with plain rice.

Creamy Sauce Butter Crabs

Creamy Sauce Butter Crabs

Recipe by AMY BEH

Ingredients

1.5kg crabs, preferably mud crabs 200g margarine 1 can evaporated milk 20–25g bird’s eye chillies (chilli padi), leave whole and lightly smashed 4 stalks curry leaves, use leaves only Seasoning 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp sugar Thickening 1 tbsp corn flour mixed with 1½ tbsp water Method Clean crabs and poach them, then drain well. Remove the pincers and crack with a pestle. Trim the legs and cut each crab into four pieces. Set aside. Heat margarine in a wok until melted then add the milk. Gently simmer the mixture over a medium heat. Add the curry leaves, chilli padi and seasoning. Simmer for 10–15 minutes. Add thickening and stir gently over a very low heat until sauce is thick and glossy in texture. Return crabs to the mixture and cook over a very low heat for about 1 minute. Dish out the crabs with the curry leaves, chilli padi and a little of the sauce. Serve immediately.

Cencaluk Chilli Sauce

Cencaluk Chilli Sauce
Recipe by AMY BEH

Ingredients

1½ tbsp good quality cencaluk 4–5 shallots 1 tbsp sliced red chilli 1 tbsp sliced bird’s eye chillies Seasoning 1 tbsp sugar or to taste 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice Method Slice shallots lengthwise. Put cencaluk, red chilli, bird’s eye’s chillies and shallots in a bowl. Add in sugar and lime juice to taste. Stir well to mix. Serve this relish when serving deep-fried mackerel (ikan kembung)