Tropical Asian Cooking. Wendy Hutton

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      Tempura tofu with sweet and sour sesame garlic sauce

      1 lb (500 g) silken Japanese tofu, cut in 1 1/4-in (3-cm) cubes (see Note)

      12 asparagus spears, thick stalks trimmed

      3/4 cup (100 g) tempura flour (see Note)

      1/3 cup (90 ml) iced water

      Vegetable oil for deep-frying

      2 cups (125 g) young spinach leaves, washed and drained

      4 sprigs fresh basil, leaves torn

      1 tablespoon crisp-fried garlic slices

      2-3 dried salt fish, or anchovies

      Sauce

      1/2 cup (125 ml) bottled Thai sweet chili sauce

      1/4 cup (60 ml) fish sauce

      1/4 cup (60 ml) rice vinegar

      2 teaspoons sesame oil

      2 cloves garlic, finely minced

      1 scallion (spring onion), finely chopped

      1 Lay the tofu pieces on kitchen towel and leave to drain thoroughly.

      2 Prepare the sauce by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl and mixing well.

      3 Broil, grill, or steam the asparagus spears until just cooked, about 5 minutes.

      4 Put tempura flour in a bowl and stir in the iced water, mixing with a pair of chopsticks. Do not over-mix; several small lumps are normal in tempura batter.

      5 Put oil in a wok and heat until very hot. Dip several piece of tofu in the batter, using two wooden spoons to turn and coat well. Transfer tofu, one piece at a time, to the oil. Cook, turning to brown on all sides. Drain on paper towel and repeat with remaining tofu and batter.

      6 Divide the spinach, basil, and asparagus between 4 serving plates, and add tofu to each. Spoon over the sauce and garnish each dish with crisp-fried garlic.

      Note: If using rolls of silken tofu, cut across in 1 1/4-in (3-cm) slices. If tempura flour (which gives the batter a very crisp light texture) is not available, replace it with 3/4 cup (100 g) sifted all-purpose (plain) flour and 1 egg yolk.

      Hokkien noodles

      3 tablespoons vegetable oil

      4 eggs, lightly beaten

      4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

      1 lb 3 oz (600 g) fresh yellow (Hokkien) noodles

      6 1/2 oz (200 g) fresh rice-flour (laksa) noodles

      1 1/2 cups (150 g) bean sprouts

      5 oz (150 g) fish cake, sliced (optional)

      16-20 cooked small shrimps, peeled and deveined

      5 oz (150 g) cooked squid, sliced

      5 oz (150 g) cooked pork, sliced

      1/2 cup (60 g) chopped garlic chives (kuchye), in 1 1/4-in (3-cm) lengths

      Salt and white pepper to taste

      2 medium red chilies, sliced, to garnish

      4 round green small limes (kalamansi or limau kesturi), or 1 large lime, quartered, to garnish

      Pork stock

      2 lb (1 kg) chicken carcass for stock, blanched in boiling water 3 minutes

      2 lb (1 kg) pork bones, blanched in boiling water 3 minutes

      6 cups (1 1/2 liters) water

      3 in (8 cm) fresh ginger, bruised

      3 whole cloves garlic, bruised

      1 1/2 teaspoons salt

      Sambal belacan

      8-10 large red chilies, chopped

      10 shallots, chopped

      1 tablespoon dried shrimp paste, toasted

      2 tablespoons lime juice

      1 teaspoon sugar

      1 teaspoon salt

      4 round green small limes (kalamansi or limau kesturi), top sliced off, or 1 large lime, quartered

      Hokkien mee (noodles), as this dish is known in Singapore, originated in southern China, in Fujian province. A mixture of yellow noodles and rice-flour noodles is stir-fried with eggs, bean sprouts, chives, seafood, and pork, then simmered in pork stock. A distinctly local touch comes in the accompanying sambal belacan, a pungent paste of chilies, shallots, dried shrimp paste, and lime. This hearty noodle dish can be enjoyed any time of the day or night.

      1 To prepare the pork stock, put the blanched carcasses and bones in a pan with the water, ginger, and garlic. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 2 hours. Strain, discarding bones, then boil the stock with the pan uncovered if necessary to reduce the stock to 2 cups (500 ml). Set aside.