Shiok!. Terry Tan

teaspoon salt

      1 tablespoon sugar

      1 tablespoon tomato paste

      Spice Paste

      3 red chilies

      200 g (7 oz) onion, sliced

      4 cloves garlic

      1 teaspoon shrimp paste

      1 Heat oil in a wok over medium-low heat until it ripples under the surface, but there is no haze, about 140°C (275°F). Add peanuts and fry, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes or until golden (scrape skin off one to check). Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

      2 Spread ikan bilis on a plate and microwave on high for 1½ minutes to make sure it is very dry. (Alternatively, sun it for a while.) Return oil to frying temperature, add ikan bilis and fry for 4 to 5 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Drain well on kitchen paper. Discard oil

      3 Grind Spice Paste ingredients until fine. Knead tamarind with water until pulp dissolves, then strain.

      4 Heat 4 tablespoons fresh oil in a clean wok over medium-high heat and fry spice paste for 6 minutes, until fragrant and thickened. Add tamarind liquid, salt, sugar, and tomato paste and stir to blend well. Bring to a quick boil, add ikan bilis and peanuts and mix well, then dish up.

      Serves 4-6

      Cooking time: 16 mins

      Preparation time: 20 mins

Brinjal Sambal Eggplant Sambal

      Brinjals (or eggplants or aubergines) come in all shapes and sizes. The most typically Singaporean ones are the slim purple brinjals about 30 cm (1 ft) long, though the short Japanese ones about 12 cm (5 in) long and the fat, black-purple ones more common in the West can be used here too.

      1 tablespoon tamarind pulp

      4 tablespoons water

      6 tablespoons oil

      ⅓ teaspoon salt

      1 tablespoon sugar

      1 tablespoon tomato paste

      2 slim purple brinjals, or 5 small Japanese eggplants

      Spice Paste

      6 dried red chilies, soaked until soft

      1 large onion

      6 cloves garlic

      1 tablespoon shrimp paste

      1 Knead tamarind with water until pulp dissolves, then strain. Grind Spice Paste ingredients until fine.

      2 Heat oil a in a wok over medium heat. Fry Spice Paste for 5 to 6 minutes or until fragrant, then add tamarind liquid, salt, sugar, and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more. Keep Sambal warm.

      3 Halve brinjals lengthways. If using big ones, cut each half into three pieces. Cook brinjals as desired (see Note). Pour sambal over brinjals and serve hot.

Note Brinjals are tastiest flash-deep-fried in hot oil until tender, but also greasy. You can pan-fry them with a little oil in a non-stick pan over high heat, turning frequently, or blanch or steam them for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft.

      Serves 2-3

      Cooking time: 10 mins

      Preparation time: 10 mins

Sambal Fish

      A delicious home-style Malay dish that needs nothing but hot white rice and sliced cucumber on the side.

      600 g (1 lb 5½ oz) meaty fish, cut into thick steaks or slices

      oil for deep-frying

      1 tablespoon tamarind pulp

      2 tablespoons water

      1 tablespoon tomato puree

      1 teaspoon sugar

      1 teaspoon salt juice of 2 limes

      sliced cucumber, for garnish

      Sambal Paste

      1 large onion

      4 cloves garlic

      1 tablespoon shrimp paste

      8 dried chilies, soaked till soft

      1 Heat oil and fry fish until crisp and golden brown. Set aside to keep warm.

      2 Knead tamarind with water until pulp dissolves, then strain. Grind Spice Paste ingredients until fine. Remove all but 4 tablespoons of oil and fry paste over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes. Add tamarind liquid, tomato puree, sugar and salt and stir for 2 minutes.

      3 Add fish to paste and stir well to incorporate. Dribble lime juices all over before serving with sliced cucumber.

      Serves 4

      Cooking time: 20 minutes

Prawn Sambal

      A tasty dish simple enough for everyday —or fancy enough for occasions, if you use large, fresh tiger prawns. Leave their shells and heads on for a more flavorful gravy.

      1½ tablespoons tamarind pulp

      3 tablespoons water

      6 tablespoons vegetable oil

      2 teaspoons sugar

      2 tablespoons tomato paste

      ½ tablespoon salt

      500 g (1 lb 2 oz) medium-sized prawns, shelled

      200 g (7 oz) buah petai (optional)

      Spice Paste

      6 dried chilies, soaked until soft

      350 g (12½ oz) onion, sliced

      5 doves garlic

      1 tablespoon shrimp paste