Wong - The Food of Singapore : Simple Street Food Recipes from the Lion City

AcknowledgmentsThe publisher and BeaufortSentosa would like to thank the following for theirgenerous assistance in providing tableware, furnitureand other decorative items for use in this book:Abraxas; Blue Moon; Tangs Studio and the Atelier.Thanks also to the following restaurants for their kindcooperation in arranging location photography: HuaYu Wee Seafood Restaurant, Komala Villas, MuthusCurry Restaurant, Alkaff Mansion, Azizas Restaurant,Tai Thong Restaurant and Li Bai Restaurant.

Honey Barbecued Chicken Wings

1 kg (2 lbs) chicken wings (about 10 large chicken wings)

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons rice wine or sherry

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon black soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4teaspoon salt (optional)

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight. Cook over hot charcoal, under a broiler or in a preheated oven at 220C (440 F) for 10 to 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked and golden brown.

Serves 4 Preparation time: 10 mins + marination time Cooking time: 20 mins

Popiah Hokkien-style Fresh Spring Rolls

Hokkien-style Popiah are normally made using very thin fresh wrappers made from rice and wheat flour and water. Assemble Popiah just before serving, as otherwise they go soggy, or place all the prepared ingredients on the table and allow your guests to create their own in an informal gathering. A Popiah party is always a big hit!

1 tablespoon oil

4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

2 shallots, sliced

1 medium bangkuang (jicama) (about 600 g/20 oz), peeled and sliced into matchsticks

1/4teaspoon five spice powder

1/2teaspoon sugar

3/4teaspoon salt

1/2teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

6 soft lettuce leaves, washed and dried

1 tablespoon sweet black sauce

10 cloves garlic, minced

4 red finger-length chillies, deseeded and ground to a paste with 1/4teaspoon salt, or 1 red finger-length chilli, sliced

1 shallot, minced

2/3cup (50 g) bean sprouts, rinsed and blanched in boiling water

1/2cup (60 g) cooked crabmeat

250 g (8 oz) medium fresh prawns, peeled, deveined, halved lengthwise and poached for 1 minute

1 hard-boiled egg, halved lengthwise then sliced crosswise

1 sweet dried Chinese sausage (lap cheong), thinly sliced and blanched in hot water

Popiah Wrappers

1/2cup (75 g) rice flour

1/2tablespoons plain flour

1/4teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/2teaspoon oil

1 cup (250 ml) water

First prepare the Popiah Wrappers by sifting the flours and salt together into a bowl. In another bowl, mix the eggs, oil and water. Add the flour mixture a little at time, mixing well to obtain a smooth batter. Set the batter aside in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Grease a nonstick pan with oil. Ladle 2 tablespoons of the batter onto the pan and swirl it quickly to make a very thin pancake. Cook over medium heat until the batter sets, about 2 minutes. Place the cooked wrapper on a plate. Repeat until all the batter is used up.

To prepare the filling, heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the garlic, shallots and bangkuang over medium heat for 5 minutes until the bangkuang is soft. Season with the five spice powder, sugar, salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.

To assemble, place a fresh Popiah Wrapper on a plate. Place a lettuce leaf on the wrapper and smear a little of the sweet black sauce and minced garlic on it. Then add a little of the chilli paste or sliced chilli and shallot. Strain 2 heaping tablespoons of the bangkuang filling between two spoons to press out the liquid, and place it on the lettuce. Add a sprinkling of bean sprouts, crabmeat, prawns, egg and Chinese sausage. Tuck in the sides of the wrapper and roll it up firmly. Repeat with the rest of the wrappers and filling to make another 5 Popiah. Halve or slice each Popiah into 3 pieces and serve.

Note: If it's too time-consuming to prepare fresh Popiah Wrappers, you may be able to find packets of Popiah Wrappers in the refrigerator or freezer section in some supermarkets. Or substitute Filipino lumpia wrappers lightly cooked in a nonstick pan with a little oil, or burrito wrappers. If you cannot find bangkuang (jicama), you may substitute a mixture of daikon radish and cabbage, both very thinly sliced.

Makes 6 Popiah Preparation time: 35 mins + 10 mins assembling time Cooking time: 45 mins

Pork Satay with Pineapple Sauce Sate Babi

Skewers of seasoned meat or chicken grilled over charcoal is one of Singapore's most popular dishes. This local Chinese version is made with pork and served with a rich peanut sauce flavoured with crushed pineapple.

500 g (1 lb) pork fillet, cut into bite-sized cubes

18 bamboo skewers

1 portion Pineapple Satay Sauce ()

Marinade

1/2tablespoons coriander seeds, or 2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 cm (1/2in) fresh turmeric root, peeled and sliced, or 1/2teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

1 stalk lemongrass, thick bottom part only, outer layers removed, inner part sliced

4 tablespoons oil

Prepare the Pineapple Satay Sauce by following the instructions on .

To make the Marinade, grind all the ingredients in a mortar or blender, adding the oil to keep the blades turning. Rub the Marinade into the pork cubes and set aside to marinate for 2 hours. In the meantime, soak the skewers in cold water to prevent them from burning during grilling.

Thread 3 pork cubes onto each bamboo skewer until all the meat and skewers are used up. Then brush with a little oil and cook over hot charcoal or under a broiler, turning from time to time and brushing with more oil, until the meat is browned evenly on the outside and well cooked on the inside, about 5 to 7 minutes. Serve with a bowl of the Pineapple Satay Sauce and, if desired, chunks of fresh pineapple, cucumber and raw onions or shallots on the side.

Makes 18 skewers Preparation lime: 40 mins + marination time Cooking time: 20 mins

Malay Chicken Satay Sate Ayam

The tantalising aroma of seasoned meat roasting over a charcoal fire, anointed from time to time with a "brush" of fragrant lemongrass oil, is irresistible. It's no wonder this dish is an all-time favourite.

4 chicken legs, deboned and cut into 2-cm (3/4-in) cubes

12 skewers soaked in water for 1 hour

1 stalk lemongrass, thick end bruised, for brushing

Oil for basting

1 portion Satay Sauce ()

Spice Paste

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

2 stalks lemongrass, thick bottom third only, outer layers removed, inner part sliced

5 shallots, peeled

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2teaspoon chilli powder

2 tablespoons sugar