This dish is known by different names depending on which part of Malaysia you grew up in; I know it as har meen (literally prawn noodles), and being pork-averse, I make mine with a combination of prawn and chicken stock, and top it with chicken in lieu of pork. The low-carb version covered in this recipe involves the use of konnyaku noodles (available here in Australia in Japanese or Korean grocery stores, and possibly the health food section of some supermarkets) or, alternatively, zoodles (zucchini strips)

Frankly, since this broadcast, I’ve been more inclined to just bulk up the dish with extra beansprouts, greens and protein, and just skip the noodles altogether. But that’s just me.

Low-Carb Har Meen

INGREDIENTS:

Prawn heads and shells from 1kg of prawns

2L chicken stock or water

5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

⅓ cup oil

4 Tbsps chicken powder

½ tsp white pepper

2 Tbsp (equivalent) rock sugar or white sugar

Separately poached or boiled –

3 zucchinis, shredded, drenched with salt for 20 minutes & drained OR konnyaku noodles

1 Chicken breast, shredded and tossed with sesame oil, white pepper and salt

Prawns, peeled and sliced in half

3 eggs

2 cups beansprouts

2 bunches kangkung, cut into 3-inch lengths

To assemble –

Fried crispy shallots

Fried sambal belacan (shrimp paste sambal)

Garlic chives, cut into 2-inch lengths

METHOD:

1. Heat oil in a stock pot, add garlic and brown.
2. Add prawns and saute until aromatic.
3. Add chicken stock or water, bring to a simmer
4. Add chicken powder, pepper and sugar.
5. Simmer for 30-60 minutes, adjust seasoning, then strain out prawn shells.
6. Assemble noodles (if using) and vegetables; top with soup followed by chicken, prawns, half a boiled egg, crispy shallots, garlic chives and a spoonful of sambal. Serve with a separate side of sambal.

The post How to Make Low-Carb Malaysian Prawn Noodle Soup (Har Meen) first appeared on Jackie M..

Crispy Fried Onions

INGREDIENTS:

6 large brown onions, peeled
1L cooking oil

*You’ll need – mandolin (thin setting), wok, wooden spoon, sieve, paper towels, large bowl or tray

METHOD:

1. Heat oil in wok to 200°C.
2. Slice onions thinly using mandolin.
3. Add onion slices in smallish batches into oil. Be careful with oil as it will bubble up due to moisture content in onion.
4. Fry until at least couple of shades before the final desired result; remove with sieve and scatter on paper towel-lined tray.
5. Allow to cool completely before storing.

Prawn Stock Paste

INGREDIENTS:

8 cups prawn shells including heads
¾ cup chicken powder
¼ cup sugar
2 tsps pepper
½ cup peeled garlic cloves
½ cup oil

METHOD:

1. Combine prawn shells and garlic cloves and fry about 2 minutes or until most of the moisture has been reduced. Add oil and fry until aromatic.
2. Add all other ingredients, fry until mixed through and sugar is dissolved.
3. Transfer into a food processor or Thermocook or Thermomix and blend until smooth.
4. Store in refrigerator for up to 10 weeks.
5. To use, reconstitute 2 Tbsps with 500ml boiling water, then strain into bowl of separately-blanched noodles etc.

Airfryer Ikan Bilis

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup ikan bilis, rinsed
1 Tbsp cooking oil

METHOD:

1. Toss ikan bilis with oil.
2. Cook in preheated airfryer (I used an Optimum HealthyFry) for 8 minutes at 170C.
3. Pause and toss after 4 minutes to ensure even cooking.
4. Remove and spread out to cool before use. Ikan bilis will crisp up further once it cools down.

*** I used an Optimum HealthyFry  in this post. More details on it can be found at Prestige Home Appliances.

The post How to Make Crispy Fried Onion, Prawn Stock Paste and Airfryer Ikan Bilis first appeared on Jackie M..

Har Meen Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 cups prawn shells including heads
• ¾ cup chicken powder
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tsps pepper
• ½ cup peeled garlic cloves
• 6 dried chillies, boiled until soft (optional)
• ½ cup oil

METHOD:

1. Combine prawn shells and garlic cloves and fry about 2 minutes or until most of the moisture has been reduced. Add oil and fry until aromatic.
2. Add all other ingredients except dried chillies, fry until mixed through and sugar is dissolved.
3. Transfer into a food processor or Thermocook or Thermomix, add boiled dried chillies and blend until smooth.
4. Store in refrigerator for up to 10 weeks.
5. To use, reconstitute 2 Tbsps with 500ml boiling water, then strain into bowl of separately-blanched noodles, prawns, boiled eggs and kangkung (ongchoy) etc.
6. Top with crispy fried shallots.

For assembly –

Separately poach noodles, kangkung, beansprouts, prawns and chicken, then serve with broth that’s reconstituted from the paste that’s been simmered with boiling water (you’ll want to use 2-3 Tbsps to 2 cups of water).

Top with half a boiled egg, onion crisps and garlic chives, and serve with a side of sambal belacan; recipe here >> http://jackiem.com.au/2016/12/15/make-green-chilli-sauce-sambal/

The post How to Make Har Meen (Malaysian Prawn Noodle Soup) first appeared on Jackie M..