Ikan bilis, aka dried anchovies, is so highly-prized among overseas Malaysians that my stepmom makes a point of using her entire luggage allowance on ikan bilis each time she comes home from a visit to Malaysia. (I’m aware you can buy ikan bilis from other countries, but once you’ve tried the Malaysian variety you’ll realise there’s a world of » Read More
How to Make Crispy Fried Onion, Prawn Stock Paste and Airfryer Ikan Bilis
I’ve made crispy fried onions and prawn stock paste in the past but here are the recipes again, for those who caught this episode of Live Asian Kitchen. 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 » Read More
How to Make Sambal Ikan Bilis
Sambal Ikan Bilis Recipe INGREDIENTS: 2 large brown onions 1 cup chillies or ½ cup chilli paste 1 Tbsp minced lemongrass 2 tsp belacan powder (shrimp paste) - optional 2 tsp chicken stock granules 5 Tbsp sugar 3 Tbsp tamarind concentrate (amount varies depending on type) 4 Tbsp oil 2 cups dried anchovies - rinse, » Read More
How to Make Nasi Lemak – Part 2
Chilli Sambal Ingredients: 2 Tbsp oil, reserved from frying ikan bilis (anchovies) ¼ cup onion, puréed ¼ cup onion, thinly sliced ½ chicken stock granules ¼ cup sugar 1 Tbsp tamarind extract 2 tsp belacan (shrimp paste) granules ¼ cup chilli paste (made from blended, soaked dried chillies) Method: Heat oil in » Read More
How to Make Nasi Lemak – Part 1
Nasi lemak is the unofficial ‘national dish’ of Malaysia, and a popular breakfast item that you’ll find wrapped in banana leaf at street-side stalls. A number of side dishes and condiments go into this dish and they vary slightly depending on where you are, but at my restaurant I always served Nasi Lemak with coconut rice, cucumber slices, dried » Read More
How to Prepare Ikan Bilis (Dried Anchovies)
Print PDF I remember when Delia Smith's cookbook came out back in the day and the scorn she received (in my household, to be fair) for her "How to Boil an Egg" tutorial - as we collectively ranted about its perceived redundancy - who doesn't know how to boil an egg?! Well, call this culinary karma if you will, but I've been compelled to produce » Read More