RECIPE: Biryani, rendang, ondeh ondeh and 9 more dishes to cook up for Hari Raya Haji

CHICKEN BRIYANI

1/12

Recipe by Si Thu Kyaw, fleet manager

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

6 chicken thighs

For the chicken marinade:

250ml yogurt

1 slice ripe pineapple, chopped

1 tsp salt

For the masala mix:

400g fried shallots

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp salt

4 tbsp briyani masala*

4 tbsp oil

4 tbsp butter

4 cups basmati rice, rinsed only when you’re ready to cook

½ tsp turmeric

1 tbsp sugar

3 sticks cinnamon, split into 2cm lengths

4 bay leaves, roughly torn

1½ cup roasted cashew nuts

1 cup raisins

*Available at Mustafa Centre.

DIRECTIONS

1 Place the chicken in a large bowl with the yogurt. Crush the pineapple cubes over the meat to squeeze out the juice. Mix the crushed pineapples and salt in and leave to marinate for at least 15min.

2 In another bowl, crumb all the masala mix ingredients together. The mixture should be both sweet and salty. Don’t worry if the mixture tastes stronger than expected, the flavours will tone down when the rice is added later. (See above)

3 Transfer the chicken and marinade into a wok , and cook over medium heat, stirring every now and then to prevent the meat from sticking to the wok. (See above) Cook until you have about 3tbsp of gravy left. Transfer to a plate. 

4 Wipe the wok, and add 2tbsp oil. When the oil sizzles, add 1tbsp of butter. Once the butter melts, stir in 2tbsp of the masala mix. Add the chicken (discarding the pineapple chunks) and cook for 2min, stirring now and then. Transfer back onto a plate.





5 To parboil the basmati rice, bring a large pot of water to the boil, then add the rice. Add turmeric and sugar. Stir the rice continuously. At the 5min mark, taste a few grains of rice – the innermost part of the grain should be only slightly hard; otherwise, cook it a little longer. When ready, drain the rice. Do not run the rice under cold water.

6 Dry the pot, and heat 2tbsp of oil over medium heat. When the oil starts to sizzle, add 3tbsp of butter. When melted, add 2tbsp masala mix, cinnamon and bay leaves. Stir-fry the spices briefly to release the aroma.

7 Lower the flame to medium heat. Transfer two pieces of chicken thigh into the pot. Scatter just enough rice to cover the meat then sprinkle the masala mix even over. Sprinkle a layer of cashews and raisins.

8 Repeat another two times to layer the briyani. Cover the pot. After 10min, taste the briyani to check if the rice is fully cooked, then serve. 

TIP Only rinse the basmati rice when you are about to cook it. Rinsing the grains too early might cause the rice to be starchy.

NASI GORENG PATTAYA

2/12

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

300g minced beef

4 tsp light soya sauce

A few dashes of white pepper

5 tbsp vegetable oil

2 medium red onions, thinly sliced 

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

4 tsp chilli paste (optional)

4 cabbage leaves, coarsely shredded

2 tomatoes, deseeded and diced 

3 1/2 cups cooked basmati rice

2 cups frozen green peas

1 tsp salt

4 large eggs, beaten with 2 tbsp water

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix the beef, soya sauce and pepper thoroughly. Set aside.

2. Heat 3 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large frying pan. When the oil is hot, fry the onions and garlic until fragrant and light brown. If using it, add the chilli paste and cook for 3min until fragrant or when the oil separates from the chilli.

3. Add the beef and stir-fry until it’s cooked through. Add the cabbage and tomatoes, and stir-fry for 1min.

4. Add the rice and green peas, and stir-fry over high heat for 3min. Add salt to taste and transfer all the fried rice to a plate.

5. Add 1 tsp vegetable oil to the same pan and coat it well. When hot, pour in half of the beaten eggs and swirl to make a thin and even layer of egg. Cook until the base of the omelette is lightly browned and the top is set.

6. Leave the omelette in the pan and place half of the fried rice in the middle. Fold the edges of the egg over the fried rice to form a secure parcel. Invert the parcel from the pan onto a serving plate so that the folded edges are facing down.

7. Make a cross cut on the top of the omelette and fold back the flaps like flower petals to reveal the rice inside. Drizzle with ketchup or chilli sauce before serving.

8 Repeat steps 5 to 7 with the remaining eggs and fried rice. 

Coordination Rachel Xie Photography Winston Chuang Art Direction & Styling Nikki Ho

 

ROTI JALA

3/12

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

600g all-purpose flour

1 egg

1⁄2 cup oil + extra, for coating 2 tsp salt

1 litre water

1 pinch turmeric powder

DIRECTIONS

1 Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir well until it becomes a smooth batter.

2 Coat a hot plate with a thin layer of oil. Pour some batter into a roti jala mould and transfer over the hot plate. As the batter flows through the mould, make circular rounds around the hot plate to create net-like patterns.

3 After about 1min, or when batter is cooked, lift the roti jala, place on a plate and fold into a triangle. Repeat for the rest of the batter.

4 Serve with your choice of chicken curry or beef rendang.

BEEF RENDANG

4/12

Recipe by Annette Tan, freelance writer

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS

8 shallots, peeled

3 slices galangal, peeled

1 piece thumb-size ginger, peeled

20 dried red chillies, soaked in hot water for 10 min and drained

2 stalks lemongrass, white parts only

1 clove garlic, peeled

6 tbsp grated coconut, skin removed

3 tbsp canola oil

500g topside or beef shank, cut into large chunks

2½ cups coconut milk

1 fresh turmeric leaf, thinly sliced (optional.

1 kaffir lime leaf, thinly sliced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the shallots, galangal, ginger, dried red chillies, lemongrass and garlic into a food processor and blend to a fine paste. 

2. Place the grated coconut in a frying pan and dry-fry until it turns a deep golden.

3. Pound the coconut till fine.

4. Heat oil in a pot and fry the spice paste over medium heat for about 10 min, till it is cooked. Stir constantly.

5. Add the beef, pounded coconut, coconut milk, turmeric and kaffir lime leaves, salt and sugar. Keep stirring until the mixture boils. 

6. Cook on low heat in a covered pot for 4 hours (stirring every 20 min. until the gravy thickens and the meat is tender. Serve with rice. 

Photography Calvin Tan/Flame Production Studio Art Direction & Styling Diane Ng

PULUT INTI

5/12

Recipe by Esther Sim, founder and director of Cooking Art

Makes 20-30 pieces

INGREDIENTS

300g glutinous rice, washed and soaked for 30min

2 pandan leaves, knotted

100ml coconut milk

250ml water

½ tsp salt

360g palm sugar (gula melaka), roughly chopped

600g grated coconut

30 banana leaves, cut into 9cm by 16cm pieces and steamed for 5min

DIRECTIONS

1 Place the glutinous rice and pandan leaves on a muslin cloth and steam for 10 minutes.

2 Remove from heat and mix in the coconut milk, 100ml water and salt. Set aside for 10 minutes, then steam it for 20 minutes until the rice is soft.

3 To make the coconut topping for the pulut inti, mix 150ml water and palm sugar in a pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the grated coconut and stir-fry for 15 minutes over medium heat, until the mixture turns glossy.

4 Place a mound of rice on the matte side of the banana leaf.

5 Top with 1 tablespoon coconut topping, lightly pressing it down with a spoon.



6 Fold in the sides of the banana leaf to enclose the glutinous rice and coconut topping.

7 The final step: tuck in the ends of the banana leaf to make a triangular mound.



 

CHICKEN RENDANG PASTA

6/12

Recipe by Manfred Tham, freelance writer

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

200g Borges Fusilli Pasta

10g Finest Quality desiccated coconut

1 tbsp vegetable oil

300g boneless chicken fillet or thigh, cut into 3cm cubes

1 stalk lemongrass stalk, pounded lightly and halved lengthwise

3 kaffir lime leaves

1 packet Dancing Chef Pandang Rendang paste

150ml Emmi Greek yogurt

150ml water  

Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1 Cook the pasta until al dente, following the instructions on the packet. 

2 Toast the dessicated coconut in a dry pan set over medium heat, until completely brown. Set aside.

3 Heat the oil the pan. Sear the chicken for about 4min each side, until well-browned but not cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside. 

4 In a clean and dry pan, cook the lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves for about 1min, until fragrant. 

5 Add the rendang paste and cook for 3mins. Turn off the heat and cool completely. Then stir in the yogurt and water. 

6 Bring the mixture to the boil and add the seared chicken. Simmer on low heat for about 10mins until the meat is cooked through and the sauce thickens. 

7 Add the toasted coconut and serve the rendang on the pasta.

Photography Darren Chang Art Direction & Styling Diane Ng

LONTONG

7/12

Recipe by Sharifah Ismail, owner of Aiman Malay Food

Serves 5 – 6

INGREDIENTS

For the lontong paste:

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 large onion, roughly chopped

1 ½ stalk lemongrass (10cm a stalk), sliced

½ slice galangal

150g ikan bilis, soaked for 5min

For the vegetables:

80g carrot, peeled and sliced

250g yam bean, peeled and cut into 5cm strips

400g Chinese round cabbage, cut into bite-sized chunks

100g long beans, cut diagonally into 5cm lengths

2 daun salam (Indonesian bay leaves)*

2 ½ tbsp cooking oil

1 tbsp ground coriander

½ tbsp fish curry powder

500ml water

Sugar and salt, to taste

Ikan bilis powder, to taste (optional)

500ml coconut milk

2 tbsp sambal chilli oil

3 pieces tau kwa, halved into triangles and deep-fried

3 instant rice cakes*, boiled and cubed

6 hard-boiled eggs, halved

60g serunding (fried grated coconut)*

Sambal chilli to taste, for topping

*Instant rice cakes and serunding are available at Halal grocers; Sharifah recommends the Adabi or Nona brands of rice cakes. Daun salam is available at wet markets.

DIRECTIONS

1. Blend all the ingredients for the lontong paste into a smooth mixture.

2. Heat the cooking oil in a deep pot and fry the lontong paste over medium heat for about 5min, or until fragrant.

3. Add the ground coriander and fish curry powder.

4. Pour in the water, mix well, and bring to the boil.

5. Add the vegetables and cook until softened. Reduce the cooking time if you prefer your vegetables to have a firm bite.

6. Add sugar, salt and ikan bilis powder.

7. Add the coconut milk, stirring it in as you pour so it combines evenly. The mixture should thicken.

8. Turn off the heat when the mixture boils. Add the sambal chilli oil for colour and aroma, and the fried tau kwa.

9. Pour the gravy over the rice cakes and eggs before topping with serunding and sambal chilli.

Coordination Yeong Kar Yan Photo Jasper Yu Art Direction & Styling Nikki Ho

Aiman Malay Food CCMW Coffeeshop, #01-462 Jurong West Street 41 Bowl Robinsons The Heeren

LAMB RENDANG

8/12

Recipe by Terence Pang, executive pastry chef of The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore

 

INGREDIENTS

For the rendang paste:

75ml cooking oil

75g red onions, chopped 40g garlic, chopped

25g lemongrass, chopped 25g blue ginger (galangal), chopped

50g dried chillies, chopped 

2 turmeric leaves

2 kaffir lime leaves

6 cardamom pods

2 cinnamon sticks

500g lamb leg, cubed

20g coriander powder

20g cumin powder

10g turmeric powder

16ml lime juice

250ml coconut milk*

Salt, to taste

Sugar, to taste

For the baked potatoes:

200g purple potatoes*

20ml olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pan, heat the oil and saute the rendang paste ingredients until fragrant.

2. Add the tumeric leaves, lime leaves, cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks and stir-fry over medium heat for 5min.

3. Add the lamb cubes, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder and lime juice. Stir-fry until meat is browned and coated with the rendang paste.

4. Add coconut milk and simmer over low heat for 40min until the meat is tender. Add salt and sugar to taste.

5. Bake the potatoes in a preheated 150 deg C oven for 20min or until cooked. Peel and cut potatoes into chunks. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.

6. Transfer the lamb rendang to a food container or divide it into single portions and top with the baked potatoes.

*Coconut milk is available at the chiller sections of supermarkets. Purple potatoes are available at Cold Storage; when not in season, use any other kind of potatoes.

MEATBALL AND PUMPKIN RENDANG

9/12

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 pack Prima Taste Rendang Asian Dry Curry (includes a pack of rendang paste and a pack of coconut premix) 

½ pack Kottbullar Meatballs*

300g pumpkin, cubed

250ml water

*Available at the Swedish Food Market at Ikea

DIRECTIONS

1. Stir-fry the rendang paste for 1min over medium heat. 

2. Add the meatballs and pumpkin and coat them evenly with the rendang paste. Add the water and half of the coconut premix, and cook for 5min. 

3. Mix in the rest of the coconut premix and cook for another 
10min until the gravy thickens, stirring occasionally.

SWEET POTATO ONDEH ONDEH

10/12

Recipe by Tan Yong Siang, chef-owner of Tiong Bahru Galicier Pastry

Makes about 20 pieces

INGREDIENTS

100g glutinous rice flour

100g tapioca flour

1 tbsp pandan juice 

500g sweet potatoes, steamed

50g palm sugar (gula melaka)*, chopped into small chunks

8 pandan leaves

2 cups grated coconut

To make the pandan juice

Rinse, then finely slice a handful of pandan leaves. Place in a blender and add water to about halfway up the leaves. Whizz until you get a fine paste. Add more water if the blades get stuck. Pass the paste through a sieve to extract the juice; discard the pulp. Use what you need and freeze the extra in ice-cube trays.

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the flours, pandan juice and sweet potatoes in a mixing bowl, and knead until a smooth dough forms.

2. Pinch a small amount of dough, and roll it in your palms to form a ball.

3. Make a dent in the centre of the dough, and place a piece of palm sugar in it. Pinch the dough to close it, and roll it to form a smooth ball.

4. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add the pandan leaves, then the dough balls. When they float to the surface, drain, then transfer the balls into a pot of cool water.

5. Drain, then roll in grated coconut to coat evenly.

*Available at wet markets and Fairprice supermarkets.

Coordination Cheryl Leong Photography Frenchescar Lim Art Direction & Styling Nikki Ho

Tiong Bahru Galicier Pastry #01-13, Blk 55 Tiong Bahru Road (6324-1686)

 

MEE SIAM

11/12

Recipe by Sunny De Costa, sous chef of Raffles Town Club

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

Oil, for frying

1.4 litres + 150ml water

For The Gravy:

1¹/³ tbsp dried shrimp

1¹/³ tbsp dried chili paste

1 small onion, minced

1¹/³ tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp belacan, toasted

60g peanuts, roasted and chopped

60g fermented soya bean

2 tbsp tamarind juice

1 tamarind fl ower

Salt, to taste

Sugar, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1 Heat oil in non-stick pan. Add in all the ingredients for thegravy and stir-fry for 2-3min. Add 1.4 litres of water, stir, bring to boil and set aside.

2 Heat up oil in pan, add minced onion and garlic and stirfry till fragrant.

3 Add 150ml water and the rest of the ingredients for the noodles. Stir-fry till almost dry, then lower the heat and toss till the noodle is dry.

4 Transfer to four serving bowls; spoon the gravy over and garnish with spring onions and half a calamansi for each portion. Serve immediately, and with sambal chilli on the side.

CHILLI CRAB MEE GORENG

12/12

Recipe by Paul Then, executive chef of Sheraton Towers

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

50ml water

200g instant chilli crab paste*

20g cornflour

100g chilled crabmeat*

2 tbsp vegetable oil

4 eggs, beaten

8 stalks chye sim

80g beansprouts

2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

1 potato, peeled and diced

60g sliced squid

600g yellow noodles

5 tbsp tomato ketchup

DIRECTIONS

1 In a pot, mix the water and chilli crab paste, and bring the mixture to the boil. Add cornflour to thicken. Stir in the crabmeat and cook for 10 seconds, covered. Turn off the heat and set aside.

2 Heat up the oil in a wok. Add the eggs, chye sim, beansprouts, tomatoes, potatoes and squid. Fry for 1min over high heat.

3 Add the yellow noodles and tomato ketchup, and fry for 2min. Transfer to a bowl.

4 Top the noodles with the chilli crab and sauce to serve.

*Instant chilli crab paste is available at the Asian condiment section of major supermarkets in Singapore. Crabmeat is available at the chiller section.