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Ingredients

How To Toast Belacan Shrimp Paste

Belacan or shrimp paste is an essential ingredient in Malaysian cuisine. This pungent but delicious seafood produce is used in many popular traditional food in Malaysia such as nasi lemak and asam laksa. Belacan is raw and need to be cooked. At supermarket, you can also find those that are pre-toasted in sliced and powdered …

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Belacan Shrimp Paste

Belacan is a fermented cooking produce used in Asia. It’s made mainly from shrimp and salt, then fermented for a few weeks. It’s then sun-dried and cut into blocks for sale. It is normally made commercially. However, some families at fishing villages makes it themselves too. I have bought one from the Portuguese-Malaccan community at …

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Kaffir Lime Leaves & Powder

Kaffir lime leaves are easily recognisable. The leaves are dark green in colour and have a unique double-segmented leaves. Its hour glass shape and deep emerald green leaves adorn dull, brown curries beautifully. I’ll garnish curry with the whole leaf or sprinkle long and thinly slices leaves on it. Tear the leaves slightly and you’ll whiff …

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Curry Leaves

In Malaysia, curry leaves are available in the gardens of many households. I live in the surburb where you can easily find this plant growing by the roadside. As my neighbour has a huge and healthy curry leaves tree (which she generously offer us to pluck anytime), we didn’t have to plant any in our …

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Mixed Fenugreek Spice/ Talipu

Mixed Fenugreek is a mix of fenugreek, fennel, mustard seed, cumin and urad dal. I first learned of this spice mix when I learned to make dhal curry from Aunty Clara, an Indian mother who cooks for her family. If you’re a fan of dhal, you will notice the specks of black dots that’s in …

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Kombu (Kelp)

Kelp, or known as kombu/ konbu in Japanese, is a type of seaweed. Its widely used in Japan to make a soup base called dashi (Recipe: Japanese Dashi Stock). Taste & smell Seaweed has the basic salty-savoury taste thanks to concentrated minerals and amino acid, especially glumatic acid (major component of MSG). It also contains …

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