Green papaya salad

Green papaya is said to help fight stomach ulcers. It also aids digestion.

Green papaya should always be stored in the fridge and used within one week.

The seeds of the green papaya should be discarded, whereas ripe papaya seeds can be dried and ground and used as a substitute for black pepper.


Green papaya - Part 1.

Light and tangy, this makes a great appetiser or quick-fix lunch.

Ingredients (serves 4):
1/2 medium green papaya, finely sliced
5 lettuce leaves, shredded
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 chilli padi, chopped
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 cup coriander leaves
4 frozen crabsticks, thawed and thinly sliced
100g honey-baked ham, finely sliced
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, crushed

Dressing:
2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
4 tbsp Thai sweet chilli sauce
1 heaped tsp chopped garlic
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp fine brown sugar

Method:
1. Pat dry shredded green papaya. Arrange lettuce and cherry tomatoes on a serving dish.
2. Whisk all the salad dressing ingredients together.
3. Add chilli padi, shallots, coriander and green papaya to the dressing and mix well.
4. Put green papaya, along with the dressing, sliced crabsticks and ham on top of the lettuce.
5. Garnish with ground peanuts and serve immediately.

Tips:
Add 2 tsp small dried shrimps (soaked first) to the dressing.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (May 2007)

Oyster omelette lite

An almost grease-free version of this hawker favourite.

Serving size: 220g
Calories per serving: 180kcal
Fat: 11.7g

Ingredients (serves 2-3):
1/2 cup fresh oysters
5 tbsp sweet potato flour
100ml water
1 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tbsp Chinese wine
1/4 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
2 tbsp canola oil
2 spring onions, cut into 3cm lengths
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped
50g lettuce, shredded
Chilli sauce and a wedge of lime, to serve

Method:
1. Season oysters with a splash of Chinese wine and sesame oil.
2. Mix sweet potato flour, water, light soya sauce, Chinese wine, salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in non-stick pan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 5 seconds.
4. Pour in sweet potato flour mixture.
5. After 10-15 seconds, or when flour mixture becomes crisp at edges, crack eggs over.
6. When eggs are set, add oysters and spring onions.
7. After 5 seconds, stir omelette and break it up.
8. Remove from heat and scatter coriander.
9. Transfer omelette to a serving plate and top it with lettuce. Serve with chilli sauce and a wedge of lime.

Tips:
Cut down on the oil you use for frying by using a non-stick pan or well-seasoned wok.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Mar 2007)

Roti john

Roti John, essentially an omelette sandwich, is a popular Malay breakfast and snack item in Malaysia and Singapore. This is a healthier version.

Serve size: 260g
Calories per serving: 440kcal
Fat: 16g

Ingredients (serves 8):
1 French loaf, sliced thickly
400g minced beef or chicken or sardines
2 eggs, beaten
1 large onion, minced
2 green chillies, seeded and minced
2 tsp meat curry powder
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ginger, minced
salt and sugar to taste
2 fresh green chillies, chopped
sweet chilli sauce & ketchup
cucumber, sliced

Method:
1. Mix beaten egg, minced onion and meat together.
2. Add curry powder, garlic, ginger, salt and sugar. Mix in the chillies.
3. Spread the mixture onto thick slices of French loaf.
4. Heat a pan and coat thinly with oil. Shallow-fry the bread slices until the egg mixture becomes brown and sizzling and the bread is crispy.
5. Serve with cucumber slices, sweet chilli sauce and ketchup.

Tips:
If you can't fund lotus leaves, use a porcelain rice bowl as a mould.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Aug 2006)

Har Cheong Kai (虾酱鸡)

Har Cheong Kai is chicken marinated in shrimp sauce and other aromatic seasonings and fried to a beautiful golden-red hue.

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):
5 tbsp chopped ginger
3 1/2 tbsp Chinese rose wine (玫瑰露酒)
2 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Fine Shrimp Sauce (幼滑虾酱)
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp sugar or honey
A pinch of white pepper
1 chicken, cleaned and chopped into small pieces
150g tapioca flour
Oil for deep-frying
Cut calamansi limes, sliced cucumber and tomato, chilli sauce as garnish

Method:
1. Pound ginger to extract about 2 tablespoons of ginger juice. Stir well with rose wine, shrimp paste, cornstarch, sugar and pepper in a large bowl.
2. Add chicken, mix well. Cover, refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.
3. Heat oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Roll chicken pieces in tapioca flour to coat, shaking off the excess to leave a thin, but even, coat.
4. Fry a few pieces of chicken at a time for about 5 to 6 minutes until they turn pale golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
5. Reheat oil until very hot, then fry chicken again for 1 to 2 minutes, till they turn a deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve with garnishes.

Tips:
For convenience and good results, mix the meat with the marinade in the morning and fry it for dinner the same night.

Recipe source: Today newspaper