Stir fry 3 kinds of beans and prawns with sambal belachan

I remember when I cook sambal belachan the first time in the little apartment in California fifteen years back, my hubby asked me what is that pungent smell. I told him is belachan (shrimp paste). I believed this pungent smell is very similar to the pungent smell of blue cheese to me.  It is strange how different cultures perceive food. The following dish is a sambal belachan dish with all my favorite ingredients.  I do not know if petai is available in certain countries but if it is not, you can omit it and the dish will still taste as good. 

Main Ingredients:

2 tbs vegetable oil
1 lb medium size prawn, removed shell and deveined.
1 tbs sugar

8 pieces of french beans, cut into 1 ½ in long per piece

6 pieces of lady’s finger, cut into 1 ½ in long

1 cup petai, halved and seed removed

(A)
Sambal sauce ingredients:
10 pcs shallot, peeled

10 red long chillies

5 cloves garlic

100 gm dried red chillies (soaked for 2 hours, you can add more if you like it more spicy)
2 tbs dried shrimps

1/2 in cube belacan, fried and mashed
3/4 cup water
salt and ground white pepper to taste

Method:

Marinate prawns with sugar for 10 minutes. Put (A) in blender and blend well . Heat wok with oil and add blended sambal belachan sauce and stir fry for 10 minutes. Add petai, french beans and ladies finger and stir fry till the beans look darker green, about 5 mins. Add prawns and (B) and stir fry another 5 minutes or until shrimp is cooked but not overdone. Serve with hot steamed rice.

Stir fry French beans with diced prawn and sweet choy poh - Featured in Group Recipes

One of the many favorite dishes that my mum cooks for me. This one so simple to make. This dish goes well with both porridge and steamed rice. 

Ingredients:

300 gm French beans, diced

1 red chilly, remove the seeds and diced

10 medium size prawns, wash and diced

2 tbs sweet choy poh (this is sold chopped in packet in the grocery store)

½ white onion, diced

1 tsp vegetable oil

1 tsp chopped garlic

2 tbs water

Marinate the prawns with for 10 mins:

½ tsp sugar

¼ tsp ground white pepper

1 tbs sesame oil

Method:

Heat oil in wok and add garlic. Stir fry till fragrant, add onions and choy poh and stir fry till onions are translucent.  Add French beans till the color turn darker green, add prawns and water.  Stir fry till all water evaporated but ensure the French beans are not overcooked. Transfer to serving plate. 

Note: If you do not like the strong taste of sesame oil, you can reduce from 3/4 to 1/2 tbs or adjust according to your taste.

Mushroom gratin

If you have enough of mushroom soup left over from trying out my mushroom soup recipe.

http://quaypocooks.blogspot.com/2010/09/mushroom-soup.html

You can use it to make gratin. I use shaved ham because I have lots of it in the fridge and my hubby bought another batch of sliced ham yesterday.  You can used other meat or no meat at all.  I am sure you can be more creative than me:D  There is always a layer of bread crumbs in gratin but try not to put that in this one but if you have to have it, JUST DO IT!

Mushrooms gratin

Ingredient

30 gm fresh shitake mushroom (sliced)

30 gm Erigngii mushroom (sliced)

30 gm baby french beans (blanched and cold bath) cut into 2 in strips

1 medium size yellow potatoes (diced and blanched)

120 gm shaved ham

mozzarella cheese

left over mushroom soup

½ ts oil olive

Method

Mix mushrooms, potatoes and French beans in a bowl.  Brush baking dish with olive oil. Add a layer of  the mix.  Top a layer of shaved ham.  Pour in mushroom soup to cover the shaved ham.  Repeat one more time.  Top with mozzarella cheese and bake in oven for 30 mins at 180 degree C.