Friday, June 26, 2009

Nyonya Chap Chai (Nyonya Mixed Vegetable)



This is a Nyonya style mixed vegetable which uses preserved bean paste. This dish is normally served during Chinese New Year and is associated with festive dishes. Since I have all the ingredients, I gave this dish a go (first time trying). My glass noodle disintegrated and almost melted following the recipe in the cook book (not sure brand of glass noodle plays a part or not). The taste did not come out well too and something was missing. In the end, I had to add a few more seasonings to bring out the taste and had to change the method in the cook book for my own record, so that one can still see the glass noodle once this dish is cooked. Believe it or not, I always refer back to my blog for my own recipes because most of the recipes I created out of the blue and often time I forgot what I put into the dish. So, these recipes are not only for my girls but for myself as well.




Ingredients:


  • 1/2 small Cabbage, shredded, or cubed
  • 1 small Carrot, cut into flower shapes
  • 1/4 cup Dried Lily Buds, soften in hot water, drained and cut off the hard tip and tie a knot
  • 1/2 cup Wood Ear Fungus, soften in hot water
  • 5-6 Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, soften in hot water, drained and sliced
  • 4 Dried beancurd sticks (tau kee), soften in hot water, drained and cut
  • 2 bundles Glass Noodle (tang hoon), soften in room-temp. water and drained
  • 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Dried Shrimps (you can use shrimps)

Seasonings:

  • 3 Tbsp. Preserved Bean Paste (tau cheo)
  • 1 tsp. Chicken stock granules
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tsp. Sugar
  • 1 to 2 cups Water

Method:

1. In a pot, heat up some oil. when heated, add in dried shrimps, garlic and tau cheo. Stir-fry until fragrant. Add in cabbage and carrot, stir-fry until soften.

2. Add in shiitake mushrooms, wood ear, lily buds and beancurd sticks. Stir- well to mix. Add water and the rest of the seasonings. Let it simmer, covered for 10-15 minutes, check water level if need to. Open cover, add in glass noodle and mix well. Turn off the heat and serve.


P/S The cook book asked to add the glass noodle with the rest of the ingredients and simmer it for 20 minutes. Bad move as I learned later. I was trying to trust the cookbook and follow the instruction for once, but guess not. Seasoning was off too. Received a great tips, that is to soften the glass noodle in room-temp. water instead of hot water to prevent it from broken out when cooking.

13 comments:

Taste of My Life said...

This is loking good and yummy!

sock peng said...

My mom always cook this meal

Diana Tan said...

Quote: "So, these recipes are not only for my girls but for myself as well. "

This is a great way to share your cooking expertise not only with your girls, but also to the world. =)

P.S. I think it is time for me to interview my mum for recipes.

Anonymous said...

new recipe for me! it reminds a bit of Korean chop chae. :)

My Asian Kitchen said...

my mom and grandma love to cook this dish!!I like to eat the galss noodles only!! bet your must taste good..

The Cooking Ninja said...

That looks yummy. My mom always cook nonya chap chai but this evening, she cooked the version without soy bean paste. :) Also very good.

tigerfish said...

I've cooked this dish before. I usually add glass noodles towards the end of cooking cos they absorb too much gravy if added too early :O

Ling's Passion said...

I love this dish. Not only healthy but also tasty.

Little Corner of Mine said...

Thanks Taste of Life.

SP, very Penang Nyonya dish ya.

Yes Diana, also to the world. :P

Not quite the same, epicurean.

Yeah Les, I like the glass noodle too, next time will have to add it in the end.

Cooking Ninja, without the soy bean paste, so she used oyster sauce?

Yes Tigerfish, should have added it in the end, if not gone the glass noodle. Haha...

Agreed Ling.

Anonymous said...

Hi, I like your blog and you are very generous to share with us your recipe.
My mom used to cooked this, however our hakka style did not use the Tau Cheu. We use the "Lam Yee".
Regards,
Judy

Unknown said...

oh...in indonesia, chap chai doesn't include glass noodles...this looks similar to korean version ya?

but good to try, i always love tauco. i agree...cooking with so'un (vermicelli) can be tricky sometimes...

Chien said...

Hi

My experience with Glass Noodles (Tang Hoon) is to soak them in room temp water, not hot water. This will prevent the noodles from getting disintegrated when cooked.

Hope this helps.

Little Corner of Mine said...

Thank you for the great tips Chien. I will modify my post to include this.