Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Sardines with Tapioca Shoots

Star Q


Ramadan is the month when your taste buds get all finicky and haywire and nothing seems to whet your appetite.  You visit the bazaar where the huge array of delicious food seem to have no impact on your waning desire to eat and you begin to recall all the dishes your mom used to cook.

This recipe is one such recipe my late mom used to prepare for us.  I remember when I was around the age of 7 or 8, and my dad was just a corporal in the army, my mom planted any vegetable she could to compensate my dad's meager earning.  And with the few vegetables she did manage to plant, she was very good at creating different recipes, the tapioca shoot being a sterling example of her creativity.  

  • 1 can sardines in tomato sauce (about 6 pieces)
  • 15 birds eye chilies
  • 1 inch fresh turmeric
  • 3 shallots
  • 1 lemon grass, bruised
  • 250 ml coconut milk
  • 2 pieces Asam Gelugor
  • 1 bunch young tapioca shoots
  • Salt for seasoning


First prepare the tapioca shoots by boiling it.  Once cooked, drain and squeeze as much water from it as possible.  As for the sardines, remove all the tomato sauce, save 1 tbs.

In a blender, place the birds eye chilies, fresh turmeric and shallots with a little water, and blitz until fine.  Place this in a pot along with the lemon grass, tapioca shoots, sardines (and the 1 tbs tomato sauce) and coconut milk and simmer slowly for 5 minutes.  Then add in the Asam Gelugor and continue to simmer for a further two minutes.  Season with salt before turning off the heat.


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