Recipe Of Malaysian Spicy Dishes

A spicy dish can dial up the deliciousness of a meal for spice-loving Malaysians. You can literally add variety to your life with these three main dishes, best served with steaming hot rice. 

Spicy Stir-fried Crabs

3 tbsp oil

1 tbsp finely sliced ginger

1 stalk lemongrass, smashed

1 stalk curry leaves 

2 tbsp chilli paste

1 onion, peeled, halved and sliced

2 long beans, cut into sections

2 kaffir lime leaves, crushed

3 flower crabs (650g), halved

1 small tomato, cut into wedges

1 red chilli, sliced

1 green chilli, sliced

125ml evaporated milk

1 stalk spring onion, cut into sections

Seasoning

1 tsp chicken stock powder

1/4 tsp sugar

1 tbsp fish sauce

1/8 tsp pepper

Adequate salt to taste

Heat the oil in a wok, and fry the ginger, lemongrass and curry leaves until fragrant. 

Add chilli paste and continue to fry until aromatic. Add onion, long beans and kaffir lime leaves; stir-fry well.

Add crabs, tomato and chillies. Pour in evaporated milk, add seasoning, and spring onion. Fry briskly until gravy is reduced and crabs are cooked through.

Chicken in Dry Spicy Sauce

4 tbsp oil

1 onion, cut into wedges

20g ginger, sliced

800g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 calamansi limes, juiced and mixed with 100ml evaporated milk

1 potato, cut into wedges

100g taro, cubed and deep fried

Spice mix

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp fennel powder

1 tbsp meat curry powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

3 cloves

3 cardamoms

1 star anise

3cm cinnamon stick

1 stalk curry leaves

1 screwpine leaf, knotted

Ground spice paste

Chicken in Dry Spicy Sauce

4 tbsp oil

1 onion, cut into wedges 

20g ginger, sliced

800g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 calamansi limes, juiced and mixed with 100ml evaporated milk

1 potato, cut into wedges

100g taro, cubed and deep fried 

Spice mix 

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp fennel powder

1 tbsp meat curry powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

3 cloves

3 cardamoms

1 star anise

3cm cinnamon stick

1 stalk curry leaves

1 screwpine leaf, knotted

Ground spice paste

4 dried chillies, seeded and soaked

4 fresh red chillies, seeded

2 thin slices galangal

1 stalk lemon grass

Seasoning

Salt, sugar and pepper to taste

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan. Fry the onion and ginger until onion is soft and ginger is fragrant. 

Add in the spice mix and paste, and fry well, until it is aromatic. 

Add the chicken, tomato paste, and calamansi lime juice and evaporated milk mixture. Stir well, and allow to cook to a simmer.

Add potato and taro. Cook until meat, potato and taro are cooked through and gravy is thick. Season to taste.

Tom Yam Fish Head

1/2 a fish head (garoupa), cleaned

Salt and pepper to taste

Tapioca flour for coating

600ml water 

100g cauliflower, cut into florets

5 oyster mushrooms 

1 small tomato, cut into wedges

2-3 tbsp lime juice

2 stalks coriander, roughly chopped

Ingredients A

2 stalks lemongrass, crushed

4 shallots

3 slices galangal

3 kaffir lime leaves, lightly crushed

4 bird’s eye chillies, lightly crushed

2 stalks coriander root, lightly crushed

Ingredients B

2 tbsp tom yam paste

1 tbsp evaporated milk

3 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp chicken stock powder

1/2 tsp sugar or to taste

Lightly season the fish head with salt and pepper. Coat the fish head with tapioca flour, then deep fry in hot oil until golden and cooked through.

Bring the water to a boil. Add ingredients A and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until the stock is fragrant.

Add ingredients B, cauliflower, oyster mushrooms, tomato, and fish head. Bring to a brief boil again.

Add the lime juice and coriander. Close the pot and steep for 2 to 3 minutes before dishing out. 

Serve immediately.