Chai Boey

Chai Boey

I mentioned earlier about my family's preparation for ancestral praying in conjunction with 'Hungry Ghost Festival' equivalent to Chinese Halloween.  My Ma cooked several dishes in quite big quantity and there were some leftovers [called Chai Boey in Hokkien dialect] such as the Pig's Tripe Soup [Too Thor Th'ng] and Popiah Vegetables [Family Style Stir Fry Spring Rolls Fillings]. 

Most of the time these 2 dishes were prepared in big quantities because the left overs can be converted into another very popular local dish called Chai Boey by just combining a few ingredients and stewed to enhance the flavour of the dish.  It is a very appetising dish because of the spicy, sourish flavour and definitely very tasty.   No two Chai Boey recipe is the same.  It differs from family to family, even my way of preparation differs from my Ma depending on what leftovers we have.  Please visit 'The Digital Awakening' food blog for a more elaborate write up of this dish.
Here is my Ma's version for today's Chai Boey.  If you prefer more leafy greens then add more mustard leaves.

Mustard leaves

Leftovers and other ingredients

Ingredients
A pot of leftovers - Soup and Stir Fry Vegetables
2-3 stalks of lemongrass - lightly bruised
4-5 pieces of tamarind slices [assam keping] - wash
7-8 dried red chillies -wash
4 calamasi limes - cut into half
1 kg mustard [kuah chai] - clean and break into big pieces
2 stalks of kiam chye [salted leafy vegetable] - clean, soak and cut

• Put all ingredients in a big pot.   Bring it to a boil on high heat for 10 minutes.  Add a little more water if soup is not enough to cover ingredients.  Stir to combine all ingredients well, then turn down the heat to medium and continue to simmer for about 20 minutes or until the mustard leaves are soft.  
• Serve hot or warm with rice.  

Mustard leaves added to leftovers and stewed

Isn't it appetising? Chai Boey 

Notes

• Some families will cook 'Chai Boey' with Kiam Chye Ark [Salted Vegetable Duck Soup] but Jiu Hoo Char or Popiah Chye is a must have to prepare this dish [common in Penang].  I will post the recipes for Chai Boey with different leftovers whenever possible.  My MIL [mother in-law] adds more varieties of leftovers because she prepares more varieties of food such as Stir Fry Cauliflower with Chicken Innards, Sweet & Sour Cucumber and Stir Fry Chicken in Soy Sauce etc.
• For my family, Chai Boey is a must have dish during Chinese New Year as my husband's siblings living outstation and abroad will always request for it.