MALAYSIAN LOCKDOWN MEALS [7]

 

12345 or 54321 is a name of a sauce ingredient for fried meats. It refers to the ratios of 5 basic ingredients: cooking wine, sugar, light soy sauce, black vinegar and water. The result is a sticky sauce that coats and flavours the fried meats which is very appetising as it tastes sweet and sour.

I have made some fried tau pau with fish paste filling [fresh beancurd sheets with fish paste filling] and thought it would be good idea to flavour them with this 12345 sauce.  No regrets, tastes good, appetising to go with rice.  You can get ready made fried tau pau from the wet market to prepare this dish but you may need to ingredient the sauce portion enough to braise them.  For vegans, you can substitute with plain fresh tau pau with any filling [beancurd skin].

The other vegetable dish is simple and you can just mix and match the ingredients in so long as you have the Buddha's Gourd.  For vegans, just omit the dried prawns.

Dish 12 - 12345 Fried Fish Paste Tau Pau

Ingredients

4 pieces fried seafood tau pau - each cut into two equal portions

1/2 red capsicum - seeded and cut strips

1/2 green capsicum - seeded and cut strips

some toasted sesame seeds for granishing

12345 Sauce Ingredients [combined]

1 tbsp cooking wine

2 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp light soy sauce

4 tbsp black vinegar

5 tbsp water

1. Pan fried taupau over medium low heat until golden brown in colour and fish paste is cooked.  Dish up and cut each pieces into 2 equal portions.  
2. Using the same wok, remove excess oil.  Saute capsicum for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add in fried tau pau pieces, pour in the sauce, bring to boil.  Stir fry to coat the tau pau pieces with the sauce.
4. Sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds.  Serve immediately.

Dish 13 - Stir Fry Buddha's Gourd with Taukwa

Ingredients

1 medium size Buddha's gourd - cut half and shredded into strips

50 gm red carrots - peeled and shredded

1-2 pieces firm beancurd - cut strips and place in a colander

some spring onions - cut sections

1 tbsp dried prawns - rinsed and chopped

1 tsp chopped ginger

1 tsp sesame seed oil

1 tbsp cooking oil

Seasoning

salt, msg and pepper to taste

1. Pan fry beancurd strips with some oil in a non-stick pan until golden brown and dry.  Dish up.
2. Prepare the remaining ingredients as stated.
3. Heat a non stick pan with oil, saute ginger and dried prawns until aromatic.  Add in fried beancurd and shredded ingredients.  Continue to stir fry until cooked.  You can cooked it till soft or crunchy [according to preferenc]. Drizzle in some water.  Add in seasoning to taste.
4. Stir to mix well, add in spring onions and dish up to serve.