← Nouns Cooking · Malaysian & Singaporean

Ingredients

• 300 g rice (white or brown), cooked
• 40 g basil leaves
• 15 g mint leaves
• 30 g coriander leaves and stems
• 2 tbsp Loose green tea leaves
• 60 g roasted peanuts
• 2 tbsp Sesame seeds, toasted
• ¾ tsp Salt
• 750 ml hot water (not boiling)
• 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 250 g choy sum or mustard greens, finely chopped
• 200 g Long beans (kacang panjang), cut into 1 cm pieces
• 200 g Cabbage, finely shredded
• 200 g extra-firm tofu (tau kwa), diced small
• 80 g Preserved radish (chai poh / lobak masin), rinsed and chopped
• 80 g roasted peanuts, to top
• 30 g Dried shrimp, soaked and chopped (optional)

Method

1. Make the tea broth: blend the basil, mint, coriander, tea leaves, peanuts, sesame and salt with about a third of the hot water until very smooth, then stir in the rest. Taste for salt and keep warm without boiling.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok over medium heat and fry the tofu for 4–5 min until golden. Set aside.
3. Dry-fry the chai poh in a little oil for 2–3 min until fragrant and slightly crisp. Set aside, then do the same with the dried shrimp, if using.
4. Stir-fry each vegetable separately over high heat with a little garlic, oil and a pinch of salt: 1–2 min for the greens and cabbage, 3–4 min for the long beans, until just tender and still bright.
5. Fill bowls with rice and arrange the vegetables, tofu, chai poh, shrimp and peanuts on top in little mounds.
6. Serve the green tea broth alongside in small bowls to pour over or sip between mouthfuls.

Tips

• Traditionally the herbs are pounded in a large ridged clay bowl with a guava-wood pestle; a blender is far quicker.
• Dried shrimp makes it non-vegetarian; leave it out for the vegan bowl. Contains peanuts and sesame.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

What To Cook Today The Meatmen Celestial Peach