Johor is one of the most developed states in Malaysia.The capital city and royal seat of Johor is Johor Baru.Johor, being a major gateway of Malaysia, receives more than 20 million visitors yearly. Many of them hail from the neighboring country Singapore.
When it comes about food ,Johor boasts quite a few of its signature dishes.It is said that the food is influenced by Arabs and the surrounding Malay archipelago.Some of the dishes are a unique blend of ingredients not found anywhere else in Malaysia.Sadly, due to difficult and sometimes complicated recipes, some are rare delights and can only be sampled during festive celebrations.
One of the least well known and a commoner is the Mee Rebus Johor. It is a noodle dish which consists of mee/yellow noodle and served with a tangy ,spicy brown gravy ,top with some condiments.I came across a few version of the recipes, but finally opt with trying out a recipe from the Saji Magazine, Oct 2003 issue.
I cant say its easy because it does take some time to prepare the dish. But it is an one set meal so there is no problem in spending some time for it.The common ingredient one would come across is beef for this dish but I have omitted it since I dont take beef. Beside getting the most fresh products possible to prepare the dish,you have to prepare the stock, then do the prawn crackers and then the gravy. The final bit would be cutting, slicing , boiling and blanching all the rest of the ingredients.
Photo: Center- gravy,followed by from the right, beansprout, prawn crackers,halve
kaffir lime/limau kasturi ,boiled egg, chopped cilantro and spring onions,
sliced firm fried beancurd, red and green chillies slice and finally noodle.
Ingredients:1 kg noodle (blanched for 3-4mins)
200gm beansprout (blanched a few seconds)
1 bunch cilantro/daun sup/ketumbar (chopped)
1 bunch spring onions(chopped)
5 red chillies (sliced thinly)
5 green chillies (sliced thinly)
5 calamansi limes / limau kasturi (halve)
2 firm fried beancurd (fry slightly and sliced)
5 eggs (boiled and cut into a few parts)
Some shallot crisps
Prawn Crackers
3 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp rice flour
½ tbsp dried prawns(soak in water ,squeeze out after 10mins and pound finely)
Salt to taste
Gravy
250gm prawns
4 tbsp taucheo (fremented yellow bean sauce)
1 cup groundnuts
400gm sweet potato (I used the orange sweet potato)
To grind to a paste
100gm dried prawns (soak in water for 10mins)
2 lemon grass (use the bottom part only)
2 cm galangal
2 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
10-15 dried red chillies(soak in lukewarm water)
7 shallots
4 garlic
Method:
To Prepare the gravy:
Roast the groundnuts and discard the skin.Grind to a fine paste.Keep aside. Use the prawn shell to make 2 cups of prawn stock.
Boil the sweet potato and mashed it fine.Leave aside.
Heat up about 4-5 tbsp of oil, saute the grind ingredients until dried and aromatic.Then add in the prawn stock ,prawns and tauchew. Leave to simmer. Add in salt and sugar to taste. I like the gravy to be slightly in the sweeter side therefore added 2 tbsp of chopped palm sugar/gula melaka.Finally add in sweet potato and groundnuts. This is to thicken the gravy . Close fire until the required thickness is obtained.
To prepare Prawn Crackers:Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Use about ¼ cup of water to make it into a batter.Be careful not to make the batter too watery.Heat oil, placing a tbsp of batter on a ladle, flatten it with your finger and lower the ladle in the oil and let it fry for a few minutes.Using a spoon slowly take the crackers out from the ladle and let it fry further until brown and crisp.Dish out and drain in paper towel.
Boil the eggs and cut into desired parts. Blanch the noodles and beansprout for a few minutes.
To serve: In a bowl,place noodles and beansprout, crumble the crackers and then pour in the hot gravy.The gravy should be slightly hot at all times.Granish with boiled egg, chopped cilantro and spring onions ,sliced beancurd, red and green chillies and shallot crisp.
Note: If using beef , add in when you add in the stock. Leave the meat to be tender before adding in sweet potato and groundnuts.It is advisable to prepare the prawn crackers at the last minute before serving.
The above recipe is my contribution for the event Monthly Mingle: Winter Fruits N Vegetables brainchild of Meeta of Whats For Lunch Honey and at present hosted by Bengali Cuisine
When it comes about food ,Johor boasts quite a few of its signature dishes.It is said that the food is influenced by Arabs and the surrounding Malay archipelago.Some of the dishes are a unique blend of ingredients not found anywhere else in Malaysia.Sadly, due to difficult and sometimes complicated recipes, some are rare delights and can only be sampled during festive celebrations.
One of the least well known and a commoner is the Mee Rebus Johor. It is a noodle dish which consists of mee/yellow noodle and served with a tangy ,spicy brown gravy ,top with some condiments.I came across a few version of the recipes, but finally opt with trying out a recipe from the Saji Magazine, Oct 2003 issue.
I cant say its easy because it does take some time to prepare the dish. But it is an one set meal so there is no problem in spending some time for it.The common ingredient one would come across is beef for this dish but I have omitted it since I dont take beef. Beside getting the most fresh products possible to prepare the dish,you have to prepare the stock, then do the prawn crackers and then the gravy. The final bit would be cutting, slicing , boiling and blanching all the rest of the ingredients.
Photo: Center- gravy,followed by from the right, beansprout, prawn crackers,halve
kaffir lime/limau kasturi ,boiled egg, chopped cilantro and spring onions,
sliced firm fried beancurd, red and green chillies slice and finally noodle.
Ingredients:1 kg noodle (blanched for 3-4mins)
200gm beansprout (blanched a few seconds)
1 bunch cilantro/daun sup/ketumbar (chopped)
1 bunch spring onions(chopped)
5 red chillies (sliced thinly)
5 green chillies (sliced thinly)
5 calamansi limes / limau kasturi (halve)
2 firm fried beancurd (fry slightly and sliced)
5 eggs (boiled and cut into a few parts)
Some shallot crisps
Prawn Crackers
3 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp rice flour
½ tbsp dried prawns(soak in water ,squeeze out after 10mins and pound finely)
Salt to taste
Gravy
250gm prawns
4 tbsp taucheo (fremented yellow bean sauce)
1 cup groundnuts
400gm sweet potato (I used the orange sweet potato)
To grind to a paste
100gm dried prawns (soak in water for 10mins)
2 lemon grass (use the bottom part only)
2 cm galangal
2 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
10-15 dried red chillies(soak in lukewarm water)
7 shallots
4 garlic
Method:
To Prepare the gravy:
Roast the groundnuts and discard the skin.Grind to a fine paste.Keep aside. Use the prawn shell to make 2 cups of prawn stock.
Boil the sweet potato and mashed it fine.Leave aside.
Heat up about 4-5 tbsp of oil, saute the grind ingredients until dried and aromatic.Then add in the prawn stock ,prawns and tauchew. Leave to simmer. Add in salt and sugar to taste. I like the gravy to be slightly in the sweeter side therefore added 2 tbsp of chopped palm sugar/gula melaka.Finally add in sweet potato and groundnuts. This is to thicken the gravy . Close fire until the required thickness is obtained.
To prepare Prawn Crackers:Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Use about ¼ cup of water to make it into a batter.Be careful not to make the batter too watery.Heat oil, placing a tbsp of batter on a ladle, flatten it with your finger and lower the ladle in the oil and let it fry for a few minutes.Using a spoon slowly take the crackers out from the ladle and let it fry further until brown and crisp.Dish out and drain in paper towel.
Boil the eggs and cut into desired parts. Blanch the noodles and beansprout for a few minutes.
To serve: In a bowl,place noodles and beansprout, crumble the crackers and then pour in the hot gravy.The gravy should be slightly hot at all times.Granish with boiled egg, chopped cilantro and spring onions ,sliced beancurd, red and green chillies and shallot crisp.
Note: If using beef , add in when you add in the stock. Leave the meat to be tender before adding in sweet potato and groundnuts.It is advisable to prepare the prawn crackers at the last minute before serving.
The above recipe is my contribution for the event Monthly Mingle: Winter Fruits N Vegetables brainchild of Meeta of Whats For Lunch Honey and at present hosted by Bengali Cuisine
i made this for dinner this week. it was amazing!
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