Tuesday 30 October 2012

Terengganu Laksa (Bihun Thng Ang)


When I was growing up in Terengganu, having Bihun Thng Ang was always a treat. My grandma didn't cook this at home but we got our supply from my grandaunts. I remember following my grandma to her family home in Kg Cina where my grandaunts lived. My two grandaunts (Kim Poh) made kuih and laksa to sell and besides that, they also supplied rempah (spice paste). The spice paste were neatly wrapped in banana leaves and stored in the big refrigerator. Every now and then, there would be customers coming in to buy the rempah. And kids would also drop by to buy popsicles made with asam boi or green beans and packed in long plastic bags.


The laksa noodles were packed in banana leaves and grandma would bring a small pot to carry the laksa gravy. To serve, the laksa noodles are topped with daun kesum, selasih, mint and beansprouts. If I remember correctly, thinly julienned  young shoots of the cashew tree (pucuk jambu golok) was also one of the raw vegetables eaten with the laksa. Then, we would stir the pot and drench the noodles with the thick red aromatic  gravy. A dollop or two of sambal belacan would elevate the entire experience of eating the laksa.

Again, this recipe is taken from my Aunt's recipe scrapbook and this is my second attempt. I had to make my own estimates because my Aunt only wrote the ingredients. I tanked the first laksa gravy  because I put too much lengkuas (galangal) and too much corriander powder. And I missed the step in frying the salted fish first before adding the spice paste. The gravy smelled funny and tasted funny too. My Aunt once told me that her grandaunt would throw her failed kuehs and cooking  into the river and start a new batch.  And since there's no river near my house, the whole pot went straight to the compost bin. 

My second attempt was better and although I did not 100% replicate the taste of the original laksa, I was quiet happy with the result. Perhaps I will do much better in my next attempt.










Terengganu Laksa (Bihun Thng Ang)

Ingredients
- 4 fish (I used ikan selar and yieled 600g fish meat)
- 750ml water for boiling fish
- 2 pieces asam gelugur

- Salted fish (I used one whole small fish and cut it into 4 pieces)
- 10 fresh chillies
- 300g shallots
- 3 cloves garlic
- 10g lengkuas
- 20g belacan
- 100g kerisik (recipe here or can use ready made)
- 100g gula Melaka
- 2 tablespoons coriander powder (ketumbar)
- 1 teaspoon jintan manis (fennel powder)
- 2 pieces asam gelugur
- 200ml santan (I used the packet santan)
- asam jawa juice (I add 1 teaspoon of asam jawa paste to 50ml water)

- Laksa noodles
- Beansprouts
- Daun kesum (laksa leaves) and daun selasih (basil), finely sliced
- Mint

Method :
- Boil fish with 2 pieces of asam gelugur for about 15 minutes.
- Remove fish and leave to cool.
- Using your fingers, remove fish meat and break it up finely and set aside.
- Keep the fish stock for the laksa gravy.
- Blend chillies, shallot, garlic, lengkuas and belacan.
- Heat oil in pot and fry the salted fish until fragrant and crispy.
- Add the blended spice paste and saute until fragrant and oil rises to the top.
- Pour in santan, asam jawa juice and add asam gelugur and gula Melaka. Bring to a simmer.
- Add fish stock, bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Add kerisik and stir to mix.
- Add fish meat
- Adjust seasoning, the gravy should be salty and sourish with a hint of sweetness.

To serve :
- Put laksa noodles into a bowl.
- Garnish with beansprouts, laksa leaves, selasih and mint.
- Pour gravy over the laksa noodles.



I am submitting this post to Malaysian Food Fest, Terengganu Month hosted by Lena of frozen wings.










40 comments:

  1. Hi! I am here for my bowl of laksa, :D looks delicious leh...

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    1. Thanks, Jeannie! You can have two bowls, no problem :)

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  2. Hi Phong Hong, you must be very busy rushing to share all the Terengganu delicacies. Very great of you to try, fail and try. I'm not that strong.... Ya, I remember the wet rempah wrapped with banana leaves in the olden days.. Nowadays, all plastic lah..

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    1. Kimmy, this event really motivate me to try out the recipes. Got so much semangat suddenly! I am usually quiet lazy lah, but I am happy I cooked the dishes as they turned out alright :)

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  3. PH, is that Hokkien and loosely translates into "Red Bee Hoon Soup"? Really curious to find out how does it taste like..

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    1. Yes Chef, your translation is spot on!

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  4. Oh my, Phong Hong, I am just drooling, and drooling looking at this laksa! I know this must be SUPER DELICIOUS. Wish I am that "hard working" like you if I were to make this as I know there are a lot of work to do for this. Just the kerisik itself take up few hours, right?

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    1. Mel, I ran out of home made kerisik and "cheated" using the ready made one. Kerisik takes about one hour to make, once the coconut is brown (about 50 minutes), the pounding part is quiet fast.

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  5. phong hong, although you didnt get the 100% of the exact taste, i'm sure your grandaunt will be very very proud of you! this is truly mouthwatering! do you know that blog visiting can be very torturing?!

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    1. Lena, I hope so :) I agree, blog visiting always make me hungry :)

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  6. Phong Hong, I want to go to Terengganu to learn how to use these spices to make beautiful local food ! I like this very much, very traditional and just absolutely delicious by looking at the ingredients and photos.

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    1. Thanks, Li Shuan! You must visit Terengganu. It is a beautiful state and very relaxing place to be. There's lots of good Terengganu food to be discovered.

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  7. Hi Phong Hong, this looks so delicious! I wish I could try some, and I am sure someone you will be able to replicate the same flavours as your grandmother. You are a very talented cook!

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    1. Mich, thanks you for your compliments! You are very talented yourself and I bet you could do something beautiful with this laksa :)

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  8. Phong Hong, I consider your laksa was made successfully by just looking at these pictures! How I wish I can eat them, hahaha!

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    1. Thank you, Jessie! Haiz, your sore throat ok already kah? If ok already then you can eat and must add sambal belacan :)

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  9. Oooo, salted fish in the soup stock??. I'm loving this, PH. One of my relatives makes a drop dead delicious salted fish head curry, and it was always so good. Where can i buy reqdy made kerisik?. If i cant find, can i omit?

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    1. Esther, salted fish really gives a lot of flavor. My mum however has banned it in the house because my dad loves it too much. Too salty and if taken in excess it is carcinogenic. Scary, huh? But once in a while it is ok :)You can get ready made kerisik at Jusco or Tesco. The one I used is cap Zamin and comes in packets of 40g or 100g. You have to put kerisik or else it would not taste good.

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  10. I could almost smell this reading about it!

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    1. Hah! Hah! cquek, you have a very sharp nose!

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  11. Hi Phong Hong, delicious laksa, anymore left or you already keep one bowl for me? LOL
    Wah....would love to have extra taugeh, daun kesum and mint leaves. yum yum... I'm hungry now!!!

    Have a nice day ahead.

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    1. Amelia, I was to hungry and ate your share :) Next time, ok? Will make sure there is plenty of daun taugeh, daun kesum and mint :)

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  12. My God! Phong Hong I just had my dinner when I saw your Bee Hoon T'ng Ang It makes me feel so hungry especially your sambal belachan it looks so yummy makes my mouth water .Should have waited tell tomorrow to open your blog .My! My ! Phong Hong you are killing me at the taught of wanting to makang laksa mu yum! yum!

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    1. EE, next time when you come back, you cook lah. I want to taste your version, I think yours will taste like Kim Poh's.

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  13. Hah rasa pucho Phong Hong malas buat kerisk.Ayoi! macham ni lah mu masok laksa dan tumbok bajok belachan kasi aku makang aku ajak you easy way macham mana buat kerisk .suap mulut aku dulu .OK!

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    1. Bukan malas. Kerisik dah habis, takde masa nak buat. Selalu saya buat banyak kemudian masuk dalam freezer.

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  14. Hi Phong Hong, Got anymore? I'll bring my pot for the gravy to ta-pau! Looks so delicious! I saw some gula melaka in the ingredients, this must be a sweet laksa! Spicy, sweet, sour and lemak! Yum! Your family must be over the moon during this Terengganu fest month, you are all in trying out the traditional cuisine! You must be very pleased that you have tried some of the pass-down recipes! Well done! Hats off to you, Phong Hong!

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    1. Thanks, Joyce! We have ditched our shorts for sarong the entire month :) I have my Aunt to thank for all the wonderful recipes. It's a good thing she took an interest in all these traditional recipes and wrote them in a scrapbook or else, there won't be any material for me to work on :)

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  15. Oh Dear! this makes me hungry :)
    So many yummy food over here. Pls tell me which one i have to go 1st? haha...

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    1. Jane, have to close your eyes and choose :)

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  16. give me one bowl now, just look at your picture, already feel hungry..

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    1. While you were in Bali, all finish! Have to wait next round hee..hee...

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  17. Wow! The Laksa look so mouthwatering especially with the accompany fresh herbs!

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    1. Ellena, the fresh herbs make a lot of difference. Makes the laksa more yummy :)

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  18. wow! I love all your kAMPONG STYLE dishes, especially this laksa. It makes me drooling for more and more. I wish i could be your neighbour.lol

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    1. Veronica, if you were my neighbour you would have had the chance to taste all the Terengganu food last month. Hah! Hah! Kampong style food is really delicious but not many know about them.

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