When I was a teenager, I used to spend the weekends with my grandparents. Actually, I lived with my grandparents from the time I was born until primary school. It was only when I entered secondary school that I moved in with my parents.
Most Fridays, my grandma liked to whip up either her Fried Mee or Fried Koay Teow. The ingredients used is simple. The spice paste is made up of chillies, shallots and garlic. And then there's the koay teow, chicken and mustard greens (sawi/choy sum). For seasoning, it is simply light soya sauce and a good dose of our Terengganu proprietary sauce - kayciap.
I have never had much luck with koay teow. I can fry up mee or beehoon with ease and they turn out tasting pretty decent, but no such thing with koay teow. In my last attempt some years back, the whole thing just turned mushy and clumpy and tasted like crap. So, I simply gave up.
But this time round, perhaps with grandma's guidance from high up above, I managed a decent version which was quite close to hers.
As you can see, the chilies are still in big pieces. I did a great job pounding, didn't I? hah..hah.. But that was pretty much how grandma rolled. If you ever made any comment about how rough the spice paste was, she would tell you that it does not matter. Asal boleh makan, sudah!
After all, she said, you are not cooking for your mother-in-law. Oh yes, back in the day, MIL was a formidable creature and you better make sure your dishes were presentable. But we are living in a different era now where MILs are pretty cool, right?
I can definitely improve on my fried koay teow. Practice, practice, practice! I'll share a proper recipe next time when I get my formula right. Hah!
I can definitely improve on my fried koay teow. Practice, practice, practice! I'll share a proper recipe next time when I get my formula right. Hah!
How wonderful that you were finally able to reproduce your grandmother's recipe---or at least get a lot closer!!! You'll master it soon, I just know it!
ReplyDeleteI sure hope so! A little more practice and I'll get there :)
DeleteWaiting for you to share the next round...
ReplyDeleteSure thing!
DeleteVoila! Grandma Hong almost got it right. The juice from the prawns, lap cheong and taugehs will add to the perfect sweetness.
ReplyDeleteWe all miss grandma's cooking.
DeleteI think kway teow in general is very difficult to fry especially so if you get those really soft and thin types (that's why I don't dare to attempt that at home). A few tossing and turning with the spatula and all the kway teow breaks up and turns to mush! O_o
ReplyDeleteYour grandma's comment (may her soul rest in peace) cracked me up. Wouldn't all grandmas and moms want to pass their cooking knowledge to their daughters (those who want to learn from them, of course) to prepare them to cook for their MILs or future MILs? And psst, PH...some MILs are still formidable creatures these days...kekeke! :D Maybe our generation may be different.
During my time, grandma didn't actively try to teach me any cooking. Same thing with my mum. She was more into me studying hard to become financially independent and not end up as a housewife hah..hah... But hey, cooking, as long as we have the interest, we can pick up later.
DeleteI do hear that there are still formidable MILs around hah..hah...perhaps those ladies still have the old mindset. My mum is a pretty cool MIL and I simply assume that most these days are the same :)
I have not cooked fresh kway teow for a very long time; it's too greasy for my liking. I prefer the dried kway teow from Thailand; its forgiving and does not turn to mush and I am partial to the chewy texture.
ReplyDeleteTalking about MIL, a blogger told the readers at large that she boycotted her MIL's food for a year because of the criticisms from her MIL regarding her cooking skills. However, the blogger is now on speaking terms with her MIL and has sought cooking advice and tips.
It's a pity that filial piety hangs heavily over many married couples that they don't get any support from their husbands. Some wives are smart enough and make an effort to warm to their new family by learning how to cook from their MIL. These wives have a much easier married life than those who live in their own bubble.
Oh yes, kuay teow is so oily. But that's they way that it is and honestly, I don't like those dried ones.
DeleteThose ladies who make an effort to be warm towards their MIL are very smart indeed!
Wow! You are superb! Now you can even fried your own char kway teow! Add Oil! You will perfect this and no longer have to eat out for char kway teow. Looks good so far but if very spicy, then I cannot take.
ReplyDeleteI still have room for improvement hee..hee..
Deletewah meletup la...i see so much cili
ReplyDeletehah..hah...asal dapur tak meletup sudah!
DeleteLooks good, I can see the chili seeds! Yummmm!!!
ReplyDeleteIt was not too bad, if I may say so hee..hee..
DeleteI have yet to fry koay teow in my own home too! If you cannot, I lagi tak boleh but when you can, I will try then! hahahaa... I remember my late mom could get them so tasty and fragrant.. too bad then I was too busy working and not paying attention to what she did in the kitchen... I really miss her cooking coming to think of homecooked food...
ReplyDeleteYou know, some of my mum's dishes when I cook, don't taste as good as hers. There is something special about our mum's cooking lah.
DeleteI can never fry a plate of decent looking kuey teow.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I experienced until I kept trying :)
DeleteI will look forward to your recipe!
ReplyDeleteWill share as soon as I get my hands on a packet of koay teow :)
DeleteYour grandma would be proud of you.
ReplyDeleteI also no luck with frying kway teow. They tend to stuck together.
Thank you, Rose. I need to buy another packet of KT to try one more time.
DeleteI agree with your Grandma - as long as it's edible, it should be alright! My Mom and I both gave up trying to fry fresh koay teow because it sticks to the wok and it carries one kind of taste to it. But hey, as long as it tastes good! ;)
ReplyDeleteI think that one kind of taste comes from the oil that coats the koay teow. I have come across some that the oil has a strong smell :(
DeleteGosh, I've to admit they look so yummy! I want a bowl too, dear! Hey PH, come join us to Win Hello Kitty Beaded Handicrafts and Mobile Phone Accessories! It's Open to All Worldwide! xoxo
ReplyDeleteThanks, Shirley :) Oh, I love beaded handicrafts and will be right over soon!
DeleteI like the look of your fried koay teow, looks good. Ha ha lucky thing I needn't have to cook for my mother in law or else I would ended up being the worst daughter in law. Me and my ching chai lah ways! ha ha!
ReplyDeletehah..hah..ching chai lah tra..la...la... my style too :D
DeleteI think koay teow is hard to manage, will become mushy and 'koyak koyak" after being stirred fried >_<
ReplyDeleteTrue, true, very challenging!
DeleteNowadays, don't say eat your fried koay teow, they wanna visit also difficult, the MILs. Most people live away from the parents anyway, isn't it?? XD
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of homemade fried koay teow, I like my mom's version more than my grandma's. Grandma's too salty due to too much soy sauce usually >.<
True lah what you say. That is a good thing, right? LOL!
DeleteHaha..... chinese also 'seram' with mother in law jugak yeh!
ReplyDeleteKadang kadang PH, ingredient yg tak berapa hancur mcm ni lagi sedap tau! Tergigit gigit cili gitu. Barulah feel makan cili haha....
Oh yes, seram jugak hee..hee... Betul, Hainum, I like the rempah to be kasar-kasar sket. Memang feeling lah...
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