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| Meal in a pocket |
There is a stall in Kim Tian Market that sells the most amazing bean puff pocket. Each pocket is stuffed with thinly sliced cucumbers and sprouts and then grilled to give it a delicate crunch when eaten.
Best of all, they come garnished with strips of sour, freshly shredded mangoes with a sprinkling of fine, grated peanuts and toasted cuttlefish.
Just in case you feel like having something savory to dip in, the pockets are served with a little dish of prawn paste – like those used for local rojaks.
The textures and taste of the hawker snacks was so compelling that I had no choice but to reproduce it at home. It was quite close to the real thing except that I had the misfortune of using puffs with thicker, darker skins. No delicate crunch after grilling but otherwise, everything else was perfect.
Makes 10.
Ingredients :
10 bean puffs, slit halfway like a pocket
1 cup of bean sprouts, blanched and spin dry
1 cup of thinly sliced cucumbers
½ cup finely shredded unripe mangoes
½ cup of finely grated peanuts, mixed with 1 Tbsp of caster sugar
¼ cup of prawn paste, diluted with 2 Tbsp of warm water or pineapple juice
Method :
Stuff the bean sprouts and cucumber into the puffs.
Grill the puff to sear the surface.
Garnish with mangoes, peanuts and cuttlefish.
Serve with prawn paste.
Variations :
Use alfafa instead of sprouts.
Use shredded pineapples or granny smith apples instead mangoes.
Use BBQ sauce instead of prawn paste ( though the umami taste will be compromised )
