Made In My Kitchen: Popiah Basah

This is my first Ramadhan in my home country after six years abroad! I could sense some excitement, especially when it is shared with loved ones. Last year, I told my mother that I wanted to get married after Eid ul Fitr just because I felt that I haven't been with my family during this special occasion for far too long. But I got married in March, so I have to prepare myself either being able to celebrate the first day of Eid with my family or the family in-laws orrrr, here with my husband if he has to stay for work. Sob sob. 

Anyway, 

My husband requested that we eat healthily (and less, to add the definition) during this Ramadhan. He just came back from a two-week course which schedules include some exercising in the morning and in the evening. Even though we didn't look at the scale, we could see a difference in his weight. I am jealous! Women can never get rid of that same excess weight in that same two weeks.

Happy to serve him his request, at first I only prepared Popiah Basah for breaking fast, with the thought that if I can prepare dishes as many fresh vegetables as possible, it would score the point of healthy food. Less oil, retain the vitamins. This is my second time preparing this dish, the first time was last year. I am actually very happy to prepare this to my husband, as I did to my friends before because I love trying new dishes and having people to finish them are really satisfying.

The truth is, this is my favourite appetizer, half of this Eat Healthy objective is to satisfy my craving (I find that killing two birds with one stone is the way to go to keep both of us happy). And because I am used to having this mental note `You Want It, You Make It' due to deprivation of Bazaar Ramadhan overseas as well as `Do Not Worry, You Made It Yourself' due to consciousness towards halal ingredients and its cleanliness, I decided to do it myself. 

Filling Ingredients:

Small Spring Roll Pastry

Cucumber (cut into matchstick size - I used Japanese cucumber for its crunchiness)

Chinese Turnip (cut into matchstick size)

Carrot (shredded - tastes better than cut into matchstick size)

Bean sprout (washed with ice water and salt to keep its crunchiness)

Dried shrimps (Washed, mixed with KFC flour - shallow fried - roughly blended)

Sauce:

Dried chili, boiled (without the seeds)

Shallots

Garlics

Palm sugar

White sugar

Salt

Ground peanuts (I substituted with roasted sesame seeds because I don't have peanuts)

1 t/s Corn flour 

How to make the sauce:

1. Blend the fried chillies, shallots and garlics.

2. Sautee the blended paste, add in palm sugar, white sugar and salt to taste.

3. Add in ground peanuts @ sesame seeds

4. Add in corn flour to thicken the sauce.

The rolling process, as you can imagine. Spread the sauce first and throw everything (nicely) on the pastry and then roll.

Budget wise, I could make this as many as I want with little cost. 

However, I did this too many for two people (I am so used to prepare food for a festive number of people! Sigh..). However, good thing about this dish is it can be stored in the fridge and eaten the next day. The pastry is a bit soggy (I put too much sauce) but the veges are still crunchy when I ate it during sahur..