Buah Keluak Fried Rice Recipe: How To Cook The Nonya Dish That Tasha Low’s Emerald Hill Character Made In The Show
In the new Mediacorp blockbuster, Tasha Low’s character Xin Niang whipped up this daring mod version of a classic Peranakan buah keluak dish and impressed even the original Little Nyonya (Jeanette Aw’s Yue Niang).
Food and cooking is at the heart of Peranakan culture, and there are plenty of luscious Nonya dishes showcased in the new Mediacorp blockbuster Emerald Hill.
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Tasha Low as Zhang Xin Niang in Emerald Hill - The Little Nyonya Story, who whips up an innovative plate of buah keluak fried rice for a special guest.
Like the buah keluak fried rice whipped up by Tasha Low’s rags-to-riches character Zhang Xin Niang in episode 6, which she cooked for the original ‘Little Nyonya’ Yue Niang, a role reprised by Jeanette Aw from the hit 2008 drama series.
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Zhang An Na (played by Chantalle Ng) and Zhang Xin Niang (played by Tasha Low) cook up a storm to impress family friend Yue Niang (Jeanette Aw reprising her iconic Little Nyonya role).
Olden-day Nyonyas were famously superb cooks with even more formidable taste buds. And Xin Niang’s fried rice dish, her mod riff on the classic Peranakan ayam buah keluak, impressed even Yue Niang’s finicky palate.
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In (real-life) Singapore, homegrown chef Malcolm Lee popularised the dish at his one-Michelin-star modern Peranakan restaurant Candlenut. But if you’re intrigued after watching Emerald Hill and want to cook this at home a la the bibiks, here is a recipe on how to make a restaurant-worthy plate of buah keluak fried rice.
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There’s something about the inky rice coated in an umami, spicy, earthy, slightly olive-like paste that’s irresistible. A sunny side up egg on top is essential, so you can prod the yolk and let its yellow goo ooze sensuously all over that sedap black canvas.
BUAH KELUAK FRIED RICE
Serves 1-2 pax
Ingredients:
Rempah:
1 cup shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tbsp belacan (fermented shrimp paste)
4 red chillies
Rice:
3 tbsp + 2 tbsp cooking oil
¾ cup buah keluak meat
100g minced pork, chicken or prawns
2 cups day-old cooked white or brown rice
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 fried egg chopped coriander leaves, for garnishing
Method:
1) Make rempah by blending all the rempah ingredients into a smooth paste.
2) Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wok over high heat.
3) Add the rempah to the wok and reduce heat to medium. Stir-fry the rempah till it starts to release its oils. This will take about 10 minutes.
4) Crumble the buah keluak meat into the pan and stir-fry for another 5 minutes. Add a spoonful or two of water if the mixture seems to be drying out.
5) When the buah keluak meat is well incorporated into the rempah, transfer to a blender or use a stick blender to blitz to a fine paste.
6) Place the remaining 2 tbsp oil in the same wok and set to high heat. Return the rempah to the wok along with the minced pork, chicken or prawns. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add the rice.
7) Stir-fry the rice vigorously till all the grains are coated in the rempah. Add the light and dark soy sauces and continue stir-frying till everything is evenly incorporated.
8) Taste and add salt, if necessary.
9) Transfer rice to a serving plate and top with a fried egg. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve immediately.
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Pro tip: Conveniently de-shelled buah keluak can be found at dry goods stores in wet markets (try the one at #01-210, Blk 665, Tekka Centre).
Additional reporting by Yip Jieying
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