DIGITAL COOKBOOK

Lemak Sweet Potato & KangKong

Ingredients (Serves 3 to 4):

400 g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
200 g kangkong, cleaned and cut into sections
400 ml coconut milk
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon oil
Rempah (pounded)
2 tablespoon dried shrimps
4 shallots
4 fresh chillies

Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare Ingredients

Peel and cut sweet potatoes into chunks
Wash and cut kangkong
Pound or blend dried shrimp, shallots, and chillies into a coarse paste

Step 2: Cook Rempah

Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat
Fry Rempah for 2-3 minutes until fragrant
Stir continuously

Step 3: Add coconut milk and sweet potatoes

Pour in coconut milk
Add sweet potatoes immediately
Bring to a gentle simmer
Cook for ~20 minutes until sweet potatoes are soft
Stir occasionally

Step 4: Add Kangkong

Add Kangkong and cook for 2-3 minutes until just wilted

Step 5: Season & Finish

Add salt to taste
Adjust consistency with a little water if needed
Serve warm

Rationale: This dish pre-dated the war and is still cooked today. However, it is most representative of wartime cuisine, reflecting a predominant use of tubers and filling, leafy vegetables, both of which were easily cultivated. The use of coconut milk is also indicative of wartime cooking; it was a common way to add flavouring to many dishes in the absence of salt and other seasonings.

Sweet Boiled Tapioca with Coconut Drizzle

Ingredients (serves 3 to 4):

Tapioca

300g Tapioca (cassava)
Water (enough to cover)
2-3 tablespoon sugar

Coconut Drizzle

Gula Melaka (Grated)
200-300ml coconut milk
1-2 teaspoon tapioca flour
Pinch of salt
Sugar (to taste)
Topping

Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare Tapioca

Peel off the thick brown skin
Remove the inner fibrous core
Cut into chunks and rinse well

Step 2: Boil Tapioca

Add tapioca to a pot of water with sugar
Bring to a boil, then simmer for ~40 minutes, stirring occasionally
Tapioca is read when soft and slightly translucent
Drain

Step 3: Make coconut drizzle

In a small pot, add coconut milk, salt and sugar
Mix tapioca flour with water to form a slurry and add it in
Stir over low heat until slightly thickened
Do not boil vigorously

Step 4: Assemble

Place warm tapioca on a plate
Drizzle coconut sauce over
Top with grated gula melaka
Serve warm

Rationale: Tapioca was the defining staple crop of wartime cooking. By inviting participants to eat and taste the plain, steamed tapioca, it helps them envision the tuber as a replacement for modern staples like rice. Tapioca’s ability to grow in harsh conditions and its relative versatility was invaluable. It was used to replace rice, noodles, and even bread.

Tapioca Bergidil (Fried Tapioca Patties)

Ingredients (for 8-10 pieces):

300g tapioca
Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
Chinese celery (finely chopped)
1 spring onion (finely chopped)
1 garlic clove (finely chopped)
Oil for frying
1 egg (whisked)

Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare Tapioca

Peel and cut tapioca into chunks
Steam for ~30 mins until soft
Remove any fibrous core if present

Step 2: Mash

Transfer to a bowl and mash thoroughly until smooth

Step 3: Mix

Add salt, white pepper, garlic, spring onion, Chinese celery, and nutmeg. Mix well
If its too dry, add a little oil or butter

Step 4: Shape

Scoop around 1-1.5 tbsp of tapioca mixture
Roll between hands to form a ball and flatten into a patty
Repeat until all mixture is used

Step 5: Fry

Heat oil over medium heat
Dip each patty into whisked egg
Fry until golden brown on both sides (~3-5 mins for each side)
Drain excess oil

Step 6: Serve

Serve hot and crispy