Shan Recipes 2 - Yu Lee Kyeen Wan Kha!
By Sao Tern Moeng
SAUTEED VEGETABLE DISHES - HPAK KHIO HKOH
Hpak Kaat Ho Hkoh - Sautéed Cabbage
Hpak Kaat Mawk Hkoh - Sautéed Cauliflower
Hpak Hto Hkaam Hkoh - Sautéed Snow peas
Hpak Hkio Law Lae Hkoh - Sautèd Mixed Vegetables
VEGETABLE SALADS - HPAK KHEO GOH
Hpak Kaat Ho Goh - Cabbage Salad
Hpak Kaat Mawk Goh - Cauliflower Salad
Hto Meng Zee Goh - String Bean Salad
Maak Lahng Goh - Green Jackfruit Salad
Hpak Gad Keng - Mustard Leaves Soup
Nam Hpak Karm - Sweet Pea Leaves Soup
Nam Hpak Maak Hkeuh Hkop - Small Round Eggplant Soup
SAUTEED VEGETABLE DISHES - HPAK KHIO HKOH
For vegetarians, omit using meat in the recipes.
Hpak Kaat Ho Hkoh - Sautéed Cabbage
4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1 small head of cabbage (cut into 1½" long, fine strips or
1½ " square pieces, about 4-5 cups)
½ cup ground chicken (or thinly sliced)*
½ medium-sized onion (finely chopped)
½ medium-sized tomato (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (crushed and chopped)
½ teaspoon chopped ginger
½ teaspoon light soy sauce
½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoon cooking oil
½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon chopped coriander optional
1 teaspoon oyster sauce** optional
Method:
- Heat a frying pan or wok for about ½ minute.
- Put in oil and heat for ½ minute.
- Put in onion and stir till soft, and add garlic and ginger.
- Stir for about 1 minute and add tomato and salt. Stir till tomato is soft and add meat.
- Stir and cook for about 1 minute or till meat is done.
- Add cabbage, stir and cover pan and let cook for about 2 minutes, stirring now and then so that it won't burn and stick to the pan.
- The cabbage is ready to serve. Switch off stove and transfer the cabbage on to a serving plate.
- Garnish with chopped coriander.
If softer consistency is preferred, cook the cabbage a little longer until the desired texture is reached.
This dish may be refrigerated for one day. If longer, it will get soft and soggy and will not taste good. But, it is best to eat this dish soon after it is cooked and the vegetable has not lost its flavour.
Note: * The same amount of ground or thinly sliced pork, beef, or turkey meat can be used instead of chicken.
** There is also vegetarian oyster sauce. It is artificially flavored.
Hpak Kaat Mawk Hkoh - Sautéed Cauliflower
4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1 medium cauliflower
(cut into 1 ½” floweret’s, about 4-5 cups)
½ cup ground chicken (or thinly sliced)*
½ medium-sized onion (finely chopped)
½ medium-sized tomato (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (crushed and chopped)
½ teaspoon chopped ginger
½ teaspoon light soy sauce
½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoon cooking oil
¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon chopped coriander optional
1 teaspoon oyster sauce optional
Method:
- Heat a frying pan or wok for about ½ minute.
- Put in oil and heat for ½ minute.
- Put in onion and stir till soft, and add garlic and ginger.
- Stir for about 1 minute and add tomato and salt.
- Stir till tomato is soft and add meat.
- Stir and cook for about 1 minute or till meat is done.
- Add cauliflower, stir and cover pan and let cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring now and then so that it won't burn and stick to the pan.
- The cauliflower is ready to serve. Switch off stove and transfer the cooked cauliflower on to a serving plate.
- Garnish with chopped coriander.
If softer consistency is preferred, cook the cauliflower a little longer until the desired texture is reached.
This dish may be refrigerated for one day. If longer, it will get soft and soggy and will not taste good. It is best to eat this dish soon after it is cooked and the vegetable has not lost its flavor.
Note: * The same amount of ground or thinly sliced pork, beef, or turkey meat can be used instead of chicken.
Hpak Hto Hkaam Hkoh - Sautéed Snow peas
4-6 servings
Ingredients
3 cups of snow pea pods
(choose equal sizes as much as possible)
½ cup ground chicken (or thinly sliced)*
½ medium-sized onion (finely chopped)
½ medium-sized tomato (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (crushed and chopped)
½ teaspoon chopped ginger
½ teaspoon light soy sauce
½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoon cooking oil
½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
½ teaspoon oyster sauce optional
Method:
- Snip off both ends of each snow pea pod. Wash and drain in colander.
- Heat a frying pan or wok for about ½ minute. Put in oil and heat for ½ minute.
- Put in onion and stir till soft, and add garlic and ginger. Stir for about 1 minute and add tomato and salt.
- Stir till tomato is soft and add meat. Stir and cook for about 1 minute or till meat is done.
- Add snow peas, stir and cover pan and let cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring now and then so that it won't burn and stick to the pan.
- Switch off stove and transfer the snow peas on to a serving plate.
Sautéed vegetable dishes are best if served hot.
If softer consistency is preferred, cook the pea pods a little longer until the desired texture is reached.
This dish may be refrigerated for one day. If longer, it will get soft and soggy and will not taste good.
Note: Green peas can also be sautéed by using the same ingredients as for the pods. This dish is known as, Meit Hto Hkaam Hkoh.
*The same amount of ground or thinly sliced pork, beef, or turkey meat can be used instead of chicken.
Hpak Hkio Law Lae Hkoh - Sautèd Mixed Vegetables
4-6 servings
Ingredients:
2 cups cabbage (cut into 1" square pieces)
2 cups cauliflower (1" x 2" long floweret’s)
2 cups snow pea pods (approx. 2" each)
1-cup carrots (cut into 1" small strips)
½ cup ground chicken (or thinly sliced)*
1 medium-sized onion (finely chopped)
3 cloves garlic (crushed and chopped)
½ teaspoon chopped ginger
1-teaspoon light soy sauce
1-teaspoon dark soy sauce
3 tablespoon cooking oil
¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon oyster sauce optional
Method:
- Heat a frying pan or wok for about ½ minute. Put in oil and heat for ½ minute.
- Put in onion and stir till soft, and add garlic and ginger.
- Stir for about 1 minute and put in ground meat and add salt and stir.
- Let it cook for about 2 minutes, stirring now and then.
- Add carrots, stir and cover pan and let it cook for about 2 minutes.
- Stir and add cauliflowers.
- Cook for 1 minute, stir and add snow pea pods and cook for 1½ to 2 minutes.
- Then add cabbage, stir and put in the soy sauces.
- Let cook for 1 minute, shut off stove and transfer the sautéed vegetables on to a serving dish.
This is a stir-fried dish, so the vegetables should be crispy and crunchy. This dish may be refrigerated for one day. If longer, it will get soft and soggy and will not taste good.
Note: * The same amount of ground or thinly sliced pork, beef, or turkey meat can be used instead of chicken.
VEGETABLE SALADS - HPAK KHEO GOH
Hpak Kaat Ho Goh - Cabbage Salad
4-6 servings
Ingredients:
6-8 cups finely cut cabbage (about 1 medium-size head of cabbage)
1 cup shelled roasted peanuts
2 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds
1 medium-sized onion finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried onion soaked)
1 medium-sized tomato (chopped)*
1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder
3 tablespoon cooking oil
¼ – ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
½ teaspoon of chopped coriander
Method:
Place cabbage in a good-sized mixing bowl and keep aside.
Grind or chop peanuts into small crumbs in a food processor and set aside.
Making sauce for the salad:
- Heat oil in cooking pot.
- Add onion and stir till soft and pulpy - about 2 minutes.
(Keep lid of pot covered most of the time, so that the smell won't permeate all over the house). - Add turmeric, stir, and add tomato.
- Stir now and then till mixture is creamy and no water from the tomato is left - about 5 minutes or more.
- Set aside and let cool to room temperature.
Preparing the salad:
Pour cooked onion and tomato mixture over cabbage; add chopped peanuts, sesame seeds and salt. Using two cooking ladles or salad ladles, mix and toss all ingredients till well mixed, or wear disposable gloves and use the hand to mix the salad. Put the mixture in a serving bowl and serve. Garnish with chopped coriander or parsley.
Note: - If salted peanut is used, less salt is needed, and if unsalted peanut is used more salt may be need for the required taste.
- If salad appears dry, add some cooking oil.
* A bigger tomato may be used, if desired.
Hpak Kaat Mawk Goh - Cauliflower Salad
4-6 Servings
Ingredients:
6-8 cups of cauliflower (cut up into very small florets)
Use the same ingredients and instruction as for Cabbage Salad.
If salad appears dry, add some cooking oil.
Hto Meng Zee Goh - String Bean Salad
4-6 Servings
Ingredients:/Method:
6-8 cups fresh or frozen string beans (cut into about1 1½ " lengths, either straight or slanting; boiled till cooked, but not over-cooked)
Use the same ingredients and instruction as for Cabbage Salad.
If salad appears dry, add some cooking oil.
Maak Lahng Goh - Green Jackfruit Salad
4-6 Servings
Ingredients:
2 medium-sized cans of green jackfruit (8 oz. cans, available in Asian groceries).
Method:
- Drain contents into an colander to drain out juice in the cans.
- Cut big pieces into half, lengthwise. Put them in a medium-sized pot and put in water till it covers the content, place pot on stove top and boil for 30-45 minutes, or until tender.
- Jackfruit is done when it can be separated with a fork.
- Put jackfruit in a colander and drain out water and let it strain till it is no longer soggy and wet.
Use the same ingredients and instruction as for Cabbage Salad. If salad appears dry, add some cooking oil. It is best eaten not too long after mixing the salad, for they tend to become soggy very soon.
Note: Leftovers of vegetable salads are not advisable to be refrigerated, because they get soft and soggy very quickly. If there are leftovers, refrigerate it but eat it the next day.
MEAT SALADS - NEUH HSAH
Neuh Mu Hsah - Pork Salad
4 Servings
Ingredients:
1 packet ground pork (about 1 pound)
1 medium size onion (cut into small cubes)
½ teaspoon garlic (peeled and crushed into small pieces)
½ cup coriander (chopped)
½ teaspoon thin soy sauce
¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
2 small Asian chili peppers (cut into small pieces, used more if desired)
¼ – ½ of a small lime or lemon (or as desired)
1 tablespoon rice grains (roasted until brown and grind into powder) optional
Method:
- Put meat into pot, heat and stir until cook.
- If meat gets too dry add a little water.
- When cooked, leaving about 1 tablespoonful of water, so that the salad won’t be too dry.
- Transfer cooked meat into a bowl and when cool, add all ingredients, squeeze in the juice of the lime, and mix well with a wooden ladle and serve.
Note: If preferred, a tablespoonful of fried garlic oil may be used in the salad.
Preparing fried garlic oil:
- Peel and crush about 4 cloves garlic into small pieces.
- Heat 4-6 tablespoonful of cooking oil and stir in garlic when the oil is very hot.
- Stir till garlic is cook.
- Switch off oven and keep stirring till the garlic gets brown.
- Put in a container and set aside to cool.
- Store excess garlic oil in refrigerator to be used when needed.
Neuh Kai Hsah - Chicken Salad
4 Servings
Ingredients:
1 big chicken breast meat
1 medium size onion (cut into small cubes)
½ teaspoon garlic (crushed into small pieces)
½ cup coriander (chopped)
½ teaspoon thin soy sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
2 small Asian chili peppers (cut into small pieces, used more if desired)
¼ – ½ of a small lime or lemon (or as desired)
1 tablespoon garlic oil
1 tablespoon rice grains (roasted until brown and grind into powder) optional
Preparation:
- Dab chicken all over with a little salt and into pot, add about ½ cup water, heat and cook.
- If needed add a little water and cook until done.
- A little more cooking time is need than ground pork.
- When cooked, leaving about 1 tablespoonful of water, so that the salad won’t be too dry.
- Transfer cooked meat into a bowl. Leaving a little water and leave until cool.
- When cool, slice up the chicken into pieces and put back into the bowl.
- Add all ingredients, squeeze in the juice of the lime, and mix well with a wooden ladle and serve.
Neuh Wo Hsah - Beef Salad
4 Servings
Ingredients:
1 packet ground pork (about 1 pound)
1 medium size onion (cut into small cubes)
1 teaspoon garlic (crushed into small pieces)
½ teaspoon ginger (crushed into pulp)
½ cup coriander (chopped)
½ teaspoon thin soy sauce
1/8 – ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
2 small Asian chili peppers (cut into small pieces, used more if desired)
¼ – ½ of a small lime or lemon (or as desired)
1 tablespoon garlic oil
1 tablespoon rice grains (roasted until brown and grind into powder) optional
Method:
- Put meat into pot, heat and stir until cook.
- If meat is too dry, add a little water.
- When cooked, leaving about 1 tablespoonful of water, so that the salad won’t be too dry.
- Transfer cooked meat into a bowl.
- When cool, add all ingredients, squeeze in the juice of the lime, and mix well with a wooden ladle and serve.
Hu Mu Hsah - Pork-Ear Salad
4 Servings
Ingredients:
1 very large pork ear, or 2 small ears
1 medium size onion (cut into small cubes)
½ teaspoon garlic (crushed into small pieces)
½ cup coriander (chopped)
½ teaspoon thin soy sauce
½ teaspoon thick soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
2 small Asian chili peppers (cut into small pieces, used more if desired)
¼ – ½ piece of a small lime or lemon (or as desired) 1 tablespoon garlic oil
1 tablespoon rice grains (roasted until brown and grind into powder) optional
Preparation:
- Put meat into pot, heat and cook until tender, i.e., the outer part is soft.
- When cooked, leave about 1 tablespoonful of water, so that it won’t be too dry.
- Set aside to cool and cut the ears into thin strips about 2” long.
- Add all ingredients in a bowl, squeeze in the juice of the lime, and mix well with a wooden ladle.
S O U P S - NAM HPAK
Soup, as in all Asian cuisine, it not a separate dish. It is to be eaten with a main [rice] meal as a beverage to wash down the food that one is eating. This is the same purpose as people of other cultures drink wine, soda or other beverages during their meals. For vegetarians, omit using meat and use vegetable broth or soup bullion.
Hpak Gad Keng - Mustard Leaves Soup
4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1 bunch mustard leaves (cut up into 2-3" pieces)*
1/3 cup ground meat (pork, beef, or chicken)*
½ medium tomato (chopped)
1 teaspoon chopped onion
3 clove garlic (chopped)
½ teaspoon ginger (crushed)
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablepoon thin soy sauce
1 teaspoon powder of hto nao (or 1 teaspoon of mashed Chinese/Korean salted brown soy beans)
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 - 1½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
6 cups water
2 cans broth (chicken, beef, vegetable – 8 oz. can)
Method:
- Heat oil in a pot. Put in onion, stir, add garlic and ginger and stir.
- Add tomato and stir till soft.
- Put in turmeric, soy sauce and stir, and then stir in the hto nao and salt.
- Stir for about 2 minutes, then pour in water and broth stir.
- Cover pot and let boil, and when boiling for about 20-30 minutes, put in the mustard leaves.
- Stir and cover pot and let boil for about 11/2 - 2 minutes.
- Make sure that the stems are partially cooked and not too soft and overcooked.
- Shut off oven.
- Taste soup, and add salt if needed, or add a little water if too salty.
- The soup is ready to serve.
- Serve hot. Should be sufficient for 6 persons and more, if not, add some water and seasoning and let it boil for sometime and add the leaves before serving.
Note: *Mustard leaves are available at Asian groceries, and they usually are in bunches (with green or white stalks, some have small yellow or yellow flowers).
Soak soup bullion cube in hot water and crush with a fork before putting in the pot.
Nam Hpak Karm - Sweet Pea Leaves Soup
4-6 Servings
Ingredients:
½ packet of sweet pea leaves (sold in Asian groceries)
Method:
Prepare for cooking by choosing only the leaves and tender stalks that are easily broken. Wash and drain in a colander.
Prepare soup base as for mustard leaves. *
When about to serve, heat soup and add leaves and let cook for about 1-1½ minutes.
Spoon leaves and soup into serving bowls and serve hot with rice and other dishes.
Refrigerated soup base is good for about a couple of days. If you wish to keep soup for the next day, use broth and leaves only as much servings as needed, the rest of the broth and leaves may be stored separately in different containers in the refrigerator. When reusing broth to make soup, heat till boiling and add the leaves.
Note: *This is the common soup base for Shan soups.
Tender leaves of green gourd, buu thi (Burmese), may also be used in this kind of soup. This is often available in summer – mostly privately grown by acquaintances or friends.
Nam Hpak Teng - Cucumber Soup
4-6 servings
Ingredients:
2 medium-size cucumbers
½ cup ground meat (pork, beef, or chicken)
½ medium tomato (chopped)
1 teaspoon chopped onion
3 clove garlic (chopped)
½ teaspoon ginger (crushed)
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon thin soy sauce
1 teaspoon powder of hto nao (or 1 teaspoon of mashed Chinese salted soy bean)
1 piece hio hka (about 1½ " piece, (can be found in the frozen section in Asian groceries as Galanga) (if available)
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 - 1½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
7-8 cups water
2 cans broth (chicken, beef, vegetable – 8 oz. can)
2 teaspoon coriander (chopped)
½ cup of fried pork rind optional
Method:
- Peel cucumbers and cut into four sections. Cut out the inner part with seeds.
- Cut each section into 1" pieces and set aside till ready to add in the broth.
- Heat oil in a pot.
- Put in onion, stir, add garlic and ginger and stir.
- Add tomato and stir till soft.
- Put in turmeric, soy sauce and stir, and then stir in the hto nao, salt and hio hka.
- Stir for about 2 minutes, then put in all cucumber pieces, stir well and pour in water and broth.
- Cover pot and let it boil for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Check if cucumber pieces are soft and tender, then crumble pork rind into the soup, if available.
- Stir for about 1-2 minute, and add corriander. Stir and cover pot and let boil for about 1 minute.
- Taste soup, and add salt if needed, or add a little water if too salty.
- Shut off oven. The soup is ready to serve. Serve hot.
- It should be sufficient for 6 persons - if not, add water and let it boil for sometime and taste and see before serving.
Nam Hpak Maak Hkeuh Hkop - Small Round Eggplant Soup
Ingredients:
2 cups small Asian eggplants (round and white/green color, about the size or a little smaller than Brussel sprouts)
Method:
Cut each into 4 quarters. Wash and keep them submerged in water until ready to be added to the broth, or else they will turn brown in color. These small Asian eggplants are available in Asian groceries, except in winter.
The recipe and cooking instruction of the soup is the same as for cucumber soup.
Make sure that they are really soft and tender before serving.
Refrigerated leftover soup is good for about a couple of days, or may be frozen, then thaw and use when needed.
