Certain dishes include 3 parts nostalgia in the recipe. This is one of those meals; it brings back lots of childhood memories to me–um, all of them bitter and resentful.
I did not appreciate this dish as a child - not because it didn’t taste good or because the stinky smell of salted fish was overpowering–but because I was one who had to remove the root from each sprout. Ever had to do this? Ever had to remove the root hundreds of times every meal. Thousands of times each month. Millions every year. I grew to hate this dish whenever my mother prepared it.
I’m over it now though…
Growing up in a big family, Bean Sprouts with Salted Fish was a staple in our diet. It was simple, cheap and healthy (it was simple for everyone except me!). I recall going to the wet market with my mother where we paid only RM 0.20 for a big pack of bean sprouts. Then my mother would “ask” me to help her with plucking the roots as she prepared the rest of the meal. It wasn’t much fun for a 7 years old stuck in the kitchen for the afternoon with a mountain heap of bean sprouts and their roots, having to clean every single one of them. It was probably one of the most boring tasks ever.
OK, maybe I’m not quite over it yet.
I secretly swore to myself that when I grew up I would be wealthy enough to never have to prepare salted fish and bean sprouts ever again.
I think the country has grown up with me. Nowadays in Malaysia you can hardly find this dish at restaurants anymore–unless you go to small mom-and-pop eateries. Look for at least one very bitter small child in the back.
Never mind my childhood baggage though, you should try preparing Bean Sprouts with Salted Fish yourself–they truly are delicious.
Ingredients:
Bean Sprouts
Salted Fish (cut into small pieces)
3 Cloves of Garlic (chopped)
2 Stalks of Scallions (chopped)
Soy sauce (to taste)
Oyster sauce (to taste)
Rinse and clean the bean sprouts. Remove the roots.Heat the wok with cooking oil and stir fry the choppedgarlic. Add in salted fish pieces and toasted themuntil they become fragrant. Add in bean sprouts, soysauce, oyster sauce, and chopped scallion. Quicklystir the ingredients a few times and serve hot.
Note: Don’t over cook the bean sprouts. And don’t make a 7 year-old child help with the preparation.
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
bean sprout may be healthy but salted fish?
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great taste for us Malaysians but I bet your amex friends won’t touch this ‘rotton’ fish thing !
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Yes, you are right…Ang Mohs won’t like the stinky salty fish, which is the essence of this dish basically…
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yup–nothing like(the big thaugay) fried with udang kering,ikan-masin n slice chillies,n also some tofu.Here ,i cook the beans sprouts with Fish soy sauce ,instead of using salt fish–taste sama-lah.—-Mike:-)
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OMG! THAT was MY job too. Now, I just cook the bloody bean sprouts with the roots (when I am super laze) or cut them off with a knife.
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One of my favourite dishes..I cant find the dried ikan masin around my area..only the one in oil yang ada..not the same
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I know what you are talking about!!. My mom used to make me do the same thing, plucking the roots of the bean sprouts…..it is so funny…I make my husband and son help with that when I make this dish…. Thanks for all your recipes… living in California we have the previledge to have all these asian’s market that have lots of imports from asia available for people who missed their mom’s cooking…it might not be exactly the same but close to it, and it will take your taste palate back to the flavor that you miss most. Especially now, I am pregnant I craved Rojak the most…it has to be spicy with lots of chili …thanks again and all the best…
Aj
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Hey, my ang-moh husband just loves salty fish (don’t ask me how or why, he just loves it). In fact, he reminds me to get some whenever we get to Malacca. And surprise, surprise, he does the best salt-fish-taugeh saute - add some chilli for more of a “oomph” punch.
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Why do we need to pluck the roots? Can we just cook and eat them as thay are?
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Rasa Malaysia replied:
We used to pluck the roots back home. Probably for hygiene and cleanliness purpose? They have been serving the whole thing here in US.
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