Popiah Goreng
Fried Popiah
Given my mother’s tendency to always make more food than our guests could eat, we
never failed to have extra filling the next day after a
popiah party. By then, however,
the fresh
popiah skin from Joo Chiat Road would not be so fresh after all. So my mother
would
bungkus (wrap) the remaining filling into smaller
popiahs and deep fry them. They
were especially delicious with chilli
chuka sauce (
page 160) and were a tea-time treat. My
mother also made these specifically for the children’s parties which often took place in the
late afternoon. The
popiah should ideally be smaller and shorter than the fresh ones so that
when you deep-fry them, they will not break up in the hot oil. The aim is to get a great
crunchy coat out of the
popiah skin. If you take too long to fry the filling on the inside,
you might also end up burning the outer skin. For
popiah goreng, I actually prefer to use
the frozen
popiah skin from a brand like Tee Yih Jia. It is thicker and less porous, making
it suitable for deep-frying.
makes 20 servings
Use the same ingredients and cooking
method for
popiah filling (
page 146);
or the prepared leftover
additional ingredients
3 tablespoons cornflour
3 tablespoons water
12 cups peanut oil
*Chilli
chuka sauce (
page 160)
Sweet flour sauce
* Peanut oil (Asian brand) imparts
a nice flavour. It also has a high smoke
point and is especially suitable for
deep-frying.
1. Combine the cornflour and water to form a slurry
or paste.
2. Wrap the popiah the same way you would for a fresh
one, except make it smaller. Spread the slurry along the
edges of the popiah skin and seal the edges securely.
3. Repeat to make several popiah. Arrange them on
a platter and set aside.
4. Heat a Dutch oven or wok and add enough oil to fill up
halfway. When the oil reaches 180 to 190 degrees C or 350
to 375 degrees F, add a few popiah to fry. Let them fry for
about 5 minutes before turning them over. Try not to turn
them too frequently. When they turn golden brown and
crispy, transfer to a plate lined with absorbent paper.
5. It is best to serve them hot, along with chilli
chuka
(
page 160) and the sweet, dark flour sauce.
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