Friday, April 10, 2015

Laksa Soup with Minced Chicken Stir-Fried With Hoisin Sauce

Chicken Laksa Soup & Fresh Spring Rolls
My last post described how I made the fresh spring rolls. The two bowls of chicken laksa soup, pictured above, were made with ramen noodles the same way as Shrimp Laksa Noodle Soup. This tasted better than my Ohno Khaukswe, according to my husband. 


You can swap out the shrimp for chicken & shrimp dumplings with julienned Malabar spinach.



Fresh Spring Rolls with Minced Chicken Cooked in Hoisin Sauce

Fresh Spring Rolls
My big sister, Rene, taught me to make these fresh spring rolls.  They are easy to make if you place a lettuce leaf on the softened rice paper because the lettuce helps the roll keep its shape. 


Fresh Spring Roll Ingredients
These are made with minced chicken stir-fried with hoisin and oyster sauce. Note that no salt is added to the chicken because the oyster sauce is salty enough. They make a great, quick & easy lunch especially served with a soup such as my Minced Chicken Laksa Soup.

Ingredients: (makes 4 rolls)
1/2 lb. (8 oz.) ground chicken
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
1 can water chestnuts, minced
1 tsp. garlic paste
2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
1 tsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
2 stalks green onions
4 sheets dried rice paper
1 cup cold water
4 Romaine lettuce leaves, trimmed to smaller than size of rice paper
1/2 cup sweet chili sauce for dipping

Directions:
  1. Stir-fry the minced chicken & onions in hot vegetable oil until chicken is no longer pink.
  2. Add garlic paste, hoisin and oyster sauces, and water chestnuts, and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
  3. Stir in sesame oil and sprinkle green onions over the chicken.
  4. Remove from heat and bring to room temperature.
  5. Pour cold water into a flat dish and line a plate with a paper towel.
  6. Slide a rice paper into the water, wetting both sides of the rice paper.
  7. Blot each side of the rice paper on the paper towel, making sure to handle the rice paper gently so it doesn't tear.
  8. Lay a lettuce leaf on the softened rice paper along with 1 Tbsp. chicken.
  9. Roll two opposite sides of rice paper (left & right sides) over the filling and begin rolling tightly from bottom to top.
  10. Repeat steps 6 to 9 with other three sheets of rice paper.
  11. Serve with sweet chili sauce.
For a visual tutorial on how to make fresh spring rolls, watch this video posted on YouTube by Sav Le of EatNowCryLater.