Popiah is a light snack that is popular in Malaysia. Originated from the Fujian province in China, popiah has been localized to a Malaysian taste. It is easier to find in any streets from KL to Penang and also crosses the South China Sea to east Malaysia's states of Sabah and Sarawak.
Besides buying the popiah, you could easily make one on your own, probably using a deep fryer of a combi oven. Here are the recipe and guide on how to make these delicious popiahs!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cooking oil
- 20 fresh popiah wrappers
- fresh lettuce, washed and drained dry
Filling
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 226 g shrimp, shelled, deveined and cut into small pieces
- 1 kg yam bean or jicama (sengkuang), grated
- 56 g French beans, sliced
- 4 pieces bean curd, diced into small pieces
- Store-bought fried shallot crisps (optional)
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar or to taste
- 1 cup water
Sauces
- 1/2 cup sweet sauce, tee cheo or hoisin sauce
- 1/4 cup chili sauce, sriracha or Lingham Hot Sauce
How to make
- Heat the wok or deep fryer with 1/4 cup oil, shallow fry the bean curd until lightly browned. Dish out and drain on paper towels.
- In a deep pot, add in the remaining oil until heated. Stir-fry the garlic until aromatic, add in the prawns and stir-fry until slightly cooked.
- Add in the yam bean or jicama, French beans, salt, pepper, sugar and water, stir well.
- Reduce the heat and simmer until the yam bean or jicama turns soft, for about 30 minutes.
- Taste the filling, add more salt and sugar if needed. Dish out the filling and keep aside to cool. The filling might be slightly watery.
- Lay a piece of the Popiah wrapper on a flat board. Spread a little sweet sauce or hoisin sauce on the wrapper as well as a little chili sauce.
- Place a lettuce leaf over the sauces.
- Spoon three tablespoons of filling onto the leaf.
- Top with the fried bean curd and fried shallot crisps.
- Fold up the two sides of the wrapper and roll up.
- If you wish, you can spoon a tablespoon of the liquid from the filling over the popiah. Serve immediately.