Vegetarian Chilli Paste

I  always keep a bottle of homemade vegetarian chilli paste in the fridge. This chilli paste is so versatile, it can be added to an array or rice or noodles dishes and even vegetables. If you like fire in your food as well, here's the recipe on how to make vegetarian chilli paste which stores for weeks in the fridge.

Sorry for the poor quality of photo

Ingredients

12-15 dried chillies, soaked in hot water for about 20 min
2-3 red chilli padi (if you want more spice)
1-2 fresh red chili
2-3 shallots
2-3 garlic pods
1 small piece of lemongrass stalk
A pinch of tumeric powder
Salt to taste

1. Put all the ingredients in a blender and make a paste. Do not add water. 
2. Add a pan with oil. Add the paste into the oil and stir well.
3. Cook in oil till it turns fragrant and the raw smell goes.
4. Let the paste cool, store in airtight container and refrigerate.

Vegetarian Char Kway Teow

Char Kway Teow, a popular noodle dish in Southeast Asia, is typically made of flat and slightly broad rice noodle sticks. Where I live, I only managed to find the thinner version of the rice noodle sticks, almost like the ones used in Phad Thai noodles. Although the dish is usually made with meat, below is a vegetarian version of the ever-so-delicious char kway teow.

Ingredients:

150g dried kway teow or fresh kway teow found in wet market (In Singapore)

A handful beansprouts

1 cube tofu chopped into cubes

75g Chinese greens like Pak Choy or Chye Sim

1 egg, beaten

Chilli paste, as required

1 medium-sized onion, diced

1/2 tsp minced garlic

Vegetarian Mushroom Oyster Sauce, to taste

2 tbsp dark soya sauce

1 tbsp oil

Light soya sauce to taste

Salt to taste

How To Make It:

1. If using dried kway teow, place it under boiling for 4min. Drain when cooked, rinse under cold water and set aside. 

 2. Heat oil in a wok and fry the onions and garlic till golden brown. Push them to the sides.

3. Next pour in the beaten egg and scramble it once the egg solidifies. Subsequently, add the tofu, chinese greens, tofu and carrot. Add chilli paste as required to the mixture and fry well. Should you like your vegetables crunchy, you can add the vegetables towards the end.

4. Next, add the vegetarian oyster sauce, light and dark soya sauce. Fry for a few more minutes. Add the drained kway teow to the mixture and mix evenly. 

5. Taste for spice and salt and add more chilli paste and salt if needed.  Mix well.

Serve hot. 

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P.S: I tend to add the ingredients using intuition without much precise measurement. As such, please feel free to take the above measurements with a pinch of salt and add/subtract as you deem necessary.