Chap Chye, ou caril de legumes mistos, é um prato clássico da culinária Peranakan, que celebra a abundância de texturas e sabores. Esta versão é enriquecida com vermicelli de batata-doce e frango, tornando-a uma refeição completa, nutritiva e reconfortante. É um prato vibrante que traz para a mesa uma variedade de ingredientes que se complementam na perfeição.

Ingredientes

  • 1 grande fungo preto de orelha de madeira (bok nee), encharcado, fatiado
  • 2 tiras de pele de coalho de feijão seco (tau kee), embebido e cortado em seções
  • 25g lírios secos (kin chiam) embebidos
  • 1 cenoura, descascada e cortada em julienne
  • 1/2 pimentão amarelo, sem sementes e fatiado
  • 1/2 pimentão verde, sem sementes e fatiado
  • 200 gramas de espinafre
  • 1 peito de frango
  • 150 gramas de vermicelli de batata-doce
  • 2 colheres de sopa de óleo
  • 1 dente de alho picado
  • 1 colher de sopa de pasta de feijão de soja coreana
  • 1/2 xícara de caldo de galinha
  • 1 colher de sopa de molho de soja
  • 1 colher de sopa de sake
  • coentro para enfeitar

Preparação

  1. Marinar peito de frango em saquê cerca de 30 minutos.
  2. Vapor de peito de frango cerca de 10 minutos.
  3. Arrefecer e fatiar.
  4. Cozinhe o vermicelli de batata-doce de acordo com as instruções do pacote.
  5. Espinafre Blanch e mergulhe em água fria, escorra e corte em seções de 3 cm.
  6. Aqueça o óleo no wok, frite o alho até perfumado, adicione a cenoura e pimentão, frite cerca de 4 minutos.
  7. Retire do wok, limpe-o e adicione caldo de galinha, pasta de feijão de soja e molho de soja, deixe ferver e adicione o fungo, o requeijão de feijão, cozinhe por 10 minutos.
  8. Devolva os vegetais para o wok, misture bem e adicione as fatias de frango e aletria.
  9. Sirva guarnecido com coentro.

Ready for a colourful and wholesome noodle stir-fry? The English version awaits you below.

Chap Chye with Sweet Potato Vermicelli

Chap Chye, meaning “mixed vegetables” in Hokkien, is a quintessential stir-fry from Peranakan and Southeast Asian cuisine. This version takes inspiration from the classic, combining a colourful medley of vegetables and classic ingredients like dried lily buds and wood ear fungus, but turns it into a substantial one-pan meal with the addition of tender steamed chicken and chewy sweet potato vermicelli.

This dish is a fantastic celebration of textures. You have the crunch from the fresh peppers and carrots, the soft chewiness of the bean curd skins and mushrooms, and the slippery, satisfying bite of the glass noodles. The sauce, made with Korean fermented soybean paste (doenjang), adds a deep, savoury, and umami-rich flavour that ties everything together beautifully.

While the list of ingredients might seem long, many are dried goods found in Asian supermarkets that add an authentic touch. Feel free to substitute the vegetables with what you have on hand; cabbage, mushrooms, and green beans are all excellent additions. It’s a versatile dish that’s both healthy and incredibly satisfying.

Ingredients

  • 1 large dried wood ear fungus, soaked until soft, then thinly sliced
  • 2 strips of dried bean curd skin, soaked until pliable, then cut into sections
  • 25g dried lily buds, soaked until soft
  • 1 carrot, peeled and julienned
  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper, deseeded and sliced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, deseeded and sliced
  • 200g spinach
  • 1 chicken breast
  • 150g sweet potato vermicelli (glass noodles)
  • 2 tablespoons of cooking oil
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon of Korean fermented soybean paste (doenjang)
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon of sake
  • Fresh coriander, to garnish

Method

  1. Place the chicken breast in a small bowl and pour over the sake. Let it marinate for about 30 minutes. Afterwards, steam the chicken for about 10-12 minutes, or until cooked through. Allow it to cool before slicing it thinly.
  2. Meanwhile, cook the sweet potato vermicelli according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
  3. Bring a pot of water to a boil, blanch the spinach for 30 seconds, then immediately plunge it into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain it well, squeeze out excess water, and roughly chop it.
  4. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and fry until fragrant. Add the julienned carrot and sliced bell peppers, and stir-fry for about 4 minutes until they are tender-crisp. Remove the vegetables from the wok and set aside.
  5. In the same wok, add the chicken stock, Korean soybean paste, and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the paste. Add the soaked and sliced wood ear fungus and the bean curd skin. Let them simmer in the sauce for about 10 minutes to absorb the flavours.
  6. Return the cooked vegetables to the wok. Add the sliced chicken, the cooked vermicelli, and the blanched spinach. Toss everything together gently to combine and heat through.
  7. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh coriander.