Homebound Popiah

by Leing Ti Wei (Rasa Warrior Episode 1)

The Story Behind
the Recipe

When we were young, Ah Ma would always make popiah during festive days ❤️ As we grew up, work and life got busy, and we couldn’t always go home during special occasions.

Later on, Ah Ma was no longer around, and that familiar taste became something we could only keep in our memories. This time, for a competition, I wanted to recreate that taste from memory and give it a little modern twist. And that’s how this dish came to life

Method

The Popiah Skin

  1. Mix the plain flour, water, and salt until a smooth batter forms.
  2. Heat a pan and lightly cook thin layers of batter one at a time to form popiah skins.
  3. Brush melted butter onto each skin, then shape them using a round mold.
  4. Bake at 160°C for 20 minutes until crispy.
Ingredient Quantity
Plain flour
500g
Water
200ml
Salt
1 tsp
Ingredient Quantity
Mang Kwang (jicama)
1 nos
Carrot
1 nos
Eggs
2 nos
Bean sprouts
100g
Minced garlic
15g
White pepper
To taste
Salt
To taste
Light soy sauce
To taste
Toasted peanuts
50g
Dried mushrooms
50g
Dried scallops
50g
Shallots
50g

The Filling

  1. Boil the dried mushrooms and scallops to create a rich broth.
  2. Shred the Mang kwang (jicama) and carrots.
  3. Heat a pan and stir-fry the shredded vegetables. Add seasoning and cook until soft.
  4. Lightly toast the peanuts, then chop them.
  5. Stir-fry the eggs separately until cooked.
  6. Slowly cook the shallots until golden brown.

The Sauce

  1. Blend chili, shallot, and garlic into a smooth paste.
  2. Cook the paste in a pan until fragrant.
  3. Add chili sauce, ketchup, and seasoning. Simmer until slightly thickened.
Ingredient Quantity
Shallot
50g
Garlic
2 cloves
Chili sauce
200g
Ketchup
200g
Sugar
20g
Salt
10g

Finishing

Carefully fill the crispy popiah skin with the prepared ingredients, then top with homemade chili.