Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat

Malaysian Nyonya Jiu Hu Char

馬來西亞娘惹魷魚絲炒沙葛 Jiu Hu Char

Malaysian Nyonya Jiu Hu Char — finished dish

Total time: 50 min
Difficulty: Medium
Servings: 4 servings

Recipe overview

Dried squid, shredded pork and jicama are cooked in stages, then reduced until sweet and dry for the layered flavour of Nyonya Jiu Hu Char.

01

Ingredients

Main ingredients

500 g jicama
80 g dried shredded squid
200 g shredded pork

Main seasoning

500 ml warm squid-soaking water
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp white pepper
2 tbsp cooking oil

Malaysian Nyonya Jiu Hu Char — ingredients

02

Tools

cutting board
knife
bowl
wok
spatula
lid

Malaysian Nyonya Jiu Hu Char — tools

03

Steps

Malaysian Nyonya Jiu Hu Char — Rinse dried squid, soak in 500 ml warm water fifteen minutes and squeeze dry

Step 1

Rinse dried squid, soak in 500 ml warm water fifteen minutes and squeeze dry

Rinse dried squid, soak in 500 ml warm water fifteen minutes and squeeze dry.

Malaysian Nyonya Jiu Hu Char — Peel jicama and cut into even fine matchsticks

Step 2

Peel jicama and cut into even fine matchsticks

Peel jicama and cut into even fine matchsticks.

Malaysian Nyonya Jiu Hu Char — Marinate pork ten minutes with one teaspoon soy and half the pepper

Step 3

Marinate pork ten minutes with one teaspoon soy and half the pepper

Marinate pork ten minutes with one teaspoon soy and half the pepper.

Malaysian Nyonya Jiu Hu Char — Heat one tablespoon oil and fry squid until curled and aromatic

Step 4

Heat one tablespoon oil and fry squid until curled and aromatic

Heat one tablespoon oil and fry squid until curled and aromatic.

Malaysian Nyonya Jiu Hu Char — Remove squid, add the remaining tablespoon oil and fry pork until opaque

Step 5

Remove squid, add the remaining tablespoon oil and fry pork until opaque

Remove squid, add the remaining tablespoon oil and fry pork until opaque.

Malaysian Nyonya Jiu Hu Char — Add jicama and toss over high heat until slightly wilted

Step 6

Add jicama and toss over high heat until slightly wilted

Add jicama and toss over high heat until slightly wilted.

Malaysian Nyonya Jiu Hu Char — Pour the remaining five teaspoons soy around the wok edge to caramelise

Step 7

Pour the remaining five teaspoons soy around the wok edge to caramelise

Pour the remaining five teaspoons soy around the wok edge to caramelise.

Malaysian Nyonya Jiu Hu Char — Return squid and combine thoroughly with pork and jicama

Step 8

Return squid and combine thoroughly with pork and jicama

Return squid and combine thoroughly with pork and jicama.

Malaysian Nyonya Jiu Hu Char — Cover over medium heat five minutes so jicama moisture cooks everything through

Step 9

Cover over medium heat five minutes so jicama moisture cooks everything through

Cover over medium heat five minutes so jicama moisture cooks everything through.

Malaysian Nyonya Jiu Hu Char — Uncover and stir-fry continuously until pan juices evaporate

Step 10

Uncover and stir-fry continuously until pan juices evaporate

Uncover and stir-fry continuously until pan juices evaporate.

Malaysian Nyonya Jiu Hu Char — Check pork is cooked and jicama tender-crisp; finish with white pepper

Step 11

Check pork is cooked and jicama tender-crisp; finish with white pepper

Check pork is cooked and jicama tender-crisp; finish with white pepper.

Malaysian Nyonya Jiu Hu Char — Mound loosely on a plate, leaving excess oil behind

Step 12

Mound loosely on a plate, leaving excess oil behind

Mound loosely on a plate, leaving excess oil behind.

Common mistakes

Wet squid drops wok heat; thick jicama remains raw after the pork is done.

Tips

Patiently reduce uncovered at the end so the dish tastes stir-fried rather than boiled.