Foochow Dian Bian Hu

This dish can be pronounced in many ways – Dian Bian Hu, Ding Bian Hu, Tian Pian Hu, etc. It literally translate to Side Wok Congee, depicts how it’s been prepared….pouring batter on the side of the wok while cooking the soup and mixing it together to form the dish.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, travelling back to hometown is almost impossible.  It’s been 2 years plus since my last trip home…..how I missed the air of the little town, the people, the familiar places, the familiar food and most important, my parents.  Both are in their 80’s and yet very mobile and leading a simple life by the blessing of the Lord! 

I missssss home terribly, horribly! DO you?

While experimenting with this recipe, lot’s of childhood memories went through my mind….

We used to have this dish almost every weekend. I remember waking up late on Saturday morning and a big pot of “Dian Bian Hu” will be waiting for us.  My father always bring the big blue pot, which happen to be the biggest takeaway pot at home to the market for the takeaways.  It’s extremely heart-warming to wake up to a bowl of “Dian Bian Hu”. Thank you Apa!  Another flashback memory of this dish is that my siblings and I, used to fight over the brown squid/cuttlefish and trying our best to scoop more…an action that my grandmother always forbid.  When no one is looking, fishing the brown squid/cuttlefish is so fulfilling.  Each scoop of Dian Bian Hu with squid is too awesome to forget!  The lazy one who got up late, will literally find all the brown squid/cuttlefish missing in action…..hahaha!

Recipes as attached below :

Ingredients

Rice batter

• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 cup water to make the batter

Soup Base

• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 slice of ginger
• ½ shallot bulb
• 5 pcs of black fungus – soaked prior to cooking
• ~100g sliced brown squid
• 300g water or homemade chicken stock
• Salt to taste
• Fish sauce
• Sarawak pepper

Some image of the ingredients I used in the recipe :

Sarawak pepper

Sarawak pepper at Lazada!

Sarawak pepper at Amazon

Methods

1. Let’s start with the rice batter.  Mix the water to the flour gradually to obtain a smooth texture and set aside.
2. Heat up the pan
3. Add in shallot, sliced garlic and ginger.
4. Add in cooking oil
5. Stir until fragrant
6. Add in the chopped garlic.  I have ever ready chopped garlic soaked in olive oil which I refrigerate.  These will add the fragrant and add in last as they burned easily.
7. Mix in the brown squid and black fungus.
8. Add the water and bring to boil
9. Add salt to taste, fish sauce and some Sarawak pepper.
10. Remove the soup into a smaller pot and set aside.
11. Do not wash the pan and pour in the batter.
12. Tilt the pan and let the batter swirl and cook for a minute.
13. Whe the side of the batter curled up, pour in the soup and let it simmer for another minute.
14. Dish up and add more pepper to taste!

First attempt of Dian Pian Hu with just eggs

The version of Dian Pian Hu with more soup

Do give it a try as it is not as complicated as it seems.

Happy Trying!

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