Nov DOTM: Mala Xiang Guo (Mala Fragrant Pot)

Well well well, what do we have here?

Are you really surprised? I’m not. Ever since I discovered Mala Xiang Guo a couple of months back, I’ve been hooked and trying to convert every single person I know. Convert. Things just got religious.

Anyho, I decided to whip up a Mala feast for a lunch gathering on Deepavali. When I first saw a recipe to make the Mala sauce, let’s just say I couldn’t make myself finish reading the list of ingredients. Till I find that part in me (you know, where patience is deep hidden), instant mix it is for me. I used Chuan Wei Wang Hot And Spicy Stir-Fry Mala Pot - Ma La Xiang Guo Seasoning, which you can purchase quite easily from Redmart, Shopee or the supermarket. Yes I know, I sound like a cop out. A cop out who has regained a sense of fulfilment in life as she has discovered Mala is within her fingertips.

The beauty of this dish is it can be anything you damn well want. Throw in whatever you like ‘cause it’s your damn Mala fragrant pot. Own it.

Of course there are a few things to take note, so here is some friendly advice from a fellow voyager:

• Ratio is important here. You want a good mix of meat to veg to carbs. 
• If you are using pork belly or some cuts that might be prone to funky smells, you might want to boil them separately to get rid of the smells.  
• For the instant noodles, go for your favourite brand. Quality does makes a difference here. 
• The reason why the ingredients are separated into Part 1 and 2 is because you don't want to overcook the carbs and meat.
• The ratio of adults to instant mix is 3:1. 3 adults with decent levels of tolerance for spice to 1 pack of instant mix. 

I take no credit for this recipe as it was largely adapted from nookcook.com. If you have never tried Mala before, this is quite the beginner’s level in terms of spice. Go for it, you will at least have a story to tell at your next dinner party.

Ingredients
Serves 6 courageous adults

• 4 tbsp cooking oil 
• 8 garlic cloves finely chopped 
• 4 whole garlic cloves 
• 6-14 dried chilli cut to small pieces; to taste 
• 2 x 110 grams packet of instant mala sauce 
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce to taste 
• 2 tsp fish sauce to taste 
• Smattering of ikan bilis for garnish

The "works" - Part 1

• 150g oyster mushrooms, thinly sliced 
• 200g enoki mushrooms, separated into small strip chunks 
• 200g-250g kang kong or any veg of your choice
• 8 crab sticks, halve
• 100g bean curd sticks, softened 

The "works" - Part 2

• 3 packs of instant noodles of your choice, cooked
• 500g pork belly or your choice cut, thinly sliced  

Instructions 

1. Par-boil the ingredients. Add water to wok and bring to boil. Add your ingredients from Part 1 to the work and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in wok. Stir fry garlic and chilli until aromatic. Add the mala sauce and stir fry briefly until fragrant, about a minute or two. Add the whole lot of ingredients from Step 1.
3. Stir fry until almost cooked, then add ingredients from Part 2 soy sauce and fish sauce. Stir fry briefly until everything is cooked and well-mixed.
4. Once the contents within the wok look like a hot mess, transfer the contents to a large serving bowl and sprinkle the garnish for a finishing touch. Final act can be done to the tune of salt bae - noone's looking.
5. Serve to the delight of your guests.