Pie Tee

I am very perplexed as to why this delicate and delicious appetizer is so called - Pie Tee . I know it does resemble a tiny pie, it has a crust and filling but to relate to Tee ????? - the only Tee i know is in the Golf course. What i do know is that this is a NYONYA speciality and it could be a more sophisticated way to serve the big brother, Popiah. The Thai Krathong Thong - Golden Flowers is very similar and the Krathong Mould has more shapes, 4 patterns attached to a handle, therefore it is so much more faster to make the cups than the malaysian pie tee mould which is single.

STEP TO STEP - HOW TO MAKE THE PIE TEE CUPS

Mix the ingredients for the batter and leave to rest for 30 minutes

Put enough oil to cover the mould and heat to 350f. Put the mould in to heat

Pour batter into a coffee cup and when mould is hot, dip it on batter, make sure that it covers the whole mould but not to the very brim.

Put mould into hot oil and fry until golden brown. Shake mould to dislodge cup and if it does not come out by itself, aid it with a skewer. Fry mould until crispy but not totally golden brown.

Remove cup from oil and leave on an overturned cake rack which has kitchen towel underneath to catch the dripping oil.

These cups are not totally browned and need to be refried until golden brown. You could fry them until golden brown the first time round.

Serve and enjoy

Ingredients:

Pie Tee Cups

1 cup + 2 tbsp rice flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup corn starch/ flour
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
400 ml water - extra for adjusting as you go along

4 cups vegetable oil for frying

Filling :

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp chopped onion

1 tsp chopped garlic
1 large jicama/bangkuang - finely shredded
1 piece dried squid - wash and shred fine

or/and 2 tbsp dried shrimp - wash and chop fine
1 carrot - peeled and finely shredded
1 tsp fish sauce
½ tsp salt
½ tsp white pepper

1/2 cup stock/water

Garnishes:

Coriander leaves
Red chilli, finely sliced

Cooked Shrimp - skinless

Crab Meat - steamed with some shaoxing wine

Fried Shallots

Omelette - thinly julienned

Chilli sauce

Method:

To prepare the Pie Tee Cups

Mix all ingredients together and leave aside for 30 minutes.

Heat the oil then put the Pie Tee mould in the oil to heat up.

Dip the mould into the batter and plunge back into the hot oil.

Fry until light brown. Then shake to remove the cup from the mould. Use a skewer to aid if the cup does not fall off the mould by itself. When dislodged, fry the cups until crispy.

Place on overturn cake rack which has the kitchen paper underneath, to drain,

Repeat until all the batter is used up.

Refry the cups until golden brown and crispy, drain.

Pie Tee cups can be prepared ahead and kept in air-tight container until needed.

To prepare the FILLING

Put the oil in a hot wok and stir fry onion and garlic.

Add the rest of the ingredients, fry until vegetables are fairly soft and the sauce all soaked up by the vegetables. Leave them to cool.

To serve:

Place pie tee cups separately and guests are to fill the cups with the filling and garnishes.

Enjoy