Ingredients

FOR THE EGG SKINS
5 large eggs
200g flour
¼ teaspoon salt
spray oil
FOR THE SWEET SAUCE
1 x 425g can pineapple pieces
4 tablespoons kecap manis
FOR THE PINEAPPLE SALSA
pineapple, reserved from making the sauce
1 teaspoon caster sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 shallot, finely chopped
3 large mild red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
½ cup chopped coriander
TO SERVE
1 tablespoon peanut or plain oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
3 teaspoons belacan shrimp paste
250g pork mince
300g firm tofu
A selection of crisp lettuce leaves, cucumber batons, blanched bean sprouts, fried garlic, pickled chilli (finely chop and mix with a little vinegar)

Popiah are one of my favourite things to eat in Singapore – I’ll never forget my first one from a stall at Newton Circus. Mine are not traditional of course, with the addition of pineapple salsa, but it works so well with the pork. This is great for a group dinner where people wrap their own, as the pancakes will happily sit covered for a long time. You can make the skins a day or two ahead, cover well and store in the fridge.

Instructions

1.FOR THE EGG SKINS
2.Gently whisk the eggs together in a bowl.
3.Sieve the flour and salt together and add gradually to the eggs, whisking gently to combine.
4.Slowly stir in 350ml water.
5.The mix will be lumpy at first but should become smooth (you don’t want to aerate so avoid vigorous whisking).
6.Set aside.
7.Heat a medium or large frying pan over a medium to high heat.
8.Spray with oil.
9.Add a small ladleful of batter and working carefully swirl the pan to get a thin crêpe – the idea is to get them as thin as you can.
10.Cook for about a minute until the edges start coming away from the pan then transfer to a plate.
11.Repeat, stacking the cooked skins on top of each other.
12.Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
13.FOR THE SWEET SAUCE
14.Drain the pineapple juice into a saucepan (reserve the pieces for the salsa).
15.Bring to the boil and boil for about 10 minutes until you have around 2 tablespoons left.
16.Stir in the kecap manis and leave to cool.
17.If the mix is too sticky when cool, dilute with water.
18.FOR THE PINEAPPLE SALSA
19.Finely chop the drained pineapple and combine in a bowl with the sugar, vinegar, shallot, chilli and coriander.
20.TO SERVE
21.Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion for 5 minutes then add the garlic and belacan and cook for 2-3 minutes.
22.Add the pork mince and cook, breaking up as you stir, for about 10 minutes until starting to brown.
23.Stir in the tofu and cook a further 5 minutes.
24.This is best served warm so reheat if you have made in advance.
25.To serve, take one egg skin, smear with sweet sauce, top with a piece of lettuce then add mince, salsa and other condiments as liked. Roll up and eat.

Recipes & Food Styling  Fiona Smith / Photography Aaron McLean / Styling Fiona Lascelles

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