Eco-friendly and local
Yasmin Rasyid is the founder of EcoKnights, a not-for-profit environmental organisation focused on sustainable development. its goals are to raise awareness among malaysians on environmental issues and inspire the adoption of a greener lifestyle.
One of the ways to solve the food problem, says Yasmin, is aquaponics, an organic farming method that marries aquaculture and hydroponics (soil-less growing of plants) – fish are reared in tanks, their wastewater provides food for growing plants, and the plants act as a natural filter for the water which the fish live in. This means fish and plants grow together in one integrated system. The recipe: Eco-conscious cooking benefits the environment, and for the most part, it is also healthier and more budget-friendly as it emphasises fresh local produce, which are used in this recipe. inexpensive fish such as sardine or mackerel is perfect for this dish. Try to get fresh petai in their pods and once you remove the beans and peel them, be sure to split each one in half to remove the embryo and check for tiny worms – unless you want extra protein. PETAI AND GRILLED FISH FRIED RICE Serves 4
3 red chillies
3 bird’s eye chillies (cili padi) 2 shallots, peeled
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 tsp belacan (shrimp paste)
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 local fresh oily fish, grilled and flaked salt to taste
1 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kicap manis) 1 cup petai (stink bean), peeled, split in half and cleaned
3 cups cooked rice
1/2 tsp sugar
1-2 kalamansi limes, juiced
Blend/pound the red chillies, bird’s eye chillies, shallots, garlic, belacan and roasted peanuts. Heat oil and sauté 3/4 of the the ground ingredients until fragrant. add fish flakes and salt, stirring until well-combined. add soy sauce and petai. Cook for about a minute and add rice. mix well until rice is well-coated. Dish out.
To the remaining 1/4 of the ground ingredients, add sugar and lime juice to taste. stir to combine well. serve with the fried rice. Find one extra recipe for this story, featuring American congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, on Star2. com.