Pai Ti

Name: Pai Ti (Crispy Cups with Popiah Filling)
Yield: Serves 10 to 12
Ingredients: ¼ teaspoon slaked lime powder (kapor); 350 g or 12 ounces prawn (shrimp), shelled, deveined and chopped; 450 g or 1 pound plain flour (preferably Sunflower or Orchid Brand); 1 egg, beaten; 3¾ cups water, approximately; 1.8 kg jicama (bangkuang); 1.2 kg to 1.8 kg or 2¾ to 4 pounds bamboo shoots; 4 tablespoons oil; 1 bunch of coriander leaves (cilantro), stems removed; Salt to taste; Pinch of salt; 1 small tin of crab flakes or 2 crabs, steamed and flaked; 4 pieces firm soy bean curd (taukua); 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce sauce (for colour); 3 eggs, fried into thin omelettes and cut into fine strips; 110 g or 4 ounces garlic (pounded and fried until golden brown); 110 g or 4 ounces garlic, peeled and minced; 350 g or 12 ounces pork (boiled); Sugar to taste

Crispy Cups with Popiah Filling

Preparation info

Serves
10 to 12

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Growing Up In A Nonya Kitchen

By Sharon Wee

Published 2012

About

Each delicate little crispy shell holds the same popiah filling. Laced with chilli chuka sauce and topped with coriander leaves. Never had I realised how much I took these pai ti shells for granted, until I tried frying them. These days in Singapore, it is easy to buy a plastic canister of such cups—quite costly I might add. Yet the true satisfaction is in making them yourself.

The first time I made these shells, I used a brass mould purchased a wh