Fiddlehead Ferns Salad / Kerabu Pucuk Paku

Fiddlehead Fern Salad or Kerabu Pucuk Paku is one of the popular side dishes. The ferns in the recipe is probably the most commonly consumed fern in Malaysia. The young fronds are stir-fried as a "vegetable" or used in salads.

Tips in choosing the ferns:

1. Choose small, firm Fiddleheads that have a bright jade color; avoid those with yellow or soft patches.
2. Use Fiddleheads as soon as possible; they can be refrigerated for up to two days, tightly wrapped in newspaper or plastic
3. Before using, wash them thoroughly

Fiddlehead Ferns Salad / Kerabu Pucuk Paku

RECIPE

Ingredients

100g Fiddlehead Ferns – pick only the shoots

100g bean sprouts – de-tailed

½ onion

4 bird’s eye chilies

1 red chili

1 tbsp toasted coconut paste (Kerisek)

2 limes – extract the juice

200g dried shrimps – soak

Sugar and salt according to taste

Directions

1. Pound the onion, red and the bird’s eye chilies, and the dried shrimps. Put the pounded ingredients in a plate and put aside
2. Blanch the bean sprouts, drain and put them in a plate
3. Blanch the ferns, drain and put them in a plate
4. In a bowl, place the ferns, bean sprouts, the pounded ingredients, the toasted coconut paste and the lime juice. Salt and sugar to taste
5. Mix well