Assam Veges and Poached Eggs

This soury dish will perk you up anytime!

When I was at Malacca, I chance upon this dish at a stall. A soupy base dish with lots of vegetables. I ordered one (w/o rice) and the aroma was interesting. The fillings consisted of more than just vegetables. There were brinjals, tomato wedges, pineapple, fresh beancurd, long beans and a poached egg. A slurp of the soup sent me almost to heaven! Very refreshing! Just what I needed with the toothache and humid wheather and all. Thus, I remade the dish at home. Mine was nowhere near the dish I had. It doen't have that bite of freshness which I was looking for. However, it was lovely with rice. Kinda like Assam Pedas but more watery and sourish. Anyhow, I enjoyed mine all the same!

Ingredients for Assam Veges & Poached Eggs
2-3 tbsp dried chili paste
1 large onion - chopped
2 garlic - chopped
1cm ginger - chopped
2 tbsp assam paste - mix with water & take only assam juice
1cm belacan (fermented prawn cake) - baked
1 tbsp sugar
3 cups water
1 cube Knorr ikan bilis
salt to taste
olive oil
Fillings
Eggs - poached
Tauhu (Hard Soy Beancurd) - quartered
Brinjal - sliced
Tomatoes - wedges
Cabbages - sliced
Method
Heat up olive oil and sweat onions, garlic and ginger. Add in dried chili paste and fry well till split oil. Add in belacan and Knorr ikan bilis. Add in sugar and stir. Pour in assam juice and water and bring to boil. Salt to taste. Add in all fillings. Bring to a simmer. Poached eggs when about to serve. Walaaa... You're ready to roll!