Have an enjoyable experience of Malaysian Poh Piah, a soft, juicy and flavour-packed street-style fresh spring roll recipe, a balance of textures and taste enclosed in a crepe-like shell. With an excellent combination of braised turnips, carrots, bean sprouts, tofu, egg, peanuts and occasionally some prawns or Chinese sausage, this roll is essentially the epitome of everything being just right with each bite.
Its light but filling nature is what makes Poh Piah so popular as a snack light appetizer or even meal. The fillings are different in regions or homes, but its trademark is to switch the crunchy vegetables with the mushy wrap, paired with the sweet hoisin-like sauce and spicy chilli paste. A curry-filled roll is popularly served at parties, festivals or during weekend cravings, this roll is not deep-fried but made of fresh and thus a healthier snack on the street.
History of Malaysian Poh Piah
Poh Piah comes from the roots of the province of Fujian in China and then brought into Malaysia, Singapore and other regions of Southeast Asia by immigrants of Hokkien and Teochew origin. It has been adapted to Malaysian cuisine by adding more spice, sauce and colourfulness.
Poh piah, which means thin “pancake”, is described as the soft paper-thin wheat crepe used to enclose the savoury filling. Customarily, the core filling of sengkuang (jicama or yam bean) braised with carrots and garlic is added along with occasional simmering done with dried shrimp or mushroom. The topping can include crushed peanuts, fried crispy shallots, boiled egg or Chinese sausages.
These rolls are rather self-service-ish in nature i.e. everything is placed on the table and each person rolls their own Popiah recipe, and as such eating is somewhat of a group process.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Poh piah Skins (Fresh Spring Roll Wrappers): These soft, thin wrappers are traditionally handmade of wheat flour and water Thin wheat-based crepes or large rice paper can be used when necessary and can be found online or at any Asian store near you
- Sengkuang (Jicama / Yam Bean): The Chinese heart of palm is slightly sweet, and juicy and provides crunch and juiciness. Use daikon radish or shredded green papaya if you don’t have the former.
- Carrot: Natural sweetness, colour and crunch are given by Carrot. To have a better texture, use fresh and shredded finely
- Garlic: Crushed or minced garlic that is used during sauteing of fillings gives a level of not only flavour but also aroma
- Firm tofu: This will add proteins and soften the mixture. Cubes of pan-fried tofu are frequently used
- Bean Sprouts: Adds that crispy fresh bite. Boil them lightly first, in order to eliminate raw taste
- Boiled Egg / Omelette: Sliced eggs give richness and make the roll full of calories
- Sweet Sauce (Hoisin or Sweet Bean Sauce): The sweet and savoury paste is used in coating the skin prior to rolling
- Chili Sauce (optional):Put a little heat in with a garlic-chili sauce or sambal. Add according to your tolerance of spices
- Crushed Peanuts and Fried Shallots: to give some crunch and nuttiness. These are commonly sprinkled over the filling and then rolled
- Lettuce Leaves (optional): This adds extra greens and form to the filling
How to Make Malaysian Poh Piah
Make the Filling
Begin by slicing your vegetables into little matchsticks or shreds. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a big pan and roast some garlic until it becomes fragrant. Add grated jicama and carrot and cook over medium heat, stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Put in some soy sauce, sprinkle some sugar and almost 1/4 cup of water. Cover and reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10-12 minutes, until the veggies are tender, not mushy. Cool then assemble.
Filling:
- 1 cup jicama (Sengkang) shredded
- 1 carrot (grated-small)
- 1–2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 tablespoon Soy sauce
- Starches fried in a pinch of sugar
- 1 tablespoon oil
- A quarter of a cup of water
Optional Add-ins:
- A quarter cup of sliced tofu (pan-fried)
- 1/4 cup hard or soft-cooked egg
- 1 part of blanched bean sprouts
Prepare Sauces and Toppings
- Sweet sauce (Hoisin / Sweet bean paste)
- Chilli sauce (with taste)
- Crushed peanuts
- Fried shallots
- Lettuce fresh leaves
- boiled eggs or omelette in small pieces
Putting together the Rolls
- Put a Poh piah skin over a clean board or a plate
- In the middle put a teaspoonful of sweet sauce and on top a touch of chilli sauce (optional)
- Place a lettuce leaf on top of it and add 2-3 tablespoons of the cooled jicama-carrot mixture
- Sprinkle it with tofu, egg, peanuts and fried shallots
- Fold the sides, and then roll bottom to top like a burrito.
- Do the same with the rest of the skins and fillings
Serve and Enjoy
To make serving convenient, cut a roll into 2-3 bite-sized pieces. It is best eaten fresh, a bit soft and saucy and a bit crunchy too. It is also possible to serve in pieces in case you prefer the traditional aspect
To serve at a party, make a “do-it-yourself roll station” with all the Popiah ingredients, sauces and skins ready on tables, and everyone makes his or her own authentic Poh piah recipe with homemade skin! Whether you’re craving Singaporean street food or want to learn how to wrap Popiah rolls at home, this is the roll that brings it all together.
