Lemak Siput (Chu Chu)

If the French have Escargo, here in Asia, we have Blunt Greepers.

Blunt Greepers; ChuChu in Chinese (choo-choo) or Siput in Malay (see-poot) has been gaining its place on seafood restaurant tables. I have been savouring Blunt Greepers since I was very young. Traditionally, Blunt Greepers were cooked in thick coconut milk with spices. I can have a whole bowl all for myself! Some people cant stand the sight of it, Some cant even bring themselves to savour this! But as travelling became affordable, many of us venture out on culinary expedition. Thats when some of my friends had Blunt Greepers for the first time! In Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia, many eateries serve this delectable dish!

Lemak Siput (Chu Chu)

Prep time: 45 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Serves: 2 - 4 pax

Ingredients:

1kg live blunt greepers (its really not a lot as the weight of the shell makes up about 70%)

Few Tapioca leaves (to remove excess mud from the greepers)
A quarter of a medium size pumpkin

Few pandan leaves

1 stalk lemon grass

1 small pack coconut milk

2 cups water

Salt and black pepper to taste

Right: Fresh tumeric with the skin peeled.

To blend:

1 medium size red onion

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup dried anchovies (ikan bilis)

3 pcs fresh green chili

5 pcs green bird's eye chili

2 inch fresh turmeric

Method:

1. Break the tip of the blunt greepers for easy suction while eating. I used meat pounder and it really works well!

Left: Full size Blunt Greeper; Right: Greeper with the broken tip, hence smaller in size :D 

2. Clean the blunt greepers by soaking it in salt water and tapioca leaves to remove excess mud till you are ready to cook. The one I bought from the supermarket has been cleaned frm mud. When you are ready to cook, throw the water and soak in clean water for about 5 mins. Then drain excess water and set aside.

3. Cut the pumpkin in cubes and set aside.

4. In a pot, add in the blended ingredients, water, lemon grass, pandan leaves. Bring it to boil. For fast boiling, you can add salt and pepper to taste. Salt helps to increase the boiling point of water hence it will boil faster. You can cover the pot to retain the temperature too.

5. Once boil, add in the blunt greepers and cover pot. You can see that as its boiling, the water will be full of bubbles. Its fine. Thats the juice and mucus from the greepers.

6. Reduce the flame, add in coconut milk, stir once or twice. Then add in pumpkin. Dont stir. Dont cover the pot. We dont want a mushy pumpkin.

7. Bring to boil with medium heat. At this point, dont stir. Just be on guard.

8. As pumpkin cooked pretty fast, switch off the flame once boil.

9. Serves hot with steam white rice. Be careful as you savour the greepers; we dont want you to burn your tongue caused by the hot gravy trapped in the greepers' shell XD

Enjoy!

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