Pan Asian: Chili Beef (Indonesia)

Chili beef

One of my favorite dishes from Indonesia, Beef Rendang, also, unfortunately, takes a long time to prepare, and in this heat, I can’t muster enough energy to spend that much time in front of the stove. So when I found this other Indonesian recipe for chili beef, I thought I’d definitely give it a try. It required relatively few ingredients and an even shorter cooking time. What also piqued my interest were a couple of new ingredients you don’t usually find at your local grocer’s. Kecap manis, which I’ve used before, is a sweet, thick soy sauce that resembles molasses and has the same consistency. Sambal oelek, on the other hand, is a tasty and spicy chili paste on par with Sriracha sauce (and kind of like a chunkier version) that I’ve always used as a condiment. In this particular recipe, both of these marvelous ingredients become part of the marinade that the thinly sliced pieces of beef soak up before being stir-fried in the wok. I think you could even marinate an old shoe in this combo and it would taste good.

kecap manis and sambal oelek

The Recipe

¼ cup kecap manis

2 ½ teaspoons sambal oelek

2 cloves garlic, crushed

½ teaspoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon grated palm sugar or soft brown sugar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 lb. beef fillet, partially frozen and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon peanut oil

2 tablespoons  chopped roasted peanuts

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

1.)  Combine the kecap manis, sambal oelek, garlic, ground coriander, palm sugar, sesame oil, and 2 tablespoons water in a large bowl. Add the beef slices and coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20  minutes.

2.)  Heat oil in wok. Add the meat in batches and cook for 2-3 minutes or until browned.

3.)  Arrange the beef on a serving platter, sprinkle with chopped peanuts and cilantro leaves, and serve with steamed rice.

Serves 4

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Pan Asian: Sundanese Style Grilled Chicken (Bakakak Hayam) – Indonesia

Bakakak Hayam comes from the Sundanese people of West Java. Sundanese cuisine apparently ranks as one of the most popular regional cuisines in Indonesia, which was once known as the Spice Islands. There are some great flavors in this dish–including galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and coconut milk–and I love the fact that it starts out like a curry, but is then eventually grilled.

As with many Asian recipes, you might be intimidated at first by unknown ingredients or simply by the long shopping list, but your efforts in the kitchen will be well-rewarded.

 The Recipe

1 fresh chicken, quartered

1 teaspoon tamarind pulp

2 tablespoons warm water

3 tablespoons oil

1 cup (250 ml) thick coconut milk

1 stalk lemongrass, tender inner part of bottom third only, bruised and cut into 3 pieces

 

Spice Paste:

 

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

2 teaspoon coriander seeds

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

3-4 red finger-length chilies

5 shallots, peeled

5 cloves of garlic, peeled

1-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced

1-inch piece galangal root, peeled and sliced

½-inch piece turmeric root, peeled and sliced

½ teaspoon, dried shrimp paste, toasted

2 kaffir lime leaves, sliced

1 tablespoon palm sugar or brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

 

1.)   Soak tamarind pulp in warm water for 5 minutes. Mash with fingers and strain to obtain juice. Place chicken in a bowl and rub the tamarind juice into the chicken. Set aside.

2.)   Prepare the spice paste by dry-frying the peppercorns, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds in a small pan over low heat until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Grind in a spice grinder or blender until fine. Add the remaining Spice Paste ingredients and grind to a smooth paste, adding a little oil as necessary to keep the mixture moist.

3.)   Heat oil in a wok until hot and add Spice Paste. Stir-fry over low to medium heat until fragrant, 4-5 minutes. Add the thick coconut milk and lemon grass and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Pierce the chicken all over with a fork and then add to the wok. Cook the chicken for about 15 minutes, turning from time to time until the sauce is absorbed and dries to a paste.

4.)   Remove chicken from wok, coat well with any remaining sauce, and grill under a broiler or BBQ until cooked through and golden brown on all sides, about 10-15 minutes.

 

Serves 4

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