Ingredients
- 1kg topside or chuck steak, cut into 3cm cubes (You can also use chicken or lamb)
- 4 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 lemon grass – cut into halves and lightly bruised
- 1 cup thick coconut milk
- 3 cups water
- Salt to taste
To be made into a paste:
- 3 large onions
- 1 inch galangal
- 2 lemongrass (white part only)
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 inch ginger
- 15 dried chilies (soaked in warm water and seeded)
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
Other ingredients – ingredients that can be omitted if not available (See notes)
- 100g kerisik (toasted coconut) See notes if you want to make this on your own.
- 6 kaffir lime leaves – torn into halves
- Turmeric leaf
Instructions
- Chop the spice paste ingredients and then blend it in a food processor, with some water until very fine.
- Heat the oil in a pot/work and add the spice paste, lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves and fry until aromatic for about 10-15 minutes.
- Add the beef and stir for 2 minutes.
- Mix in the coconut milk, water, salt and simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently until the meat is 3/4 cooked.
- Add the kerisik (toasted coconut) if using and mix well.
- Lower the heat to low, cover the lid, and simmer for at least 1 hour or untill the meat is fork-tender and the gravy has dried up.
- Serve with plain rice.
Notes
Ingredients like kerisik, kaffir lime leaves and turmeric leaf can be omitted if it is not available. Alternatively, you can make your own Kerisik.
To make your own kerisik (toasted coconut)
Toast 100g of shredded fresh coconut in a dry pan.
Keep a close eye on this, as it will burn really quickly. It should be a lovely deep brown colour when ready. In a food processor, blend the toasted coconut till fine. Alternatively, you can pound the toasted coconut in a pestle and mortar.
- Cuisine: Indonesian