The Special Gourmet from Any city In Indonesian
Rendang
Rendang is a popular
dish of meat stewed in coconut milk and spices, commonly found in Malaysia,
Singapore and Indonesia. It has a long history in the region with distinct
versions unique to individual Malaysian states that use different ingredients
for the rempah (Malay for “spice mix”), thus resulting in differing flavours to
the meat.
Description
The meat, usually beef
but sometimes chicken or mutton, is stewed in coconut milk with spices such as
ginger, chillies, galangal (blue ginger), lemongrass, garlic, shallots, kaffir
lime leaves and turmeric. A wide rather than a deep pot is preferred to allow
the milk to evaporate during a slow boil of up to three hours. Skill is
required to ensure the liquid does not overboil and cause the milk to curdle.
However, if the fire is too low, the meat could burn. Correctly cooked, the
liquid will thicken into the distinctive rendang gravy. This cooking process
has several purposes – it adds flavour to the meat as it is braised in the
spices; it softens and tenderises the meat as the dish dries up; and it
enhances the preservation of the dish, allowing it to remain edible even two to
three days later without refrigeration or up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
The dish is best eaten with rice and is sometimes consumed with ketupat
(steamed pressed rice). It is more often served in hawker centres as one of
several dishes in nasi padang.
History
Rendang is believed to
originate from West Sumatra and water buffalo was traditionally used as the
meat. The dish signifies the wealth of the person or community that can afford
to put down a water buffalo for consumption. Water buffalos, however, tend to
be tougher than common beef found in most Western countries. To make it more
palatable, the meat of the buffalo is thus cooked on a low temperature over a
long period of time, and braised in coconut milk and spices until it becomes a
dry curry. As the whole buffalo was prepared, the dish was cooked in large
quantities, often using a large wok. Rendang was originally wrapped in plantain
or banana leaves for consumption on long journeys.
The dish today is
considered a celebratory meal, served regularly during Hari Raya, a major feast
day amongst Muslim Malays, and at Malay weddings. It is eaten with rice or a
staple like lontong.
Early variants
The common ingredients
of the rempah for rendang are often described in Malay curries in 19th century
newspaper reports. A description of fish curry cooked by Malays appeared as
early as 1775. The dish was made by stewing freshly cooked fish in a mixture of
roots and greens in grated coconut milk and was called “curry” by the Malays. A
similar dish mentioned by Thomas Forrest was cooked in a large iron pot for at
least 100 sailors. Preserved pork and beef were thrown in with pickles, roots,
sour crout and vegetables. To this stew was added coconut milk and some
chillies. Charlton Maxwell considered the Malay curry as having its source in
Penang, where the confluence of various races brought their respective spices
to flavour the dish. He also noted that it was a dish served in towns rather
than villages because a variety of imported spices were required. A “curry
stone” was necessary for making the curry, with reference possibly to the batu
giling for grinding the various spices. Other early mentions in newspapers of
similar stews included one of beef sambal. The recipe used buah keras and
required that the limau purut leaf be added only towards the end of the cooking
process.
Colonialists familiar
with Indian curries often considered the Malay spice mix a poor cousin to the
Indian version. The curry thus cooked was different from the Indian curry
because the dish did not include curry leaves and used coconut milk as a liquid
base. Isabella Bird in The golden Chersonese (1883) noted that “Curry is at
each meal but it is not made with curry powder. Its basis is grated cocoa-nut
made into a paste with cocoa-nut milk, and the spices are added fresh”. In the
19th century, Vaughan observed that the Malays cooked a particular curry that
had several spices, including turmeric, onions, garlic, chillies and coriander
pounded together with tamarind. This mix was fried in oil with meat or
vegetables added, followed by the addition of some coconut or a souring agent
like lime juice.
Regional variants were
also mentioned in various early travelogues. A description of chicken rendang
in Borneo was given by Sir Spencer Buckingham John in Life in the forests of
the Far East (1862). A curry paste was made by pounding chillies, turmeric,
coriander seed and white cumin together. Some finely sliced onions were browned
and then fried with the curry paste and a little water. The chicken was added
to the cooked mixture along with coconut milk. The dish was then cooked for
some time. In the Burmese version, ground chilli was mixed with turmeric,
onions or garlic. Some sour juice was added along with coconut milk, and the
meat or fish stewed in it. The Siamese version had ginger in the mixture. All
versions were eaten with cooked rice.
Modern variants
The version of rendang
found in Kelantan, Malaysia is known as kerutub daging. With a unique spice mix
known as kerutub, the meat is slow cooked with just a little water and only
when it is tender is the coconut milk then added. Toasted coconut, locally
known as kerisik, is also added toward the end of the cooking process along
with some palm sugar.
In Pekan, Pahang in
Malaysia, the opor daging is a dish that traces its origins to the Riau
islands. It is cooked in a rich spice mix and is made with buffalo meat,
resulting in a dark red meat stew.
The rendang tok of
Perak, Malaysia is believed to have been created by the royal cooks of Perak
who had the means to acquire expensive spices and one of the most extensive
lists of ingredients for rendang. It has many Indian spices commonly found in
Indian curries as well as unusual additions such as lemon grass and cekur (a
root). Unique to the dish is the dry-fried coconut and the addition of gula
Melaka (palm sugar), which gives it an enhanced richness. The coconut is not
added as a santan (coconut milk) and the resulting dry rendang is not as
intense as other rendangs. A reduced version of this dish, known as Rendang
Pedas, excludes some of these spices including gula Melaka.
Otak-Otak
Otak-otak, of Malay and Nyonya origins,
is a blend of raw fish, chopped onions, coconut milk, herbs and spices bound
together with egg. The puree is wrapped in a banana leaf and grilled over an
open charcoal fire and served usually as an accompaniment to a meal of nasi
lemak or "coconut rice".
In Singapore, this savoury snack is usually made from Spanish Mackerel, locally known as ikan tenggiri, which is pureed into a kind of fish mousse or fish quiche. The texture of the fish paste is soft and smooth-almost like a custard because of the coconut milk. Its unique flavour is found in its spicyrempah, a Malay term for the hand-pounded spices and seasoning. The rempah is traditionally made up of chillies, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, turmeric, candle nuts and shrimp paste. Morsels of fish paste are then wrapped in banana leaves, the fragrant aroma of the leaves grilling under charcoal adding to the otak-otak'sflavour.
Costing less than $1, the otak-otak is also a favourite snack eaten on its own. Since its main ingredient is the white flesh of fish high in protein with only a small quantity of coconut milk, the fat content of the otak-otak is quite low and it makes for a nutritionally healthy addition to the weight -watcher's diet.
Variations
Although more often grilled, the otak-otak is also sometimes baked and often steamed. Recent adaptations include otak-otak stuffed in pau or "steamed bun", and serving as filling in curry puffs.
In Singapore, this savoury snack is usually made from Spanish Mackerel, locally known as ikan tenggiri, which is pureed into a kind of fish mousse or fish quiche. The texture of the fish paste is soft and smooth-almost like a custard because of the coconut milk. Its unique flavour is found in its spicyrempah, a Malay term for the hand-pounded spices and seasoning. The rempah is traditionally made up of chillies, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, turmeric, candle nuts and shrimp paste. Morsels of fish paste are then wrapped in banana leaves, the fragrant aroma of the leaves grilling under charcoal adding to the otak-otak'sflavour.
Costing less than $1, the otak-otak is also a favourite snack eaten on its own. Since its main ingredient is the white flesh of fish high in protein with only a small quantity of coconut milk, the fat content of the otak-otak is quite low and it makes for a nutritionally healthy addition to the weight -watcher's diet.
Variations
Although more often grilled, the otak-otak is also sometimes baked and often steamed. Recent adaptations include otak-otak stuffed in pau or "steamed bun", and serving as filling in curry puffs.
Kerak
Telor
Every region in
Indonesia has its own traditional food. Kerak Telor is a famous delicacy of
Jakarta city, formerly known as Batavia. The native of Jakarta known as the
Betawi has made this food since hundreds of years ago.
What is Kerak Telor?
Kerak Telor is a snack
mainly made of glutinous rice and duck egg. It is served with dried shrimp
topping and shredded coconut.
The ingredients are
glutinous rice, duck egg, fried onion, dried shrimp, shredded coconut, salt,
chili, pepper and sugar. The method of cooking is as follows: first, the
glutinous rice is half cooked in a small pan. Please note that no cooking oil
is used. The egg is then
added. Other
ingredients follow. If you like it hot, you can add extra chili and pepper.
After a while, add the shredded coconut and dried shrimp and the omelet is
ready to be served. The texture is crispy on its edge but soft in the middle.
Kerak telor is best enjoyed with hot cup of black Java coffee.
One interesting fact,
the traditional vendors still cook the omelet using charcoal. This method of
cooking only made the taste richer and more delicious.
The story behind Kerak
Telor
In the Colonial era,
kerak telor was a privileged food. It was served in big parties held by
colonial government as well as rich Betawi. The recipe as well as the
profession as kerak telor vendor had been passed from generation to generation.
The most skillful kerak telor vendors usually come from Mampang, a small area
in South Jakarta, called Betawi Mampang.
It is a sad fact that
the Betawi is gradually push out of the centre of the city, mainly due to
economic reasons. Most of their land had been sold to property developer and on
that land now stand many skyscrapers. Along with the diminishing Betawi
community, the real original kerak telor is becoming harder to find. Many of
the vendors now start taking over family business of selling kerak telor at a
very young age, sometime right after finishing high school.
Where to find Kerak
Telor
Kerak Telor usually
sold during Jakarta anniversary festival. The festival held in Kemayoran area,
starts in mid June and ends in mid July. Beyond this festive season, it is
rather difficult to find. However, part of a tourism campaign, the Governor of
Jakarta has recently established a Betawi Conservation Village in South
Jakarta. There are around ten vendors in this village who sell kerak telor near
a lake in the village area. Mostly are native Betawi. The price is around US$
1-2 per pax.
LUMPIA
SEMARANG
is the kind of food
rollade containing bamboo shoots , egg , and chicken or shrimp .
The taste of lumpia
Semarang is a fusion between Chinese and Indonesian flavors because first made
by a Chinese descent who is married to an Indonesian and settled in Semarang ,
Central Java . This meal started sold and recognized in Semarang when GANEFO
Games held in the reign of President Sukarno .
The fourth stream is a
former employee Road Youth spring rolls , and the fifth is the flow of people
to the hobby culinary backgrounds that make spring rolls with spring rolls
recipe of learning outcomes that have been circulating .
The current oldest
generation , the third generation of Siem Swie Kiem ( 68 ) , still faithfully
serving its customers in the legacy of his father's stall ( Siem Gwan Sing ) in
Gang Lombok 11 . Privileged lumpia Gang Lombok , according to a number of fans
who had met at the kiosk is a concoction rebungnya no smell , also a mixture of
eggs and shrimp is not fishy .
The fourth generation
of artificial spring rolls can be obtained in kiosks lumpia Siem Siok aka Ms
Lien Lien ( 43 ) at the Youth and Street Road Pandanaran . Ms. Lien to continue
his late father's stall , Siem Swie Hie , who is the brother of Siem Swie Kiem
, Youth Road ( Gang Grajen mouth ) as he opened two branches in Jalan
Pandanaran .
The specificity of Ms
Lien lumpia contents which are added chicken meat concoction . When the
beginning of the continuing efforts of his late father , Ms Lien made three
kinds of spring rolls , ie the content of shrimp spring rolls , chicken spring
rolls content ( for the shrimp allergy ) , and a special spring rolls
containing shrimp and chicken mixture . However , feeling the rush and moreover
most buyers prefer special , now Miss Lien only make one kind only , namely the
special spring rolls with shrimp and mixed contents chicken bamboo shoots .
The fourth generation ,
namely, the children of the deceased Siem Hwa Nio ( older sister of Siem Swie
Kiem ) to continue his mother's stall in Jalan Mataram ( Jalan MT Haryono ) in
addition to opening a new kiosk at several places in the city of Semarang .
Among the children of the deceased Siem Hwa Nio There also is opening a branch
in Jakarta . There is even a grandchild of the deceased Siem Hwa Nio as the
fifth generation kiosk opened his own spring rolls in Semarang .
In addition to the
families of the ancestral creator lumpia semarang , now many people "
outside " that make lumpia Semarang . They generally their former
employees . Those who have also helped to enliven the culinary hobby lumpia
semarang business by making their own spring rolls , like Lumpia Express , Phoa
Kiem Hwa from Semarang International Family and Garden Restaurant in Jalan
Gajah Mada , Semarang .
Gudeg
Jogjakarta is already
known as gudeg city for most Indonesian. If you read or googling, hundreds
people missed the gudeg. They love gudeg so much! If they go to Jogja, the
first thing that may want to taste is gudeg.
Gudeg known as local
food from Jogja, made from young jackfruit cooked with santan and kluwak for 2
hours in a big pot. Santan is water got from extract coconut and kluwak is
local flavor. Sometimes the pot made from metal or clay. People say that the
gudeg cooked on clay pot gets different taste, more well-done and
characteristic on the aroma smells nice. Every gudeg cookers have their secret
recipes; have been passed down from generation to generation. In Jogjakarta, there
is a famous Kampong Wijilan which gudeg has being made on traditional way by
firewood and clay pots. The other gudeg may find in Solo Street, Maliboro,
Alun-alun Lor, Kaliurang Street, etc. Almost big streets on Jogjakarta have
their own gudeg sellers.
Tasty.gudeg will be out
of this world if served with hot rice, vegetable, egg, chicken and krecek.
Krecek is fried condiment mixing with santan and tempe. Tempe is local food
made from fermentation of soya bean. Uncommon from the other gudeg, the gudeg
mercon is spicier because of lots peppers and chilies add on. It made gudeg
looks oily, redness and thick.
You can find gudeg
early in the morning, at 5pm - 8 pm, being a favourite breakfast menu.
Sometimes gudeg seller also open at 0.00am until 4am everyday. So it will be an
early breakfast if you get there. Costumers are not served by luxury place
ambience, as restaurant or fast food, but just sit at the pedestrian or at
little chairs front of the food. During eat the gudeg, you can sit around with
the seller or everyone come there. Some sellers has been selling gudeg from
tens years ago. Take a chit chat with the seller, you'll find amazing stories
behind the gudeg.
Rendang is a popular dish of meat stewed in coconut milk and spices, commonly found in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
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