Homestyle Malay cooking

69 Pages·2003·11.889 MB·English

by  Jelani, Rohani

Measurement Conversions
All our recipes are thoroughly tested in the Periplus Test Kitchen. Standard metric measuring
cups and spoons are used throughout, and all cup and spoon measurements are level.
We have used medium-sized (60 g, grade 3) eggs in all recipes.
International Measures
Volume Lengths Weights
1 teaspoon = 5 ml 6mm = 1/4 inch 28 g = 1 oz
1 UK/US tablespoon = 15 ml = 3 teaspoons 12 mm = 1/2 inch 250 g = 80z
= = = =
1 Australian tablespoon 20 ml 4 teaspoons 2.5 cm 1 inch 500 g 1 Ib
We have used international 15 ml tablespoon measures. If you are using an Australian
20 ml tablespoon, the difference will not be noticeable for most recipes. However, for
flour, cornflour or baking powder, subtract one teaspoon for each tablespoon specified.
Cup Equivalents
1/4 cup = 60 ml = 2 fl oz 1 cup shaved palm sugar = 200 g
1/2 cup = 125ml = 4floz 1 cup grated coconut = 100 g
1 cup = 250 ml = 8 fl oz 1 cup uncooked rice = 200g
2 cups = 500 ml = 16 fl oz = 1 pint 1 cup bean sprouts = 50 g
= = = =
4 cups 1 litre 32 fl oz 1 quart 1 cup plain flour 150 g
Oven Temperature Guide
of
When using convection ovens, the out- °C
side of the food may cook too quickly. Low 150 300
As a general rule, set the oven tempera- Moderate 180 350
ture 15°C to 20°C lower than the tempera- Med. Hot 200 400
ture indicated in the recipe, or refer to Hot 220 425
your oven manual. Very Hot 230 450
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Jakarta 13930, Indonesia
Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone].
ISBN 978-0-7946-0667-1
[email protected]
Printed in Singapore
Photography: Suan I. Lim
12 11 10
Styling: Rohani Jelani, Suan I. Lim
6 5 432 1
Design: Peri plus Design Team
H"OV\A,est Le
Malay
COOKING
Rohani Jelani
Never before have the manifold flavours of the Malay "kampung"
(village) been so accessible. This collection of homestyle recipes offers
classic Malay dishes and regional specialities in an easy-to-follow
format with simple instructions. Feast on dishes such as
Beef Rendang, Sour Fish Curry, Banana Flower Salad, Beef Rib Soup,
Herb Rice and Steamed Banana Cakes, and savour the flavours of
delicious Malay home cooking.
PERI PLUS EDITIONS
Singapore. Hong Kong' Indonesia
Basic Ingredients
varying consistencies and you
will need to adjust the thickness
by adding water as needed.
In general, you should add
1 cup of water to 1 cup of
canned or packet coconut
cream to obtain thick coconut
milk, and 2 cups of water to
Bangkuang is the Malay name Cardamom is a highly aro- 1 cup of coconut cream to
for jicama. It is a large tuber, matic pod containing tiny obtain thin coconut milk.
shaped like a top. It has a thin black seeds. If whole pods are
beige skin covering crisp white used, they should be removed
flesh. It tastes slightly sweet and before serving. If seeds are
juicy when young but becomes called for, lightly smash the
fibrous as it gets older. pods to remove the seeds.
Ground cardamom is sold in
packets or small tins.
Cumin seeds are pale brown
to black and usually com-
bined with coriander seeds in
basic spice mixes. They are
Belachan is the Malay name often dry-roasted or lightly
for dried shrimp paste. It is a stir-fried in oil to intensify
dense mixture of fermented their flavour, which is often
ground prawns that must be likened to liquorice.
toasted before use—either
wrapped in foil and dry-
roasted or toasted over a gas
flame on the back of a spoon. Chillies come in many sizes.
Fresh green and red finger-
length chillies are moderately
hot. Tiny red, green or orange
chili padi (bird's eye chillies)
are very hot. Dried chillies Curry leaves are sold in sprigs
are usually deseeded, cut into containing 8-15 small, green
lengths and soaked in warm leaves with a distinct fragrance
water to soften before use. and flavour used to make
Chilli powder is made from Indian curries. There is no
Belimbing is a pale green ground dried chillies. substitute for curry leaves.
acidic fruit about 5-8 cm
(2-3 in) long that is related to Coconut cream (santan) and Curry powder is a commer-
the larger starfruit. It is used coconut milk can be bought cial blend of spices that varies
whole or sliced to add a sour fresh from local wet markets in colour and flavour. Differ-
tang to dishes. Substitute and also available canned and ent blends are available for
sour grapefruit. in packets. They come in cooking meat, fish or chicken
2
dishes. Use an all-purpose curries, or finely shredded and in 2 tablespoons of warm
blend if a specific curry powder added to salads, giving them a water, squeeze and strain to
is not available. citrusy flavour. Available frozen remove the seeds and fibres.
or dried in supermarkets.
Lemongrass is a lemon-
scented stalk with a bulbous
stem. Peel off the outer layers
and only use the lower 8 cm
(3 in) of the bulb to flavour
sauces or stews.
Fennel seeds are larger and Tempeh (fermented soybean
paler than cumin seeds, with a cakes) are made of compressed,
sweet flavour similar to that lightly fermented soybeans
of anise. with a delicious nutty flavor.
They are a rich source of pro-
tein, calcium and iron, and
are low in cholesterol and
Pandanus leaves are long, sodium. Look for them in the
thin leaves used to impart a refrigerator or freezer sections
delicate fragrance and green in supermarkets.
hue to cakes and desserts.
Substitute bottled pandanus
Fenugreek seeds are small, flat essence or vanilla essence.
and slightly squarish with a
deep furrow. They are bitter,
so use sparingly.
Torch ginger (bunga kantan)
is the edible flower bud of the
wild ginger plant. It imparts a
subtle perfume to foods.
Star anise is an eight-pointed
dried tree pod encasing shiny
black seeds with a strong
Galangal (lengkuas) is similar aniseed flavour. The whole
in appearance to ginger. It has spice is used and discarded
a highly aromatic flavour that just before serving.
is used in curries in much of
Southeast Asia.
Turmeric (kunyit) is a root
with a bright yellow flesh and
a pungent flavour. It stains
everything permanently, so
scrub your knife blade, hands
tamarind imparts a truity and chopping board after han-
sourness to dishes. To make dling. Substitute 1 teaspoon of
Kaffir lime leaves {daun limau tamarind juice, mash about 1 ground turmeric for 2l/2 cm
purut) are added whole to tablespoon of tamarind pulp (1 in) of the fresh root.
Basic Ingredients 3
Sup Tulang (Beef Rib Soup)
1 kg (2 lbs) beef ribs or 1 To prepare the Spice Mix, dry-fry all the ingredients
oxtail, cut into large in a skillet over low heat until crisp and fragrant but
chunks, fat removed not yet browned, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
4 cm (1½ in) fresh ginger When cooled, grind the mixture in a mortar or spice
root, scraped and grinder until fine.
bruised 2 Place the Spice Mix, beef ribs or oxtail, ginger, garlic
4 cloves garlic, peeled and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, skimming off
and bruised any fat or foam that rises to the surface. Then reduce
3 litres (12 cups) water
the heat, cover and simmer gently until the beef is
2 onions, cut into wedges
tender, about 2 hours, adding more water as needed.
2 tomatoes, cut into
3 When the beef is tender, remove the garlic and ginger.
wedges
Add the onions, tomatoes, potatoes and carrot, and
2 potatoes, peeled and
season with the salt. Bring to a boil again, cover and
cut into chunks
simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 to
1 carrot, scraped and
20 minutes. Serve piping hot, garnished with the fried
thickly sliced
shallots, spring onions and Chinese celery.
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons deep-fried
shallots, to garnish If using a pressure cooker, reduce the liquid from 3 litres
2 spring onions, thinly (12 cups) to 1 ½ liters (6 cups) and cook under full pres-
sliced, to garnish sure for 30 minutes, then proceed to step 3 and continue
1 sprig Chinese celery cooking. Chinese celery (daun sup) stems are very slen-
(daun sup), thinly sliced, der and fragrant. The leaves are strongly flavoured and
to garnish more pungent than normal celery. Substitute celery
leaves or Italian parsley.
Spice Mix
1 tablespoon coriander
seeds Serves 4
Preparation time: 20 mins
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
Cooking time: 2 hours 25 mins
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon black
peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
(4 cm/1 ½ in)
4 cardamom pods,
bruised
8 cloves
2 star anise pods
4
Soups 5
Sup Ikan Asam (Tamarind Fish Soup)
4 whole small mackerel 1 If using whole fish, clean and rinse thoroughly.
(ikan kembong), about 2 Place the water, salt, tamarind juice, shallots, garlic,
600 g (1½ lbs), or galangal and chillies in a saucepan or wok and bring to
4 mackerel steaks (ikan a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
tenggiri) 3 Add the fish and simmer gently until just cooked,
750 ml (3 cups) water about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately with fra-
1 teaspoon salt grant fluffy rice.
4 tablespoons tamarind
juice (page 3)
Serves 4
6 shallots, sliced
Preparation time: 10 mins
4 cloves garlic, sliced
Cooking time: 20 mins
1 cm ½ in) fresh galan-
gal root, peeled and
sliced
2 red finger-length chillies,
halved lengthwise, or 6
chili padi, deseeded
6
Green Papaya Soup with Prawns
(Masak Titik Betik)
]/2 unripe papaya, about 1 Peel the papaya and remove the seeds, cut it length-
500 g (½ lb) wise into 4 cm (1½ in) slices, then cut across into
1 teaspoon belachan 1 cm (½ in) chunks.
(dried shrimp paste), 2 Grind the belachan, chillies and shallots in a mortar
roasted (page 2) or blender, adding a little water if necessary to keep
2-3 red finger-length the blades turning.
chillies, deseeded 3 Place the ground mixture in a pot with the water
4 shallots, peeled and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat, cover, and
1 litre (4 cups) water simmer for 10 minutes.
1 teaspoon salt
4 Add the papaya slices and bring to a boil. Then
150g(5 oz) fresh
reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes
medium prawns, peeled
until the papaya is tender. Season with the salt.
and deveined
5 Add the prawns and simmer until they change
colour, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat
Serves 4
and serve with rice.
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins
Soups 7
8