Karedok Raw Vegetable Salad with Palm Sugar Dressing

The Sundanese of west java are renowned for their love of vegetables, both raw and cooked, and often eat them as between-meal snacks. Serve Karedok with rice as part of main meal.


 

Ingredients:
¼ head round cabbage
1 small cucumber
2 cups (100 g) bean sprouts, seed coats and tail discarded
1 slender Asian eggplant, thinly sliced
1 cup (100 g) thinly sliced green beans
2 tablespoons Crispy Fried Shallots (see our sambal recipes), to garnish
Krupuk Shrimp crakers (see our sambal recipes) to serve
Karedok Dressing:
1 in (2 ½ cm) fresh kencur root, peeled and sliced
3 to 4 red finger-length chilies, deseeded
3 cloves garlic, peleed
3 tablespons shaved palm sugar or dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon dried shrimp paste (trasi), dry roasted
2 tablespoons tamarind juice (see our recipes sambal)
2 tablespoons warm water
1 teaspoon salt
Cooking Directions:

1. Prepare the Crispy Fried Shallots by following the recipe on sambal categories
2. To make Karedok Dressing grind all the ingredients to a smooth paste in a mortar or blender. Set aside
3. Separate the cabbage leaves, rinse well and shake dry, then slice them wise and slice the quarters across very thinly. Place in the bowl with the cabbage. Rinse and drain the bean sprouts and place in the bowl. Add the eggplant and green beans
4. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss well. Garnish with Crispy Fried Shallots and serve with krupuk.

Fish Stew with Lemongrass and Turmeric – Kepala Ikan

 

Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs (700 g) whole snapper, tuna or sea bream, or fish fillets
1 tablespoons oil
4 cups (1 liter) water
1 teaspoon salt
3 stalks lemongrass, thick bottom third only, outer layers discarded, inner part bruised
5 kaffir lime leaves
2 red finger-length chilies, sliced
2 spring onions,cut into lengths
Crispy Fried Shallots – see our sambals categories-
Spice paste
1 ½ in (4 cm) fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced, or 1 ½ teaspoons ground
2 in (5 cm) ginger, peeled and sliced
2 to 3 red finger-length chilies, deseeded
6 shallots, peeled
3 cloves garlic, peeled
Cooking Directions:

1. If using whole fish, scale, gut  and clean the fish, then make several shallow diagonal slits on each side
2. Make the Spice Paste by grinding all the ingredients to a smooth paste in a mortar or blender, adding a little water if necessary to keep the mixture turning
3. Heat the oil in a wok over high heat and stir-fry the Spice Paste for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the water, salt,lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves, and bring to a boil. Add the fish is cooked, 7 to  10 minutes. Adjust the taste with more salt or water as desired and remove from the heat.
4. Transfer to a serving platter and serve hot  with stearned rice, garnished with sliced chili, spring onions and Crispy Fried Shallots (if using).

Lobster in Yellow Sauce – Udang Pantung Kuning

Ingredients:
4 small lobster (about 1 lbs/500 g each)
6 cups (1 ½ liters) water
2 stalk lemongrass, thick bottom third only, outer layers discarded, inner part bruised
2 kaffir lime leaves
¼ teaspoon white vinegar
1 ½ cups (375 ml) coconut cream
1 teaspoon salt
Crispy Fried Shallots – see our sambal categories
Spice Paste
3 candlenuts, roughly chopped
2 to 3 red finger-length chilies
5 shallots, peeled
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 in (5 cm) fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced, or 2 teapoons ground turmeric
2 in (5 cm) ginger, peeled and sliced, or 2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 ½ teaspoons coriander seeds
1 ½ teaspoon dried shrimp paste (trasi), dry-roasted – see our sambal
2 tablespoons oil
1 salam leaf
2 table spoons tamarind juice – see our samabal catagories
Cooking directions:

1. Prepare the Crispy Fried Shallots by following the recipe on sambals categories
2. Scrub and clean the lobster. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat in a pot, add the lobster. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat  from the heat and immedietly plunge them into a basin of iced water for 1 minute to cool. Strain and reserve the stock. Drain the lobster and remove the meat from the shells. Discard the shells.
3. Prepare the Spice Paste by grinding all the ingredients (except the oil, salam  leaf and tamarind juice) to a smooth paste in a mortar or blender adding a little oil if necessary to keep the mixture turning. Heat the oil over medium in a wok or skillet and stir-fry the Spice Paste until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes, then add the salam leaf and tamarind juice and simmer for about 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Set a side.