Stir-fries are always a hit, no matter what kind. The aroma of flash fried meat with spices is something I cannot resist. Stir-fries are most commonly thought of as Asian, but there are variations across Asia including India, Sri Lanka and the North West region of Asia. This Indonesian stir-fry is absolutely perfect. I had to adapt the recipe for lamb instead of beef, we cannot get beef here, but the stir-fry was delicious. This dish was a few steps, the marination, the making of the spice paste, frying the meat and then finishing the dish. I was extremely curious how this was going to turn out, and I am extremely happy with the final dish. Tender lamb covered in an aromatic sauce with lingering chili on the palate and loaded with peanuts, well I added a few more than recommended. I love Indonesian cuisine for its complexity of flavors, and this dish hit the spot.
I was happy to see a new Indonesian cookbook in the market and was very happy when it arrived. A luscious cookbook filled with wonderful recipes, I had trouble choosing where to start, and beautiful photographs. This cookbook will come out often with me to the kitchen.
For more delicious dished from this cookbook, click here.
Ingredients:
1 lb sirloin, rump, or ribeye steak thinly sliced against the grain
4 kaffir lime leaves or 2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
Generous 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
3 teaspoons tamarind paste to 3 teaspoons lime juice mixed with 3 teaspoons brown sugar
Salt and black pepper to taste
Coconut oil for frying
For the marinade:
1 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar or white vinegar
2 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 teaspoon cornflour
For the spice paste:
4 small shallots or 8 Thai shallots, peeled and sliced
4 long red chilies, sliced, or to taste
8 garlic cloves, sliced
4 tomatoes, roughly chopped
Mix all the ingredients for the marinade well. Add to the meat and mix well massaging the marinade into the meat. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, however, I marinate the meat overnight.
Add the ingredients for the spice paste to a small blender and blend to a semi-coarse paste. Add minimal water, just enough to allow the ingredients to slide down the sides of the blender. You do not want a watery paste. Set aside.
Add 2 tablespoons of the oil to a deep frying pan or wok and cook the spice paste and kaffir lime leaves or bay leaves on medium flame till the paste is fragrant and the oil is beginning to be seen in small bubbles at the edges of the paste, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Toast the desiccated coconut on a low flame till golden and remove immediately from the pan to avoid burning it. Set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large wok or flat frying pan and heat till the oil shimmers. Cook the meat with marinade on a high flame till browned in spots.
Return the spice paste to the pot with the meat and add the peanuts and toasted coconut. Add a splash of water, just enough to break up the spice paste and allow it to coat the meat. Stir well to mix the ingredients adding more water if needed. Season the mix with tamarind, salt and pepper. Serve immediately with jasmine rice and a side vegetable, I chose Soy mushrooms with bok choI.
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