Asian Recipes and Cooking Guide

Cooking Tips, Kitchen Skills and Recipes.....

This spicy dish is usually served with the meat quite dry. If you prefer more sauce, then add more water but the taste will not be that great.

Ingredients: (Serves 6-8)

2 onions or 5-6 shallots, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2.5 cm/1 inch piece fresh galangal, peeled and sliced, or 15 ml/1 tablespoon galangal paste

2.5 cm/1 inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced

4-6 fresh red chilies, seeded and roughly chopped

Lower part only of 1 lemon grass stalk, sliced

2.5 cm/1 inch piece fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced, or 5 ml/1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 kg/2¼ lb prime beef in one piece

5 ml/1 teaspoon cilantro (coriander) seeds, dry-fried

5 ml/1 teaspoon cumin seeds, dry-fried

2 kaffir lime leaves, torn into pieces

2 x 400 ml/14 fl oz cans coconut milk

300 ml/½ pint/1¼ cups water

30 ml/2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

5 ml/1 teaspoon tamarind pulp, soaked in 60 ml/4 tablespoons warm water

8-10 small new potatoes, scrubbed

Salt and ground black pepper

Deep-fried onions, sliced fresh red chilies and scallions (spring onions), to garnish

Method:

Put the onions or shallots in a food processor. Add the garlic, galangal, ginger, chilies, sliced lemon grass and turmeric. Process to a fine paste or grind in a mortar, using a pestle. Cut the meat into cubes using a large sharp knife, then place the cubes in a bowl. Grind the dry-fried cilantro and cumin seeds, than add to the meat with the onion, chili paste and kaffir lime leaves; stir well. Cover and leave in a cool place to marinate.

Pour the coconut milk and water into a wok, then stir in the spiced meat and the soy sauce. Strain the tamarind water and add to the wok. Stir over medium heat until the liquid boils, then simmer gently, half-covered, for 1½ hours. Add the potatoes and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until meat and potatoes are tender. Add water if liked. Season and serve, garnished with deep-fried onions, chilies and scallions.

Happy Cooking,

Carol