Lontong Gulai Cubadak / Lontong Gulai Nangka Muda / Curried Jack Fruit Padang Style

Minggu lalu saya memasak lontong dengan gulai nangka muda untuk teman-teman, dan mereka sangat menikmatinya, rasa pedas dan gurih dari kaldu yang terbuat dari tulang sapi membuat rasa khas dan sedap. Masakan ini populer di Padang sebagai sarapan. Walau di Medan kita punya khas lontong Medan, tapi kali ini saya ingin menyajikan lontong dengan sayur yang berbeda (kebetulan di halaman ada nangka yang sudah cukup masak untuk sayur), nangka muda ini dalam bahasa Minang disebut cubadak.

I Cook this dish last week for a group of my friends, the really enjoyed it. I have posted curried jack fruit earlier, but this is slightly different, it is West Sumatran (Padang Style) which is served with rice cake.

I remember few years back, we went to Padang for a wedding do. We stayed for a few days there and we really enjoyed the food there, and this dish was my late father's favourite. Every morning he would ask this dish for his breakfast, he did love it.

Bahan-bahan / Ingredients

200 gr  kacang panjang, potong ukuran 8 cm
200 gr long beans or french beans, cut 8 cm long

1.5 kg nangka muda yang sudah dibersihkan, potong kira-kira ukuran 2x4x5 cm
1.5 kg clean young jack fruit, cut in chunks approximately 2 x 4 x 5 cm

1 kg Tulang sapi
1 kg beef bones

500 gr daging betis, potong-potong
500 gr beef shin, cut in chunks

1500 ml air untuk kaldu (merebus tulang dan daging sapi)

1500 ml santan dari  butir kelapa tua

Bumbu Halus / the paste

  50   gr atau 15 buah cabai merah keriting, atau secukupnya
  50   gr or 15 red chilli, or to your taste

125   gr  bawang merah
125   gr  shallots

   4    siung bawang putih
   4    clove garlic

   7    butir kemiri
   7    candle nuts

   5    cm jahe
   5    cm fresh ginger

   5    cm kunyit
   5    cm turmeric

   1    sdm ketumbar
   1    tbsp coriander seeds

   2    sdt gula
   2    tsp sugar

garam secukupnya
salt to taste

Bumbu Utuh / Other ingredients

3 batang serai, memarkan
3 stalks lemon grass

5 lembar daun salam
5 salam leaves (Indonesian bay leaves)

3 buah asam kandis
3 pieces of dried  false mangosteen (Garcinia xanthochymus)

1 lembar daun kunyit
1 turmeric leave

5 lembar daun jeruk
5 kaffir lime leaves (or more)

Cara membuat / preparations

Rebus daging dan tulang dengan sedikit garam sampai daging empuk.
Bring the water to the boil add in the bones and beef chunks, until the beef is tender

Sementara itu rebus cubadak (nangka) dalam air mendidih sampai empuk tapi pastikan tidak hancur, angkat, tiriskan dan sisihkan
Boil the jack fruit until just cook but still firm, drain, set aside

Setelah daging empuk, angkat tulang-tulangnya dan tinggalkan dagingnya (Sudah jadi kaldu) 
Remove the bones off the stock, when the beef is tender, but leave the beef in. (the stock is ready)

Masukkan semua bumbu kedalam campuran kaldu dan didihkan kembali selama beberapa menit atau bumbu masak.
Put the paste and other ingredients into the stock, bring back to boil for a few minutes.

Masukkan kacang panjang dan nangka sampai, kacang masak tapi tidak terlalu lunak.
Now put the long beans (or french beans) and the jack fruit until, continue cooking until the beans is cook but not too soft.

Masukkan santan, kecilkan api sedikit, masak sampai mendidih sambil terus diaduk agak santan tidak pecah.
Add in the coconut milk, reduce the heat, keep stirring (this is to avoid the coconut milk separated or curdled) until come to the boil.

Sayur sudah siap disajikan dengan lontong, tapi sebaiknya dimasak sehari sebelumnya supaya rasa bumbunya semakin meresap ke dalam nangka.
The dish is now ready to serve with rice cake, but it is suggested to cook it the day before, since this curry will mature and the taste develop much better.

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Tau Kua He Chi Medan

This is one of Medan's favourite food. It really is a sweet and sour gravy on top mix seafood and vegetable, but that refreshing taste is very moreish. To be honest there aren't many hawker's selling this special Medan dish compare to mee pansit. Some time we have to drive for miles to go to this special place that sell this tau kua he chi.

This recipe really is about making the gravy, the rest is easy (blancing and deep frying). The sauce / gravy isn't difficult to make (though every one has their own secret recipe)  its just the preparation for the condiments is rather fiddly that makes people decide to buy instead of making it at home, but really... once you have time make this gravy in large amount and keep away in the freezer (do it in portions) it will keep well and ready to use any time.

I use pineapple to make the sour taste as well as nice fragrant, I do think it is better then the one without. I also like to put salt and a bit of garlic on the tofu than rolled into flour, it is tastier and crispy.

This dish should be served while the condiments its just prepared or cooked except the prawn crisp (peyek udang) that you can make earlier since it is a bit complicated making them, they will go slightly soft after a while because of the wet prawns, but they do need to reheat or refry to make crispier.

Bahan Saus / Gravy ingredients

Ingredients A

1  bawang bombay, rajang halus

1 onion, sliced

3 bawang putih memarkan

3 cloves garlic, bruised

300 gr tomat merah, potong-potong

300 gr very ripe tomatoes, chopped

300 gr nenas cincang

300 gr pineappled, chopped

6 sdm saus tomat (saya pakai Delmonte)

6 tbsp tomato sauce (I use Delmonte)

3 sdm gula, atau secukupnya

3 tbsp sugar or to taste

garam dan merica secukupnya

salt and pepper to taste

2.5 - 3 L air 

2.5 - 3 L water

Ingredients B

200 gr nenas cincang

200 gr pineaplle, chopped

2 - 3 sdm tepung maizena, larutkan dalam sedikit air

2 - 3 tbsp corn starch, dissolve in water

Bahan Isi / The condiments

Kepiting (rajungan kecil), goreng tepung

Small blue swimming crab, fried in batter

Udang besar goreng tepung

Large prawns, fried in batter

udang sedang untuk peyek

small - medium size prawn, made into crackers

1 ikat kangkung, rebus sampai masak

1 bunch of morning glory, boil until ready

200 gr tauge, celur

200 gr bean sprout, blanched

Sambal cabe rawit

birds eye chilli sauce

Cara Membuat / Preparation

Kuah / the gravy

Didihkan air, masukkan semua bahan untuk saus . Biarkan mendidih selama kira-kira 10 menit, kecilkan api dan lanjutkan merebus selama kira-lira satu jam atau sampai air berkurang menjadi 2 - 2.5 L.

Bring water to a boil, put all ingredients for gravy and continue to cooke for 10 minutes, simmer for another 1 hour or until the tomato is softened or the water has reduced to 2 - 2.5 L

Masukkan kembali air tomat ke dalam panci, masukkan tepung maizena yang sudah dilarutkan aduk rata, kembali didihkan sampai kuah mengental. Gunakan 2 sendok makan kalau suka kuah agak encer, 3 sdm kalau suka lebih kental.

Put the tomato stock back in the pot, add in the dissolved corn starch, mix well and bring back to a boil, the gravy now should thickened. If you prefer the gravy slightly runny use 2 tbsp of corn starch but if you wish thicker use 3 tbsp.

Kuah sudah siap dipergunakan. 

The gravy is now ready to use.

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Shark's Fin Melon Soup ( Sup Labu Sirip Hiu)

Sebagian besar dari kita mengenal sup sirip ikan hiu, yang akhir-akhir menjadi kurang populer karena banyak orang menentang cara mendapatkan sirip hiu (walau masih ada dihidangkan di beberapa restoran). Beberapa waktu yang lalu teman saya memasak sup labu yang bentuk dan teksturnya mirip dengan sirip ikan hiu, walau rasanya tidak mirip dengan sirip ikan hiu tapi lebih menyerupai dengan winter melon atau kundur. Rasanya segar dan bening.

Labu ini dimasak layaknya seperti sayuran untuk sup lainnya. Memasaknya tidak sulit yang penting harus menggunakan kaldu yang bagus dan enak, karena labu ini sendiri tidak berasa, bisa digunakan kaldu ayam atau daging lainnya. Sup ini akan menjadi hidangan yang berbeda dan menarik, terutama bagi yang anti sup sirip ikan hiu.

Labu ini belum banyak / umum dijual di kota Medan, tapi bagi yang ingin mencoba, bisa membelinya di Pasar Beruang dan Supermarket Berastagi di Jl. Gatot Subroto. 

Description 

Cucurbita ficifolia Like most members of the Cucurbita species, it is a climbing vine that is an annual in temperate climates and a perennial in tropical zones. Unlike some other Cucurbita species, it does not have swollen storage roots. The plant stem can grow five to fifteen meters and produces tendrils that help it climb adjacent plants and structures. It may root from the leaf axils, unlike most other curcubits. The vine can become semiwoody if left to grow perennially, although most commercial plants are annual. Its leaves resemble fig leaves, hence its most common name in English � fig-leaf gourd � and its Latin species name (C. ficifolia which means fig leaf). The fruit is oblong, resembling a watermelon, with wide black seeds. In stark contrast to other Cucurbita, its fruit is highly uniform in size, shape, and color.

The plant is monoecious with imperfect flowers (meaning its flowers are either male or female but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by insects, especially bees. The color of the flowers is yellow to orange.

The fruit is oblong with a diameter of eight inches or 20 centimeters, weighs eleven to 13 pounds (5 to 6 kilograms), and can produce up to 500 seeds. Its skin can vary from light or dark green to cream. One plant can produce over 50 fruit. The fruit can last without decomposing for several years if kept dry after harvest.(Wikipedia)

Uses

The flowers, leaves and tender shoots are used in Mexico and other countries as greens. The most nutritional part of Cucurbita ficifolia is its fat- and protein-rich seeds, which can vary in color from white to black. They are used in Mexico to make palanquetas, a sweet similar to peanut brittle. The fruithas several uses as food. The immature fruit is eaten cooked, while the mature fruit is sweet and used to make confectionery and beverages, sometimes alcoholic. The fruit is low in beta-carotene�as can be seen from its white flesh, relatively low in vitamins and minerals, and moderately high in carbohydrates.

In Europe: In Spain this squash is used to make a jam known as "cabello de �ngel" (angel's hair), "cabell d'�ngel" in Catalan, that is used to fill pies, sweets and confectionary. In Portugal, where the fruit is known as "chila" or "gila", it is still used extensively in the production of traditional Portuguese sweets and confectionery; it was also used as a crop for non-human consumption in order to feed pigs.

In Latin America: In Chile and Argentina, jam is often made out of the fruit of "alcayota" or "cayote". In Costa Rica, it is traditional to make empanadasstuffed with sugared "chiverre" filling at Easter time.

In Asia, the pulp strands are used to make soup, quite similar to shark fin soup, hence the name "shark's fin melon". The cultivation and this usage feature briefly in the film Grow Your Own. Across Asia, eating this melon is also said to help people with diabetes. Several scientific studies have confirmed its hypoglycemic effect. It is used effectively to treat diabetes due to its high D-Chiro-Inositol content.

The vine and fruit are used for fodder. Because of its ability to keep for a long time, the ripe fruit was taken on voyages on ships, and used for food for livestock on board.

Bahan - Bahan / Ingredients

3 L kaldu bening dan bagus, sesuai pilihan anda (saya memakai kaldu ayam kampung)

3 L very good and clear stock of your choice

3 wortel besar

3 large carrot

1 buah labu sirip hiu

1 shark's fin melon

garam dan merica secukupnya

salt and paper to taste

Bawang merah goreng atau bawang putih (optional)

Onion atau garlic flakes (optional)

Cara memasak / Preparation

Kupas labu, potong-potong kira-kira berukuran 2 x 3 cm atau sesuai selera anda.

Peel the melon, cut into small pieces approximately 2 x 3 cm or to your preference

Buang isinya, sisihkan

Remove the seeds, set aside

Kupas wortel, potong kira-kira sepanjang 2 cm

Peel the carrots, cut into 2 cm long pieces

Didihkan kaldu, masukkan wortel dan melon, tambah garam dan merica secukupnya

Bring the stock to a boil, put the carrots and melon, add salt and pepper to taste

Masak sampai  lembut, sebagian potongan labu akan terurai seperti sirip ikan hiu.

Cook until the carrots and melon is tender and most of the melon will disintegrate similar to shark's fin strand.

Sajikan selagi panas, taburi dengan bawang goreng.

Serve while the soup is hot, sprinkle with garlic or shallots flakes

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Rendang Daging Vegetarian / Mock Meat Rendang

A couple weeks ago, I had vegetarian family come for dinner. Having spent few years in Medan our Indian family friends love Indonesian food. Amongst other Indonesian vegetarian food we made this famous rendang, except the meat is mock meat. I know they never had meat before and the taste is and flavour no where near real beef, but I the texture just perfect. Mock meat has its own taste and it is quite pleasant, specially after being slow cooked and marinated in rendang spices, it is very good. They did enjoy the vegetarian rendang. 

Vegetarian fish and meat come in different shape and taste, trying to imitate the real thing. This is suitable for people who just changed the life style into vegetarian for health reason or environmental. The main ingredients of this mock meat is soy protein and mushroom, while others are made of gluten.

In Medan you can find this vegetarian fish or meat in Berastagi Supermarket  in frozen counter.

Though I am not a vegetarian, I do enjoy vegetarian food. There are few vegetarian restaurants in Medan and our favourite:  Rasa Medan in Jl. Air Langga, Love Hut in Jalan Mataram and Lucky King in Jalan Sumatra (only serve vegetarian buffet on certain day.)

Bahan - bahan / the ingredients

1 kg daging vegetarian

1 kg mock meat

4 lembar daun salam

4 salam leaves

1 batang daun sereh

1 stalk lemon grass, bruised

7 daun jeruk purut, rajang atau utuh

7 kaffir lime leaves, shredded or whole

4 cm lengkuas, memarkan

4 cm galangal, bruised

2 L  santan dari 2 kelapa

2 L coconut milk from 2 coconut or (1 tin thick coconut milk mix with water to make 2 L)

50 gr kelapa parut, sangrai dan giling halus

50 gr grated coconut, dry fry and finely ground

Minyak untuk menumis

oil for saut�ing 

Bumbu gililing / the paste

5 cabe kering besar

5 large dried chilli

5 cabe merah

5 cabe merah

15 bawang merah

15 shallots 

3 bawang putih

3 cloves garlic

4 kemiri

4 candle nuts

4 cm jahe

4 cm fresh ginger

4 cm lengkuas

4 cm galangal

2 sdm ketumbar

2 tbsp corriander seeds

1 sdt jintan

1 tsp cumin

1 batang sereh

1 stalk lemon grass

Cara memasak / preparations

Tumis bumbu yang dihaluskan sampai harum. Masukkan daun-daunan, sereh dan lengkuas yang dimemarkan

Saute the paste until fragrant. Put the leaves, lemon grass and bruised galangal,

Masukkan santan dan didihkan. Masak lagi sampai beberapa menit, sekali-sekali diaduk.

Add the coconut milk in, bring it to the boil. Continue cooking for few minutes and stir occasionally

Sekarang masukkan daging vegetarian, aduk dan didihkan kembali, kecilkan api dan masak sampai santan berkurang dan minyak mulai muncul.

Now add the mock meat, bring back to boil then simmer until the coconut milk is reduced and the oil start appears. 

Supaya rendang benar-benar enak sajikan keesokan harinya. Biarkan rendang dingin, kemudian simpan dalam kulkas, panaskan keesokan harinya atau kapan saja anda ingin menyajikannya.

For a better taste, serve the next day. Leave the rendang to cool, keep in the fridge and reheat the next day or when you are ready to consume.

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Rendang Jengkol (Curried Dog Fruit)

Jengkol sangat populer di Sumatera Utara dan banyak tumbuh di daerah Simalungun, banyak dikirim ke Jawa terutama ke Jakarta. Belakangan ini harga jengkol cukup tinggi, di Medan Rp 45.000 per 1 kg, ini lebih mahal dari harga daging ayam. 

Jengkol umumnya dimasak rendang walaupun (bumbunya tidak persis sama dengan rendang daging, tapi hampir sama dengan bumbu gule)  ada juga yang memasak semur atau gule. Hanya baru-baru ini saja saya mencoba rendang jengkol. Ternyata rasanya enak, pulen dan ada sedikit rasa pahit, tapi masih juga kurang berani makan, karena baunya setelah mengkonsumsi.

Banyak pro dan kontra memakan jengkol, karena manfaat dan bahayanya bagi kesehatan. Untuk lebih jelas baca link mengenai jengkol ini.

Jengkol is very popular in Medan, we normally curried them or we call it rendang jengkol. To know more about this fruit, here is the compilation from wikipedia: Archidendron pauciflorum, commonly known as Jengkol, Dogfruit, or Jering is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to Southeast Asia. Despite its strong smell, the beans are a popular food inIndonesia, and also consumed in Malaysia (where they are known as jering), Myanmar (where they are called da nyin thee), and in Southern Thailand, where they are called luk-nieng or luk neang.^[1] The large brown legumesare very popular and cooked as satay or curry, especially rendang, in Indonesia. In Burmese cuisine, the da nyin thee is either roasted or boiled, and often eaten along with a pickled fish sauce (Ngapi yay) on steamed rice.

The beans are mildly toxic due to the presence of djenkolic acid, an amino acid, which causes djenkolism (jengkol bean poisoning). Symptoms include spasmodic pain, gout, urinary obstruction, and acute renal failure.^[2] The condition mainly affects men, and is not determined by how the beans are prepared. Individuals can consume the beans on multiple occasions without incident, to develop renal failure on another occasion.^[3]

bahan - bahan  /  the ingredients

500 gr jengkol

500 gr dogfruit, jering

Bumbu yang dihaluskan  /  The Paste

50 gr cabe merah

50 gr red chilli

75 gr bawang merah

75 gr shallot

3 siung bawang putih

3 cloves garlic

4 biji kemiri

4 candle nuts

2 cm lengkuas muda

2 cm young fresh galangal

2 cm jahe

2 cm fresh ginger

bahan-bahan lain / other ingredients

5 lembarJeruk purut, rajang halus

5 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced

2 lembar daun salam

2 salam leaves (Indonesian bay leaves)

1 tangkai sereh, memarkan

1 stalk lemon grass, bruised

100 santan kental

100 ml thick coconut milk

300 ml santan encer atau air

300 ml light coconut milk or water

garam secukupknya

salt to taste

Cara memasak / preparation

Rebus jengkol sampai lunak, kupas dan belah

Boil the dog fruit until soft enough, peel and cut in half

Memarkan belahan jengkol dan cuci kembali

Bruised the halved dog fruit and rinse once more

Tumis bumbu sampai harum,  tambahkan bumbu lainnya kemudian masukkan jengkol dan santan encer atau air, masak sampai santan tinggal setengah.

Saute the paste until fragrant, add the other ingredients then the dog fruit and light coconut milk or water, boil until the coconut milk reduced into half.

Masukkan santan kental, lanjutkan memasak sampai jengkol lembut dan santan agak mengering atau kering tergantung selera anda.

Put the thick coconut milk, continue cooking until the dog fruit really soft and the coconut milk reduced or dryer depend on your taste

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Daun Ubi Tumbuk (Pounded Cassava Leaves in Coconut Milk )

Saya sudah pernah mem - post resep daun ubi tumbuk yang merupakan masakan khas Sumatera Utara sebelumnya. Hampir semua orang menyukainya. 

Baru-baru ini kami makan siang bersama teman-teman di Rumah Makan Garuda, diantara ragam makanan yang terhidang di meja, sayur daun ubi tumbuk menjadi favorit kami, sampai habis 2 mangkok.

Resep ini hampir sama dengan yang sebelumnya, hanya saya tambah dengan ikan asin bakar untuk meningkatkan rasa dan semakin authentic, seperti kalau kita masak dikampung.

I have posted this recipe a while ago, this is a very specific dish of North Sumatera where we live. Most people love it, the taste of coconut milk and torch ginger buds makes this dish very moreish. 

Last week we had lunch in Restaurant Garuda, amongst the spread of dishes, there was "Pounded Cassava Leaves" which was our favourite. It was so good that we orderd two portions between us. That made me want to make it again at home. This recipe is very similar to early one, I just added salted fish to improve the flavour.

Bahan yang dibutuhkan / You will need

350 gr daun ubi yang telah di petik dan dibersihkan

3500 gr plucked and washed cassava leaves

50 gr rimbang

50 gr pea aubergine

 50 gr bawang merah

50 gr shallots

2 siung bawang putih

2 cloves garlic

3 cm lengkuas, memarkan

3 cm galangal, bruised

2 cm jahe

2 cm fresh ginger

5 buah cabe merah (optional)

5 buah red chillies (optional)

2 - 3 kincung / kecombrang

2 - 3 torch ginger buds

2 daun salam

2 Indonesian bay leaves

1 batang sereh, memarkan
1 stalk lemon grass, bruised

1 L santan dari 1 kelapa (santan kekentalan sedang)

1 L coconut milk from 1 coconut (medium thickness or to your desire)

500 ml air

500 ml water

50 gr ikan asin pilihan anda, dibakar (optional), saya pakai kepala ikan asin tenggiri

50 gr salted fish of your choice, chargrill (optional)

garam, jika dibutuhkan (rasakan setelah ditambah ikan asin, )

salt to taste or if needed (taste after salted fish is added to the mixture)

Cara membuat / preparation methode

Tumbuk kasar daun ubi sampai habis (atau sesuai selera), angkat dari lumpang

Pound the cassava leaves in batches (find or coarse is to your taste), remove from the pounder

Tumbuk halus semua bumbu kecuali lengkuas dan daun salam

Finely pound all the spices except the galangal and Indonesian bay leaves

Didihkan 1 L air dan masukkan semua bahan dan masak sampai lembut dengan api besar.

Bring to the boil 1 L water and add in all the ingredients and continue to cook until soft, on high heat

Sementara itu bakar ikan asin langsung di atas api.

Mean while chargrill the salted fish

Masukkan santan dan ikan asin, kecilkan api, aduk sekali sekali masak sampai mendidih lagi.

Add in the coconut milk and salted fish, slow down the heat, stir occasionally and bring back to the boil.

Rasakan apakah masih perlu garam, setelah itu siap untuk disajikan.

Taste if you need more salt and it is now ready to be served.

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