A different type of sweet and sour
Indo-Dutch cuisine is the ultimate in tasty fusion food, and it’s actually a doddle to make yourself, writes NZ House & Garden’s Sally Butters.
Roedjak (spicy-sweet fruit salad)
Fruit salad with a spicy dressing? It may seem like a strange combination but this really works. Deliciously juicy, crunchy and refreshing, it looks splendid served in coconut halves or lettuce leaves, and you can easily use other fruit, such as mango, lychee or pear.
Fruit Salad
1⁄2 pineapple
2 golden kiwifruit
1 apple
4 radishes
2 Lebanese cucumbers
1 long red chilli
2 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts Lime wedges for squeezing
Dressing
2 tbsp grated palm sugar
2 tbsp ketjap manis (Indonesian
sweet soy sauce)*
1 tbsp tamarind paste*
2 tsp sambal oelek (Indonesian
chilli paste)*
Pinch of salt
1-2 tbsp water
For the fruit salad: Finely slice and dice the fruits and vegetables and combine in a bowl. Cut the chilli into thin rings and set aside for garnish.
For the dressing: Place all the dressing ingredients except the water in a bowl and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Add 1-2 tbsp water to get the right consistency – it should be quite thick so it coats the salad.
Add the dressing to the bowl of prepared fruit and vegetables and toss gently to combine. Served topped with peanuts, chilli and lime wedges.
Serves 2-4
Sambal goreng buncis (green beans)
This is probably the most famous vegetable dish in Indonesian cuisine – green beans sauteed in a spicy coconut sauce. The topping added here gives a lovely sweetsalty crunch – in fact, it is good sprinkled on just about anything Indonesian, including nasi, noodles and gado gado.
Beans
500g green beans, trimmed
4 tbsp shredded, thread or grated coconut
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp flaky sea salt 1 shallot
2 cloves garlic 5cm piece lemongrass 2 tbsp olive oil
Sauce
2 tbsp sambal oelek (Indonesian
chilli paste)
2 tsp ground ginger
100ml coconut cream
Blanch beans for 5 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain and refresh under cold water.
Toast coconut in a dry pan until golden brown. Add chilli flakes and toast for another minute until fragrant. Tip onto a plate and mix in brown sugar and salt.
Finely chop shallot and garlic. Cut lemongrass into thin rings. Add to a pan with the oil and cook 5 minutes or until translucent. Add beans and toss to coat.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl then add to the pan. Cook until warm. Serve beans and sauce topped with the coconut mixture. Serves 4 as a side dish
Bami goreng (stir-fried egg noodles)
These tasty, spicy, stir-fried noodles are a one-dish-meal favourite. There are many variations – this one includes bacon. As with any stir-fry, it’s a good idea to prepare all the ingredients before starting to cook.
600g thick egg noodles (soft style, suitable for stir-frying)
2 tbsp olive oil
4 shallots, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 courgettes, diced
200g snow peas, sliced on diagonal 200g bean sprouts
200g thick cut bacon, cut into strips
4 tbsp ketjap manis (Indonesian
sweet soy sauce)*
2 tsp sambal oelek (Indonesian
chilli paste)*
3 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground turmeric
3 spring onions for garnish, green
tops only (optional)
4 eggs
Prawn crackers to serve
Prepare noodles to packet directions (in many cases, simply covering them with boiling water for a few minutes is enough). Heat oil in a wok or deep frying pan and cook shallots and garlic until translucent. Add courgette and cook 5 minutes or until softened.
Add snow peas and bean sprouts and give a quick toss. Tip vegetable mixture into a bowl and put pan back on the heat.
Add bacon and fry over high heat for 5 minutes.
Add ketjap manis, sambal oelek and a tablespoon of water and lower the heat. Cook until the liquids have reduced a little and the bacon is coated in the sauce. Add ginger, cumin and turmeric and cook for a minute. Add vegetables and noodles and toss until everything is evenly coated.
Cut spring onions into thin strips lengthwise and place in a bowl of ice water to curl up.
Fry eggs until the whites have set but the yolks are still liquid. Divide noodles between bowls and top each with a fried egg and spring onions. Serve with the prawn crackers and more sambal if desired.
Serves 4 as a main
* These ingredients can be found in the international section at supermarkets.