Sayur Kuning (A Turmeric-Coloured Meat And Vegetable Stew)
This stew is cooked in santen. The turmeric gives it its yellowish colour.
250 g (8 oz) brisket
Salt
3 kemiri (candlenuts)
6 shalllots
1 small vegetable marrow
1 medium-sized potato
2 carrots
1 cup water
1/2 tsp chilli powder
A pinch of ground laos (galingale)
A pinch of powdered lemon grass
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1 salam leaf or bay-leaf
60 g (2 oz) broad beans (in Indonesia we would use kacang pagar, Lima beans)
1 cup thick santen
Boil the brisket with a little salt for 60 minutes. Keep a cupful of the stock, and cut the meat into small pieces.
Pound the kemiri and shallots into a smooth paste. Peel the marrow, potato and carrots, and chop them into small cubes.
Put the cupful of water into a saucepan, and in it put the kemiri paste, chilli, laos, lemon grass, ginger, turmeric, and salam (or bay) leaf. Stir this mixture and bring it to the boil. When it is boiling, add the carrots, potato, broad beans, and the meat. Cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Put in the stock and the marrow; season with salt, cook for 6 or 7 minutes on a high flame, then pour in the santen. Simmer very gently until the mixture is almost boiling again, then stir for 2 or 3 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and serve.
This dish is meant to have a runny, soupy sauce, so don’t put any thickening agent into it.
