GULAI
A type of food containing rich, spicy, curry-sauce.
Herbs and Spices for Gulai
Garlic, onion, lemongrass, lime, kaffir lime leaves, salam -
leaves, ginger, galangal, tamarind, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, coriander
seeds, nutmeg and nuts (candlenuts)
Grind those herbs (except the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves
And salam-leaves) and spices to make a very smooth paste. Use a mortar and pestle or a food
Processor. To keep it better, place the
paste in a jar, top it up with oil, refrigerate!
Other ingredients: stock, water, coconut milk, sugar, and
salt. Fried shallot to garnish.
To use the spice paste.
Pan fry or sauté the paste with oil until fragrant, add some
sugar (coconut sugar) or brown sugar and also some salt.
(It has to be cooked for a few minutes, so all the spices
release the flavour, and then you could add the main ingredients; vegetables (for vegetarian
gulai) or any meat, which has been sealed properly.
Stir and add stock or hot water, braise at least for one hour (half of
the cooking time), then add the coconut milk, continue braising over a very low
heat.
The meat for gulai: is goat meat, but you can have chicken or lamb.
Traditionally the gulai used all the cuts of the goat and braised for a long time until it is tender.
Any cut of the lamb can be braised for the 'gulai', but I prefer using the leg of lamb, it is very delicious food to be shared for a special occasion. Recently I cooked lamb shanks for the curry (gulai), and it worked beautifully, the recipe is here for you.
The Recipe.
Gulai Kikil (Lamb Shanks Curry)
Ingredients:
4-6 lamb shanks, 2 tablespoons tamarind juice
(rub the lamb shank with the juice, keep aside)
2 cups water or stock
1 tin coconut milk (400 mils)
1/4 cup vegetable oil (for sauteeing the spices and herbs and also for pan frying the shanks)
Herbs: 5 kaffir lime leaves, 1 lemongrass. Juice of a lime.
Spices: 3 cloves garlic, 2 large shallots (or a small onion), a slice of fresh ginger and galangal, some kencur (can be purchased in Asian grocery stores), 1 heaped tablespoon of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, *1 teaspoon ginger powder, 1 teaspoon chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cloves powder, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 6 candlenuts.
Grind the coriander seeds, and mix with all spices, put in the grinder or food processor, process them to make a smooth paste.
* I use both ginger powder and also fresh ginger, you cannot omit the fresh ginger, but you can go without the ginger powder.
Salt, sugar (brown sugar or coconut sugar) about 2 teaspoons each.
Fried shallot and fresh chopped parsley or coriander leave to garnish.
Method:
In a heavy-based pot, fry the spice paste with oil until fragrant, add in the fresh herbs, the juice of a lime and the shanks, stir and let it cook for a few minutes. Stir in the water or stock, and add in salt, sugar, cover the pot and cook to braise for one hour over medium heat. At this point, add in the coconut milk and continue cooking for one hour over low heat.
The shanks are very tender and juicy in a vibrant and golden spiced coconut sauce.
To serve the dish, only with steamed white rice, acar and krupuk udang (prawn crackers) for its accompaniments.
Ingredients:
4-6 lamb shanks, 2 tablespoons tamarind juice
(rub the lamb shank with the juice, keep aside)
2 cups water or stock
1 tin coconut milk (400 mils)
1/4 cup vegetable oil (for sauteeing the spices and herbs and also for pan frying the shanks)
Herbs: 5 kaffir lime leaves, 1 lemongrass. Juice of a lime.
Spices: 3 cloves garlic, 2 large shallots (or a small onion), a slice of fresh ginger and galangal, some kencur (can be purchased in Asian grocery stores), 1 heaped tablespoon of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, *1 teaspoon ginger powder, 1 teaspoon chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cloves powder, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 6 candlenuts.
Grind the coriander seeds, and mix with all spices, put in the grinder or food processor, process them to make a smooth paste.
* I use both ginger powder and also fresh ginger, you cannot omit the fresh ginger, but you can go without the ginger powder.
Salt, sugar (brown sugar or coconut sugar) about 2 teaspoons each.
Fried shallot and fresh chopped parsley or coriander leave to garnish.
Method:
In a heavy-based pot, fry the spice paste with oil until fragrant, add in the fresh herbs, the juice of a lime and the shanks, stir and let it cook for a few minutes. Stir in the water or stock, and add in salt, sugar, cover the pot and cook to braise for one hour over medium heat. At this point, add in the coconut milk and continue cooking for one hour over low heat.
The shanks are very tender and juicy in a vibrant and golden spiced coconut sauce.
To serve the dish, only with steamed white rice, acar and krupuk udang (prawn crackers) for its accompaniments.
Herbs and Spices
The Lamb Shanks
Pan frying the spices and braising the shanks
The lamb shanks are cooked
Serving
Left: Acar
- Slice 1 cucumber, one sliced shallots, a teaspoon white sugar, 1 tablespoon white vinegar and a pinch of salt. Mix them together, keep aside for five minutes. Acar is ready to serve. It keeps well refrigerated
Cooking lamb shanks with Javanese spices is easy enough, and it is delightful for cold winter time.
Use the spices paste above for lamb curry, instead of shanks what you need is about 1 - 2 kg lamb meat.
I think it is an excellent introduction to start cooking Javanese curry with a little difference that you could easily prepare in your own kitchen.
Happy Cooking
Until Next Time
Susy
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