Opor Indonesian Candlenut Curry Food

RENDANG (SPICY BEEF INDONESIAN CURRY)

Steps:

• Put the coconut milk and water in a wok or large pan over medium to high flame and bring to a boil. Add the garlic, shallot, galangal, turmeric, chile, nutmeg, cardamom, coriander, cumin, ginger, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and lemongrass and bring to a boil again. Add the beef. After about 5 minutes, turn the flame down to a simmer. Add the sugar and salt. Cook, stirring every 5 minutes, until the coconut milk turns oily, separates and rises to the top (this is the sign that it's done), about 2 hours.

BRAISED DUCK WITH RED CURRY

Steps:

• Bone ducks and remove the skin. (You can ask a butcher to do this, reserving the carcass for stock making and skin for rendering.) Cut breasts in half, then into about 3 pieces across the width. Chop legs and thighs into about 4 pieces each. (Remember: You want to start with generous pieces of meat, since they will shrink when cooked. Don't worry about cleaning the tendons, since they will soften with long cooking.) Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper.
• Heat rendered fat in a large, heavy bottomed Dutch oven over high heat. Brown duck on all sides, then transfer meat to a platter. Reduce heat to medium low and cook shallots until well browned, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, increase heat to medium high and cook about a minute, then add curry paste. Cook, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Return duck meat to pot along with brown duck stock and cook at a slow simmer, uncovered, until meat is tender, about 40 minutes.
• With a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a platter and reserve in a warm place. Puree sauce in a blender and strain back into pot. Cook over high heat until liquid is reduced by one third. Stir in fish sauce, coconut milk, sugar, and lime juice, and remove from heat. Stir duck back into warm sauce. Ladle stew over Jasmine Rice. Garnish with remaining ingredients and serve immediately.

INDONESIAN SATAY

Steps:

• For the satay: Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes.
• Whisk together the soy sauce, oil, salt, cumin, if using, fennel, if using, and garlic in a medium bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat the chicken in the marinade. Cover and marinate, refrigerated, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• For the peanut sauce: Add the peanut butter, soy sauce, coconut milk, brown sugar, salt, garlic and 1 cup water to a high-powered blender and blend until combined.
• Add 2 tablespoons water to the bottom of a medium saucepan, add the blended sauce and cook over medium heat, stirring, until bubbling. Continue to simmer, stirring and adding a little water if the sauce gets too thick, 3 to 4 more minutes. Set aside.
• For the sweet soy dipping sauce: Whisk together the soy sauce, cilantro, salt, pepper, chile, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl until combined.
• Prepare a grill or grill pan for high heat. Brush the grill with oil
• Thread about 4 chicken cubes onto each skewer. Grill the skewers until lightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes per side; be careful not to let them burn.

OPOR AYAM (INDONESIAN CHICKEN CURRY)

Steps:

• In a dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast the coriander seeds for 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool, then grind in a spice grinder.
• In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until browned, about 10 minutes. Remove shallots to a food processor and set aside. Add the garlic cloves and candlenuts to the same pan and cook, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and candlenuts to the shallots in the food processor along with the kaempferia galanga root, white pepper and 2 tablespoons water; purée into a paste.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon coconut oil in the sauté pan over medium heat and add the ginger, galangal, lemongrass, salam leaves and lime leaves, scrunching the lime leaves in your hands as you drop them into the pot. Allow to cook until the ingredients start to smell less intense and raw, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Stir the ground coriander seeds, shallot paste mixture and tomato into the pan. Reduce the heat to low and slowly stir in the coconut milk, a little at a time, to keep the sauce from breaking. When all the coconut milk is incorporated and the mixture is gently simmering, add the chicken stock. Nestle the chicken into the pan and spoon some of the sauce over the top. Cover and cook on low heat for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the dish is aromatic. You may have to adjust the heat to keep the mixture at a gentle simmer. (Do not boil.) Season to taste with salt. Before serving, remove the galangal, ginger, lemongrass, salam and makrut leaves. Serve with rice.

HALIBUT GREEN CURRY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the cilantro, mint, coconut milk, 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon of the oil, the brown sugar, lime juice, garlic, ginger, pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Pulse until smooth, then transfer to a small bowl.
• Lay out a 24-inch piece of foil on a baking sheet. Toss the kale with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch of salt. Arrange in a single layer in the middle of the foil. Nestle the fish filets on the kale and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Evenly spread the green curry sauce over each filet. Top loosely with another 24-inch piece of foil (try to keep the foil from touching the fish) and seal the edges.
• Bake the foil pack until the fish is just cooked through and the greens are crisp-tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully unseal the foil pack, and divide the fish and greens among four plates. Top with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.