Andaliman, wake your appetite to this “extraordinary” peppers

Sometime, some of us are too obsess with modern ingredients and engrossed with easy cooking that we forget to explore the amazing ingredients available in our world, particularly herbs and spices. Senggol Café is determined to introduce some of Indonesian ingredients to the global food lovers. One of those unusual (rarely used) ingredients is “Andaliman Pepper”, the North Sumatran pepper which mainly used in the Lake Toba region of North Sumatra. This pepper is known to wake your appetite, in a good way. Is used in Sambal (condiments), curry, grill food, salad, and much more. The Bataks cannot live without it :). Come to The Indonesian Food Court on 30th May in 33 Westow Street, Crystal Palace, Se19, sample and understand this ingredients inside out.

 

We did it, a very successful 1st attempt of market trading

What an amazing Food Court, we felt such a great sense of achievement. This was our first market attempt ever, and our food sold out by 3pm. Had to rush and dash and do more cooking as the demand for Martabak was unbelievable.  Thank you to all who came to visit our Market, super fabulous family day out. Come again next month, we will be there on Saturday 30th May from 10.00 – 17.00.  35 Westow Street, Crystal Palace, London SE19. See you. 

Sambal Goreng Udang

Sambal Goreng Udang

This is a very easy dish to make. It’s quick, simple and delicious.  The green beans on this dish called “pete”, they acquire taste, they smell rather pungent and they need getting used to in order to enjoy them. Is not easy to find pete outside of Indonesia, so you can use peeled green broad-beans instead. 

For this dish you will need:

• 250 gr shelled prawns (large ones are much nicer)
• 200 gr cube potatoes (optional) – but put extra prawn in to balance the spices if you are not using the potatoes
• 10 pete (or green broad-beans) -or you can add more if you like them that much)
• 2 salam (or bay) leaves
• about 3 cm of galangal root (bruised)
• 1 tablespoon of cooking oil

You will need the following spices, grind them to a paste: –

• 3 cloves of garlic
• 6 small red shallots, or use 1 medium size red onion
• 8 red chillies but use less if you can’t tolerate very hot food.
• 1 medium size tomato
• 3 roasted candle-nuts
• Salt to taste

Tips:  use green broad beans as a substitute to pete beans, they are equally delicious and less pungent.

 

How to make: Heat the cooking oil in pan. Add the paste of spices.  Sauté the spice paste for a few minutes then add the salam leaves and the galangal. Then add the potato and stir evenly, leave for 5 minutes to cook. Then add the prawns and stir evenly and leave for 2 minutes to cook. Then add the pete beans and leave for another 2 minutes to simmer.

Your sambal udang dish is now ready to serve. Delicious with hot steam rice and some plain vegetables. Enjoy!!