Indonesian Cuisine

[Xocolatl]

Mine is without coconut, heavy on ginger
I can't always find trassi or shrimp paste, so normally I don't use it.
Good resource for Indonesian recipies is: https://www.asiancook.eu/

It depends on the region. Where my family comes from (Sumatra) is heavy on the coconut

 

[Badjak]

My dad was born on Sumatra, but grew up on java during WW2
He taught me to cook.
The country is huge and of course, like everywhere, people adjust the recipes to their personal taste (and availability of ingredients).

 

[Xocolatl]

My dad was born on Sumatra, but grew up on java during WW2
He taught me to cook.
The country is huge and of course, like everywhere, people adjust the recipes to their personal taste (and availability of ingredients).

Even in Sumatra the region is important, indeed. But the region (Riau ) my family comes from is coconut central. so I assumed it was so for Sumatra as a whole as I often read Sumatra is the epicenter of coconut foods in Indonesia ( well and some the hottest food there too). My ancestry is a bit further down the line than yours though, my great grandfather was Indonesian and I have not been there myself. So correct me if I am wrong.

Indonesian Superfoods: Coconut - Ubud Food Festival

The Western world has gone crazy for coconuts, which have been consumed and utilized in countless ways across equatorial regions for centuries. There are now more than 50 coconut products and its derivatives traded widely across the globe – coconut oil, butter, flour, milk, water, flakes...

www.ubudfoodfestival.com

 

[Rascal]

My recipe is as follows:

Ingredients for about 500 ml:
3 tablespoons of smooth unsweetened peanut butter (salted is OK)
50 grams of santen (creamed coconut) or half a block
250 ml milk or coconut milk, sometimes more
Ketjap manis (sweet soy sauce) at least one table spoon
Sambal badjak (fried onion sambal) at least one table spoon
1/2 teaspoon of trassi
1/2 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon of fresh grated garlic
Lemon or lime juice, one half lemon or lime
A spoonful of oil.

This is super easy. Get a saucepan, put all the ingredients except milk and lemon juice in and put it on low heat. Stir until the santen and peanut butter starts to melt. Add the milk while stirring so the other ingredients don't burn. When all the milk is added and it's been cooking for a while you should have a smooth, thick sauce that coats your spoon. If not, add some more milk. Then when it's right add a little lemon juice to make it slightly thinner and add contrast to the flavor. If nothing is burned, you're ready to eat!

Trassi? I'm unfamiliar with this.

Russ

 

[Jade Emperor]

Trassi, or terasi is simply a regional variation on shrimp paste. Most larger stores stock some form of shrimp paste - some other names are kapi, belacan and mam tom. The various varieties are all fairly similar, so there isn’t really a need to seek out or buy multiple versions, in my opinion.
Good Asian grocers will usually have a few different varieties and brands, but I generally use Prawn and Coral brand. A block will last a long time, even though you will use it so often.

 

[pepperhead212]

Trassi is that solid block type of shrimp paste used in Malaysian and Indonesian foods. I use the Thai shrimp paste I always keep on hand.

UD - I didn't remember where I posted it, but I knew it was a long time back I posted a photo of the shrimp paste brands I used, for someone, to show the brand, since there really wasn't a brand name in English!
Thai shrimp paste by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I see it was in '19! Both are Thai brands, and not the tassi type, in block form. And just to warn anyone not familiar with these things, thinking of trying some new things - that tassi, which is shrimp paste simply wrapped in paper, is one of many things (durian, and many of those fermented products add their aromas, as well) in many of those Asian markets that give them their unique aromas, that many people can't take - I had a number of lady friends of mine though the years that had to leave soon after entering one of them, and never went in again. (Though they still ate the foods I made for them!) The first shrimp paste I got back in the 80s, up in NYC (nothing available around here, back then) was one of those blocks (I had no idea about the differences, back then, and just saw "shrimp paste"!), and driving home the smell was so bad that we stopped, and put it in a plastic bag, and in the trunk! It was still noticeable, but we got home, and one thing I did, that you will want to do, if you buy any, was put it in a glass jar - a sealed pint mason jar. I used some of it, but soon found out about the kapi, or actual Thai shrimp paste, and got some of that on my next trip. It was actually "mild", compared to the tassi, but still incredibly potent.

Most of these recipes call for "toasting" or pan roasting the shrimp paste, usually by wrapping it in a double layer of foil, pressing about 1/4" thick, then cooking it about 6-7 min. over medium low heat in a dry pan, like toasting chiles, turning it frequently, until puffed up, then cool, before opening, to use in recipe. I always do a bunch of this, in some foil, but put over an open flame, for a short time, until puffed up - a method I found in James Oseland's CRADLE OF FLAVOR - and I keep "pre-toasted" shrimp paste in a jar, to use as needed. And if you have an outdoor grill, with a side burner, that's a better place to toast the shrimp paste! A friend's wife threatened to leave him, if he ever cooked that stuff inside again! She never turned down any of our food, however.

 

[Rascal]

Trassi, or terasi is simply a regional variation on shrimp paste. Most larger stores stock some form of shrimp paste - some other names are kapi, belacan and mam tom. The various varieties are all fairly similar, so there isn’t really a need to seek out or buy multiple versions, in my opinion.
Good Asian grocers will usually have a few different varieties and brands, but I generally use Prawn and Coral brand. A block will last a long time, even though you will use it so often.

I have that. Not called that though. Wife has to go out if I add it, lol

Russ

 

[Jade Emperor]

It’s recommended that you toast belacan. I wrap the portion in foil and dry toast in a wok. Be aware though that it is crazily attractive to flies!

 

[blissful]

You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, but if you want even more flies then toast some belacan. Good to know.

 

[Xocolatl]

The trassi I have is powdered, hence no toasting . I can imagine it's not avalaible everywhere. If you can't get it just don't use it.

 

[Badjak]

Nice write up @pepperhead212 !
I generally use kapi as I can get it here, but I got a little trassi as well.
Keeping it for my nasi goreng

 

[tovy]

Not sure if it's of use to anyone but I recently stumbled across this list of popular Indonesian dishes. I think it's a good starting point. I've been to Indonesia 3-4 times and have worked there and there's still a few I am yet to try. Aim is to complete it on my next visits.