Fern Tips in Coconut Milk

(Gulai Daun Pakis)

This recipe actually meant for cooking fern tips (daun Pakis), but since I couldn't find it here, I used spinach as a substitute. If you don't know, young tips of wild fern are enjoyed in many parts of Indonesia. They are easily found in markets throughout Southeast Asia and have an excellent flavour.

Category: Vegetables

Difficulty: Easy

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

- 250 ml light coconut milk

- 100 ml thick coconut milk

- 1 bundle of spinach (or Fern Tips)

- 1 fresh Turmeric leaf

- 1 teaspoon tamarind juice

- Salt to taste

Spice Paste

- 2 shallots, peeled and sliced

- 1 clove of garlic, peeled and sliced

- 5 or 10 red chillies (as you like it), seeded and sliced (I used 2 teaspoons chilli powder since I don't have red chillies)

- 1 cm fresh Galangal (Lengkuas/Laos)

- 1 cm fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced

- 1 cm ginger, peeled and sliced

Directions

1. Prepare spice paste by grinding or blending all ingredients together.

2. Put spice paste in a saucepan with the coconut milk and bring to boil, stirring. Simmer for one minute then add the spinach, turmeric leaf and tamarind juice. Simmer, stirring frequently until the spinach is tender.

3. Season to taste with salt.

4. Good to serve with plain rice (nasi putih) and other side dish like fried Chicken or Fish.