Indonesian ingredients G

GALANGAL (laos): A member of the ginger family with a very tough but elusively scented rhizome which must be peeled before use. The best substitute is water-packed slices of galangal sold in jars, generally exported from Thailand. Otherwise, use slices of dried laos (soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes) or as last resort, powdered laos (1 teaspoon = 2 ½ cm/ in)

GARLIC (bawang putih): Recipes in this book were prepared with Indonesian garlic, the clovesof which are usually smaller and less pungent than the garlic found in many Western countries. Adjust the amount to suit your taste.

GINGER (jahe): This pale creamy yellow root is widely used, not just to season food but its medicinal properties (it helps digestion, expels intestinal gas, improves the appetite and is believed to be good for colds). Always scrape the skin off fresh ginger before using and do not substitute powdered ginger as the taste is quite different. Fresh ginger keeps in a cool place for several weeks.

JICAMA (bengkuang): Native to tropical America, where it is known as jimaca, the somewhat confusingly named yam bean is actually a tuber with a beige skin and crisp white interior. It is used in salads and some cooked vegetable dishes; water chesnuts make an acceptable subtitute. Many Indonesian ingredients are now widely available in Asian supply shops and even supermarkets abroad.

KENARI: A soft, somewhat oily nut found in Maluku, almond is the closest subtitute.

KLUWAK : Kluwak nuts come from the kepayang tree (Pangium edule) of Indonesia & Malaysia, a member of the flacourtia family (Flacourtiaceae). The oily, hard-shelled seeds superficially resemble Brazil nuts. Meaty seeds are edible after the poisonous hydrocyanic acid is removed by soaking and boiling them in water. Fermented kluwak nuts become chocolate-brown, greasy and very slippery. Cooked seeds are used in a number of popular Malaysian and Indonesian dishes.

KRUPUK: Dried crackers made from shrimps, fish, vegetables or nuts mixed with various types of flour are enormously popular as a garnish or snack. They must be thoroughly dry before deep frying in very hot oil for few seconds, so that puff up and become crisp.

LEMON GRASS (serai, sereh): This intensely fragrant herb is used to impart a lemony flavour to many dishes and can also be used as a skewer for stays. Cut off the roots and use only the tender bottom portion (16-20 cm / 6-8 in ). Discard the hard outer leaves. If a whole stem is added to a gravy during cooking, it should be bruised a couple of times with the edge of a cleaver or pestle to release the fragrance, then tied in a knot to hold it together.

LIME: Several types of lime are used in Indonesia. The most fragrant is the leprous or kaffir lime (jeruk purut). IT has virtually no juice bzt the double leaf is often used whole or very finely shradded, while the grated skin is occasionally used in cooking. Round yellow-skinned limes slightly larger than a golf ball (jeruk nipis) and small, dark green limes (jeruk limau) are used for their juice. If limes are not available, use lemons.

NUTMEG (pala): Always grate whole nutmeg just before using as the powdered spice quickly loses its fragrance. Whole nutmegs keep almost indefinately.

PALM SUGAR (gula merah, gula jawa): Juice extracted from coconut or aren palm flowers is boiled and packed into moulds to make sugar with a faint caramel taste. If palm sugar is not available, subtitute soft brown sugar, or a mixture of brown sugar and maple syrup.

To make palm sugar syrup, combine equal amounts of chopped palm sugar and water, adding pandan leaf if available. Bring to boil, simmer for 10 minutes, strain and store in refrigerator.

PANDAN LEAF (daun pandan): The fragrant leaf of a type of pandanus sometimes known as fragrant screwpine is tied in a knot and used to flavour some curries, desserts and cakes. Bottled pandan essence can be subtituted.

PEANUTS (kacang tanah): These are ground (either raw or cooked) and used to make sauces; deep fried peanuts are a very common garnish or condiment. DO not salt fried peanuts before storing to avoid their going soggy.

PEPPER (merica, lada): Whole black or white peppercorns are generally crushed just before use; ground white pepper powder is also used on certain occasions.

PRAWNS, DRIED (ebi): Used to season some dishes, these should be soak in warm water for 5 minutes before use and any shell discarded. Choose dried prawns that are bright pink in colour, avoiding any that look grey or mouldly.

Indonesian Ingredients G - P