Aceh Cucumber limeade (Es Timun Serai - Ie Boh Timon)

What do you think about a combination of cucumber and lime? or have you heard cucumber limeade before? This non-alcoholic drink is very refreshing especially for hot sunny days.  It’s known as Ie Boh Timon, in Aceh language , Ie means water or air (Indonesian); Boh means fruit or buah (Indonesian); Timon means cucumber or timun (Indonesian).  It’s common in Acehnese restaurants in Indonesia. Acehnese food is very heavy in spices and similar to Indian food especially South Indian. To wash down hot and spicy food, the Acehnese restaurants serve this drink in their menu.

Ingredients:

• 4 cucumbers, halved lengthwise, discard the seed (if you like the seed, don’t discard), and shave.
• ice, crushed.

Lemongrass Limeade Syrup:

• 1 L water
• 225 g sugar
• 4 key limes, juiced
• 3 lemongrasses, take the white parts and bruise (alternatively, you can use frozen ground lemongrass and place in muslin bag)

Directions:

1. Limeade syrup : Bring water, lemongrass, sugar, and lime juice to a boil until sugar dissolved. Remove from heat. Cool down at room temperature.
2. Serving : In a glass, add cucumber shaved and crushed ice. Pour lemongrass limeade syrup over and stir. Serve.

Aceh Pennywort Sambal (Sambai On Peuga-ga/Sambal Pegagan)

Sambai On Peuga-ga or can be translated as Aceh Style Pennywort Sambal or Sambal Pegagan Aceh in Indonesian.

Ingredients:

• 50 grams pennywort, chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen grated coconut, thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground coriander seed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ebi (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon minced ginger
• 3 shallots, finely sliced
• 1 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 4 teaspoon ground lemongrass ready to use
• 3 green chillies (add more if you like spicy, or you also can substitute for red chilies), finely sliced
• 3 kaffir lime leaves, chopped
• 1 – 2 asam sunti (asam sunti is an Acehnese spice to give a subtle sour taste, which is made from smoked or dried bilimbi)*
• salt to taste

*If you can’t find any asam sunti for purchased, just substituting for bilimbi or lime juice.

Directions:

• Toast grated coconut, ground ebi, ground coriander until the coconut is golden brown. Combine all other ingredients and serve.

Gulai Kambing Aceh (Aceh Goat Curry)

This Gulai kambing or Gulee Kameng in Aceh Dialect has some different names such as Gulee Sie Kameng, Kari Kameng, Kari Sie Kameng, and Kuah Sie Kameng. Basically Gulee is what Indonesians call for Gulai; Sie is Daging or Meat; Kameng is Kambing or Goat while Kari is another different called for gulai or curry.  Kuah is an Indonesian term for any soup base dish. To make this tasty gulee kameng, you will need toasted shredded coconut or known as u neu lheu in Aceh local dialect or kelapa sangrai/gongseng in Indonesian or kerisik in Malay. 

There is another different between this Aceh gulai or curry with other Indonesian gulais or curries, the use of dried chilies instead of fresh chilies. Capli kleng (cabai kering) is the name for dried chilies in Aceh. You can always substitute the dried chilies with chili or red pepper powder. In this case I used crushed Korean red pepper. I also charred or broiled some spices to strengthen the aroma.

Ingredients:

• 1 kilogram goat meat with bones or boneless, drizzle over key lime, rub all over and set aside
• 3-4 tablespoons crushed Korean red pepper, mix with a small amount of warm water
• 4 shallots (8 pieces if you use smaller size), thinly sliced
• 2 stems curry leaves
• 2 star anises
• 4 centimeter cinnamon bark, toasted or broiled
• 4 cloves, toasted or broiled
• 2 green cardamom, bruised and toasted or broiled
• 4 lemongrass, take the white part and bruise
• 600 ml coconut milk
• some of extra virgin coconut oil or vegetable oil

Spices For a Wet Paste:

• 6 tablespoons toasted shredded coconut
• 4 shallots
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1-2 Bengali red peppers (this Bengali red pepper is way hotter than long red cayenne pepper or cabai merah keriting)
• 2 tablespoons corriander seed, toasted
• 2 teaspoons white peppercorn, toasted
• 1 nutmeg
• 5 centimeter ginger, toasted and peeled
• 5 centimeter turmeric root, toasted and peeled
• 3 centimeter galangal, toasted
• 4 candlenuts
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel, toasted
• 1 tablespoon white poppy seed (kas-kas), toasted
• seasalt as desired

Directions:

1. You don’t need to toast one by one. For the ingredients that you need for grinding, you can toast them together.
2. Grind all spices for wet paste until smooth. Use a food processor if you want to get a faster result but I prefer using the traditional Indonesian mortar and pestle.
3. Rub all wet paste over the goat meat. Marinate for more than 15 minutes. I myself kept them overnight in the fridge.
4. In a wok, dutch oven or pot, heat up your cooking oil. Stir fry slices of shallot until fragrant. Add curry leaves and red pepper powder mixture; stir. Toast in marinated goat, cinnamon bark, star anise, cloves, cardamom and lemongrass. Reduce the heat to medium cover the wok and cook until the goat meat changes colour.
5. Pour in coconut milk and season with seasalt; stir and let it cook until the liquid is thicken and oily. Taste. If you feel not enough salt, you can add more.
6. Remove from the heat and enjoy with steamed rice.

Mackerel Curry (Gulai Ikan Kembung)

Ingredients:

• 300 g Indian mackerel (Indonesian: ikan kembung)
• 3 kaffir lime leaves
• 8 curry leaves (Indonesian: daun salam koja, daun temurui)
• 1 stalk lemon grass, white part only, bruised
• 400 ml coconut milk
• sea salt
• 2 asam sunti (sun-dried bilimbi)
• 1 calamansi (Indonesian: jeruk kesturi, lemon cui)
• oil

Spices To Grind:

• 5 shallots
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 fresh red chilies
• 1 fresh green chili
• 1 cm turmeric, toasted
• 2 candlenuts, toasted

For Maritaning:

• 1 teaspoon calamansi juice by squeezing fresh calamansi
• sea salt as desired

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven at 350F.
2. Marinate fish for 30 minutes with salt & calamansi juice.
3. Bake fish in a oven for 10-15 minutes.
4. Heat oil in a wok and sauté ground spices, kaffir lime leaves, curry leaves and lemon grass until fragrant.
5. Add coconut milk, asam sunti and let to a boil.
6. Add the baked fish and cook until thickened.
7. Add calamansi juice and salt, stir evenly, and remove the heat. Serve with warmed cooked rice.

Spiced Anchovies Wrapped in Banana Leaves (Payeh Bileh - Aceh)

Payeh Bileh is one of Aceh style side dishes that is made from anchovies and spice up with numbers different herbs before wrapping them in banana leaves. There are many other different kinds name of pepes in Indonesia depend on the area. Pepes is a cooking technique employing banana leaf for wrapping and widely use in Indonesia. Brengkesan in Javanese, Brengkes in South Sumatra, Pais in Sundanese, Palai in Minangkabau, and Payeh in Acehnese.

Ingredients:

• 454 grams (1lb) frozen anchovies, thawed
• 1 ½ teaspoons fresh squeezed calamansi seasalt
• 6 bilimbi, angle cut
• 2 ½ tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil
• 5 shallots (double up the amount if you use smaller size like the ones in Indonesia), finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons ground lemongrass
• 6 kaffir lime leaves, remove the midribs and chopped
• 3 sprigs curry leaves, take the leaves banana leaves to wrap

Spice Paste: 

• 15 pieces asam sunti (dried bilimbi)
• 5 long red cayenne pepper *
• 5 bird eyes chilies*
• 4 shallots (double up the amount if you use smaller size like the ones in Indonesia)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2.5-centimeters (1-inch) fresh turmeric root, peeled
• 4-centimeters (1.5-inches) ginger, scrapped

Directions:

1. Combine anchovies with calamansi juice and seasalt. Set a side.
2. With a mortar and pestle or food processor, pound/grind red cayenne pepper, bird eyes chilies, shallots, garlic, turmeric, ginger and asam sunti into a paste.
3. Fry slices of shallot with extra virgin coconut oil.
4. Combine anchovies mixture with spice paste, fried shallots, chopped kaffir lime leaves, ground lemongrass and curry leaves.
5. Place 1/3 cup of spiced anchovies mixture on the centre of banana leaves. Wrap and secure the edges with toothpicks. Repeat this step until all mixture is used up.
6. Steam for 30 minutes. Broil or grill until you can smell the aroma.

* the amount of chili peppers can be reduced to your liking

Soto Aceh

ingredient:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 liters of water
500 g of meat on the cow's thighs
60 g lemon grass, crushed
5 g of bay leaves
150 ml thick coconut milk
5 g of salt
3 g pepper
6 g of powdered chicken broth - See more at: http://reseprumahtangga.blogspot.com/2012/08/soto-aceh-indonesian.html#sthash.U5LGlC63.dpu

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 liters of water
• 500 g of meat on the cow's thighs
• 60 g lemon grass, crushed
• 5 g of bay leaves
• 150 ml thick coconut milk
• 5 g of salt
• 3 g pepper
• 6 g of powdered chicken broth

Spices to be ground or pounded:

• 20 g fried onions
• 150 g tomatoes, chopped
• 50 g celery
• 40 g onion leaves
• 1 lime, cut into pieces
• 10 g coriander
• 35 g hazelnut
• 50 g onion
• 40 g of garlic
• 30 g of ginger

Directions:

1. Saute the spices in oil until fragrant and enter the water.
2. Insert the meat, lemongrass and bay leaf.
3. Boil and cook until meat is tender and put all the spices.
4. Once the meat is tender remove and cut into dice. Enter back into the broth.
5. Add coconut milk and bring to a boil.
6. Serve the soup with a topping.

ingredient:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 liters of water
500 g of meat on the cow's thighs
60 g lemon grass, crushed
5 g of bay leaves
150 ml thick coconut milk
5 g of salt
3 g pepper
6 g of powdered chicken broth - See more at: http://reseprumahtangga.blogspot.com/2012/08/soto-aceh-indonesian.html#sthash.U5LGlC63.dpuf

ingredient:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 liters of water
500 g of meat on the cow's thighs
60 g lemon grass, crushed
5 g of bay leaves
150 ml thick coconut milk
5 g of salt
3 g pepper
6 g of powdered chicken broth - See more at: http://reseprumahtangga.blogspot.com/2012/08/soto-aceh-indonesian.html#sthash.U5LGlC63.dpuf

Aceh Crab Noodle (Mie Kepiting Aceh)

Mie Aceh has a heavy influence of Indian and middle east spices. Mie Aceh is like the western way of Chinese takeaway chow mein with slices of beef, goat meat or seafood (crab, shrimp and/or squid). Beside the protein choices, Mie Aceh are also available in two variations; Mie Aceh Goreng (stir fried) and Mie Aceh Kuah (soupy or gravy). Using thick yellow noodles (or known Shanghai noodle in Canada), this dish is cooked in rich and spicy curry spices that given a kick up the bum with some fiery chili. It is garnished with fried shallot sprinkles and served with emping, slices of shallots, cucumber, and a slice of key lime or calamansi.This time is a crab version of Mie Aceh with a bit of gravy.

Ingredients:

• 500 g shanghai noodle
• 600 mL homemade seafood broth (can be substituted for clam juice)
• 150 g medium-sized shrimps, peeled and deveined, keep the tail intact
• 1 dungeness crab (1 kg or 2 lbs)
• 100 g (1 cup) bean sprouts
• 100 g (1 cup) shredded cabbage
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons kecap manis
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 2 stalks Chinese celery, chopped and separated into two parts
• 1 green onion, finely sliced
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• seasalt and ground white pepper to taste3 tablespoons cooking oil

Spices to be ground or pounded:

• 5 shallots (double up the amount if your shallots are small)
• 2 tablespoons garlic ginger paste
• 8 long red cayenne pepper*
• 3 bird eyes chilies*
• 4 cm long turmeric, peeled
• 8 green cardamom pods
• 1/4 teaspoon poppy seed (Indonesian: kas kas, Hindi: khus khus)
• 1 teaspons cumin, toasted
• 1/2 teaspoon aniseed (adas manis), toasted 2 teaspoons coriander, toasted

 

Directions:

1. Clean and cut the crab into pieces. Save the green and juicy stuff.
2. With a mortar and pestle or food processor, pound/grind the spices.
3. Heat up your wok and add cooking oil. Stir fry shallot slices and the spice paste until you can smell their aroma.
4. Add the crab and 250 mL (1/2 cup) of seafood broth. Do a quick stir. Cover the wok with its cover for 2 minutes depend how big is your crab pieces.  Continue stirring for about 2 minutes or until all crab pieces turned red.
5. Take the crab out of the wok. Add shrimp to the wok; stir.  Add the green and juicy stuff from the shell and stir well.
6. Add the rest of the seafood broth, a half portion of Chinese celery chopped, green onions, curry powder, groud white pepper and seasalt. Stir.
7. Add noodle, kecap manis, tomato, cabbage, and bean sprouts. Combine.
8. Put the crab back to the noodle mixture. Sprinkle the rest of Chinese celery chopped.  Toss one more time before serving.
9. Transfer to the plate. Sprinkle with fried shallot. Serve with acar timun, melinjo crackers and slices of lime. Eat while it's still hot. Don't forget to squeeze the lime over.

Cook's Note:

* The amount of chilies can be reduced or added as your palate suitable.
** Kas kas is common to be used in Aceh and Malay culinary.

 

Read more at http://en.petitchef.com/recipes/mie-kepiting-aceh-aceh-crab-noodle-recipe-fid-1262695#V5gZBEHih0FxxywB.99