Curly Kale in Rich Coconut Sauce

Name: Curly Kale in Rich Coconut Sauce
Ingredients: 500 g curly kale; 200 g tempeh, sliced; 1 stem lemon grass, outer leaves discarded, crashed; 1 tsp tamarind pulp soak in 2 tbsp water; 3 pc kaffir lime leaves, discard the rib od the leaf; 800 ml medium-thick coconut milk; 2 cm fresh galangale, bruished; vegetable oil; 3 pc large red chillies, de-seeded, chopped; 5 pc bird chillies (optional, if you like spicy); 6 pc shallots, chopped; 3 gloves garlic, chopped; 3 pc candlenuts, chopped; 3 cm fresh turmeric (or 1 tsp turmeric powder); 1 tbsp coriander seeds (or 1 tsp coriander powder); 1 tsp sugar or to taste; 2 tsp salt or to taste

Origin: Middle of Java Province
Source: A friend, roomate and ex colleague Dwi Handayani

Ingredients

500 g curly kale
200 g tempeh, sliced
1 stem lemon grass, outer leaves discarded, crashed
1 tsp tamarind pulp soak in 2 tbsp water
3 pc kaffir lime leaves, discard the rib od the leaf
800 ml medium-thick coconut milk
2 cm fresh galangale, bruished
vegetable oil

Spice for the paste

3 pc large red chillies, de-seeded, chopped
5 pc bird chillies (optional, if you like spicy)
6 pc shallots, chopped
3 gloves garlic, chopped
3 pc candlenuts, chopped
3 cm fresh turmeric or 1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp coriander seeds or 1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp sugar or to taste
2 tsp salt or to taste

Curly Kale in Rich Coconut Sauce

I've known this dish from my best friend as well as ex colleague when I was working in a Batam Island many years back. One of my favorite recipes from her 😉

In Javanese this dish called "Podomoro" which literally means "people are coming" to enjoy this delicious vegetable dish 😉 In Indonesia this dish is usually made from young Cassava Leaves but unfortunatelly this kind of vegetables is not available in the West. As an alternative I use curly kale as substitute. The result is magnificently delicious!! You can also replace with another sort of vegetables such a long beans.

If preferred you my also replace the Tempeh with boiled meat. Just mix match the way you'd like it. Have a nice try and good luck 🙂

Instructions

Discard the hard part/rib of the curly kale leaves and wash.
Bring enoug water with 1 tsp salt to boil and blanch the curly kale for abaout 3 minutes. Make sure the vegetables not overcooked!
Set aside to drain and rinse with cold water to prevent the vegetables turning blackish.
Slice the blanched vegetables in 3 cm length. Put aside.
Prepare all the paste ingredients, cut in smaller size if necessary.
Put all ingredients for the seasoning paste in a blender or food processor & blend until smooth. (If necessery add a little bit oil to help the blending process).
Sautee the paste, lemongrass, galingale and kaffir-lime leaves all the time until cooked & fragrant.( approx. 5 minutes)
Transfer the paste into a larger saucepan if you don't have a big shallowpan or wok and add the coconut milk.
Ass sliced tempeh and bring all to boil. Stir often to prevent the cononut milk being separated.
Adjust the stove into medium heat and add curly kale.
Add the tamarind juice and cook for about 5 minutes.
Adjust the seasoning, add salt & sugar to taste. Remove from heat and serve hot.