Mini Spicy Padang Cooking. William W. Wongso

      250 g (9 oz) lean topside beef

      1 liter (4 cups) water

      ½ teaspoon salt

      250 g (9 oz) young jack-fruit, flesh cut into bite-sized pieces

      150 g (5 oz) long beans, cut into lengths to yield 2 cups

      5 large cabbage leaves, coarsely chopped to yield 2 cups

      500 ml (2 cups) thick coconut milk

      1 turmeric leaf

      3 kaffir lime leaves

      1 stalk lemongrass, thick bottom part only, tough outer layers discarded, inner part-bruised

      Spice Paste

      2 candlenuts, crushed and dry-roasted

      2 red chilies, sliced

      5 to 6 shallots

      2 to 3 cloves garlic

      2 ½ cm (1 in) turmeric, peeled and sliced

      2 ½ cm (1 in) galangal root, peeled and sliced

      2 ½ cm (1 in) ginger, peeled and sliced

      1 teaspoon salt

      When cutting the jackfruit leave the immature seeds intact; use an oiled knife to prevent any sticky sap from clinging to the blade.

      1 Bring the beef, water and salt to a boil over high heat in a saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 1 to 1 ½ hours until the beef is tender. Remove and set aside to cool, then slice the beef into small pieces.

      2 To make the Spice Paste, grind all the ingredients to a smooth paste in a mortar or blender, adding some beef stock to keep the paste turning if necessary. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

      3 Return the beef to the beef stock and add the jackfruit pieces. Add some water if the beef stock is insufficient to just cover the beef and jackfruit. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the jackfruit is tender and cooked. Add the Spice Paste and all the other ingredients, mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until the vegetables are cooked. Remove from heat, discard the turmeric leaf and lemongrass, and serve immediately.

      Serves 4 to 6

      Preparation time: 30 mins Cooking time: 2 hours