Nasi Kuning and Babi Ketjap are nostalgic dishes for me. I grew up on this kind of food, cooked by my mother, who was born in Indonesia. The flavors of ginger mixed with sweet soy sauce, or turmeric coloring long-grain rice, bring good food memories. You can sometimes find lemongrass, ginger and even turmeric from local farmers.
Ingredients
- 1 piece bone-in pork shoulder (about 4 pounds)
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 medium red onion, sliced thin
- 1 cup ketjap manis (sweet soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (ground chili sauce), or to taste
- 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised
- ½ lime, cut into 4–6 wedges
- 5–7 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
- 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- Salt to taste
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Season pork all over with salt. Brush a Dutch oven with oil and heat up. Add the pork and over medium-high heat brown all over for 4–5 minutes. Take out pork and in the same pan toss the onions until softened. Mix together ketjap manis, sambal oelek, lime wedges, garlic and ginger and add to the braising pan. Bring to a rolling boil, add the lemongrass and put the pork back in. Cover and place in the preheated oven (or simmer over low heat on stove top).
After 1 hour, turn the pork, cover and braise for another hour.
When the pork is fork tender, take it out. Adjust seasoning in the braising liquid if needed and strain through a sieve. Keep warm.
Slice the pork (or pull -- it is tender enough) and pour over the braising sauce. Serve immediately with coconut turmeric rice!
THE KITCHENWARE IN THE PHOTO CAN ALL BE FOUND AT BERING'S. Visit them at 6102 Westheimer Rd, 3900 Bissonnet or berings.com
