Daging Masak Hitam Ala Sarawak

Black Beef Rendang Ala Sarawak 

Black Beef Rendang Ala Sarawak

Daging masak itam, as it is famously known, is a Sarawakian Malays type of beef rendang that is normally being served during special occasion such as weddings and Eid celebration. Sarawakian black beef rendang is very distinct in comparison to its Western Malaysia counterpart because of the use of dark caramel soy sauce, palm sugar and prune, with the absence of coconut milk and kerisik or grated coconut. It is also sweeter in nature, with just a little hint of dry spices and spiciness. Although prune may not be compulsory, this is the ingredient that helps in the coloring, texture and special taste to this dish.

Ingredient:
A) Blend altogether
5 cloves of garlic
5 shallots
Half a small onion
2 lemongrass - cut finely
1 cm galangal
1 cm ginger

B)
2-3 tbs pitted prunes - blended into paste
2 tbs palm sugar
1 tbs chilli sauce
1 tbs tomato sauce
1 tbs chili paste
1 tbs kurma powder+1 tbs of curry powder - mix with water to make paste
1/2 cup of tamarind juice
Dark caramel soy sauce - for marinate and for coloring
Salt to taste

Spices : 1 cinnamon stick, 2 star anise, 5 cloves, 3 cardamom pods

300gm lean beef

Optional:
2 tbs dried raisin
Method:
1. Marinate beef with 1 tbs dark caramel soy sauce for about 1 hour.
2. Heat up enough cooking oil and saute the spices.
3. Add and saute the blended item A until fragrant.
4. Add in chili paste, kurma powder, and chili powder, stir and wait until the oil breaks and comes to the surface.
5. Add in the beef and stir until cooked sufficiently.
6. Add palm sugar, chilli sauce, tomato sauce, dark caramel soy sauce, tamarind juice and prune paste.
7. If too dry, add in about 1 cup of water. Cover and heat at low heat.
8. Stir once in a while to avoid burning at the bottom.
9. When almost dry, add salt to taste. Also other sauces and dark soy sauce can be added to adjust.
10. If preferred, can add dried raisin just before turning off the fire.

Midin Masak Belacan

Stir Fried Midin with Shrimp Paste
  

Midin (Stenochlaena palustris-source here ) is one type of jungle ferns that can be found in a tropical South East Asia countries. In  Sarawak, these can be found in abundance, and it has become a very familiar vegetable dish especially in restaurants. Locally it is also being called milin or bilin.

 Photo sourced from Local Vegetables of Thailand site

Before the commercialization of midin, the Dayak has been consuming midin for a very long time. However, they normally consumed the more leafy portion of midin which is also known as Paku Merah. It is identified by its red color, and it'll turn to green when it is fully mature and become inedible. Since only the leaves are used and it produced less bulk when it wilted, they normally will add-in a bit more water to this stir-fried dish, or added into simple 'one-dish' soup which consist of few types of protein and vegetables.

The recipe provided below is a simple daily home-cooked stir fried midin. The photos provided have the same recipe, with the leafy type is added with more water.

Ingredient:
2 bunch of Midin (cut to about 15cm from the curled head and washed)
2 cloves of Garlic
1 Shallot
Anchovies
2-3 Bird eye's chillies
2cm cube Shrimp paste (belacan)
Salt to taste
50ml Water

Method:
1. Pound anchovies, shallots, chillies and shrimp paste (medium coarse)
2. Smashed garlic. Saute with skin intact until golden brown.
3. Stir in the shrimp paste mixture until fragrant.
4. Stir in the midin for about a minute. Careful not to overcook.
5. Add in small amount of water. Add in salt to taste. Serve immediately. 

 

The younger shoot of midin.

The red leaves. This photo is contributed by the lovely Ms Lorna Ivy

Terung Bakar & Sambal Belacan Cara Dayak

Grilled Eggplant & Dayak Style Sambal Belacan
 

Back in those days, as most of the Dayaks are farmers and most farms are on the hilly parts or at the foot of the mountain, they normally will start their day as early as 6am to start their journey from home. This is so that they can start tending on their farm and utilized the cool temperature in the morning to do as much as they can. Because of that, they normally will have only a very light breakfast which consists of a grounded coffee and accompanied with cream crackers or quick fritters either at home or at the farm.

Lunch also normally was not a fussy affair. Normally each farm owners shall have a small hut for them to rest or cook. When the sun started to become too hot to bear, they will slowly started to collect some of the vegetables that they have planted within the farm. These shall be cooked either on open flame, stir fried or soup. The source of protein shall normally be either fermented wild boar, pork, fish, dry salted fish or food that they can keep in the hut without any refrigeration required. This shall also includes freshwater catch from a nearby stream. All food preparation is kept to a minimum so that they can get their midday rest and start back their work once the hot sun is bearable enough. As the source of vegetables are aplenty, this is why you can find more vege dishes in their diet, up to this day.

One of the common vegetables which is easy to be prepared on the farm and really tantalized the taste bud is the grilled eggplant with sambal belacan. Eggplant grilled on open flame produced a wonderful and sweet smokey aroma and it is what make this dish so special.


Ingredient 
2 or more eggplants/aubergine
Sambal Belacan Dayak style (pls refer here)
Salt
1/4 cup of warm water

Method: 
1. Grilled eggplant on open flame, gas stove or in oven.
2. When the eggplant is soften and fragrant smell come out, it's ready.
3. Peel off the burnt outer skin by pouring some water to cool it down and it'll make the peeling of easier.

4. Mix warm water to the sambal belacan to form a paste.
5. Shred the cooked eggplant with your finger, or cut using knife.
6. Stir the sambal belacan with the eggplant.
7. Add a bit of salt if necessary

And it's ready for consumption!