Helllooooo Monday!
I will be gardening at the hospital today. Here is crossing fingers weather and temperature will be kind to us, volunteers. Last time we got together, it was crazy Windy, everyone was in jacket and I ate my hair many times 😅 At the moment there is sun up, yes, but I could already see the smog, and supposedly later in the day it will be windy as well, up to 50km/hour. So not fun. It's been windy, smoggy, and blah for days. And yes, wildfires keep raging, new ones added to the map now and then, and our city already opening its emergency center for evacuees from affected area(s) 😕 Dry, short, Winter = disaster.
Anyhoo
For today's recipe, it's a refreshing soup even when it's served in hot summer day(s). It is knoen as Asem-Asem in some parts of Indonesia, while other parts know it as Garang Asem
2 tbsp tamarind
1/3 c hot boiling water
1.2 kg beef cubes
Enough water
A bunch of green beans
A bunch of baby carrots
2 bird eye chilies
2 tomatilos (green tomatoes)
2 large red tomatoes
1 small onion
4 garlic
2 tbsp peanut oil
2 daun salam (Indonesian bay leaf)
1 beef cube
1 tbsp kecap manis
1/4 tsp galangal powder
Soak tamarind in hot boiling water, set to side
Place beef cubes into a pot, and pour enough water covering it, bring to simmer. Once simmering, spoon away the foam and cover pot, let boil fully for 15 minutes
Meanwhile, saute thinly sliced garlic onion, bird eye chilies and bay leaf for a minute or two
15 minutes up, take off lid, and drop in baby carrots, cover again and let boil for another 15 minutes
Add in sliced red tomatoes, sauteed onion, then strain soaked tamarind, we just want the juice, and pour into the pot. Season with beef cube, kecap manis, and galangal powder
Continue boiling for another 5 minutes, then drop in sliced green beans and sliced tomatilos, cook for another 5 minutes and your Garang Asem is ready to be served
Enjoy!