Vegetables in Sweet Tamarind Broth ( sayur asem)

        Before my mom go to the market she always ask me “ what our menu today, kak long( kak long in sambas language mean sister)?” yeah, I am a private cooking consultant for mom. I answered “ Sayur asem, mom ! Sayur asem or Vegetables in Sweet Tamarind Broth is my favorite food. My mom was very expert to make it. I realize that I can’t make this food without my mom in my side, the taste very different if I cook alone. I don’t know why, whereas I cook with same recipe. I don’t know what secret of my mom’s vegetables in sweet tamarind broth. My father can guess if I cook it or if my mom cook it. Oh, how poor I am! 

Look at my note about this recipes !

Ingredients:

4 cups (1 liter) water, 2 salam leaves (optional), 1 in (2 ½ cm) fresh galangal, bruised, 1 fresh or frozen corn cob, cut into sections, 2 cups (180 g) tapioca leaves, sweet potato leaves, melinjo leaves,1 cup (100 g) green beans, cut into short lengths, 2 to 3 green finger-length chilies, deseeded and cut into short lengths (optional), ½ cup (75 g) lightly boiled raw peanuts or fresh melinjo nuts, ¼ cup (60 ml) tamarind juice (see our sambals recipe) or 4 to 6 carambola (belimbing wuluh), sliced, ½ cup (125 g) small fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional), 1 ripe tomato, cut into wedges, 2 tablespoons sugar, ½ teaspoon salt

Spice Paste

2 to 4 finger-length chilies, deseeded, 4 shallots, peeled, 3 cloves salt

Cooking Directions:

1. Make the Spice Paste by grinding all the ingredients to a smooth paste in a mortar or blender, adding a little water if necessary to keep the mixture turning. Set a aside.
2. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the Spice Paste salam leaves (if using) and galangal, mix well and bring to aboil again, then simmer uncovered for 2 minutes. Add the corn and boil for 2 more minutes, then add the vegetables, chili (if using) peanuts and tamarind juice or carambola. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Finally add the shrimp, tomato and sugar, and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until the shrimp turn pink. Season with the salt and remove from the heat. Serve hot as part of rice-based meal.

• You can make variation of vegetables that contain in this food according your area, because my mother said that key of this food was from gravy or broth.