Spicy Indonesian Beef Tongseng with Coconut Milk

Spicy Beef Tongseng Recipe

This Spicy Beef Tongseng, known as “Tongseng Sapi Pedas,” is a delightful Indonesian dish featuring tender beef, lungs, and liver cooked in a rich, aromatic curry sauce. Here’s how you can make this flavorful dish:

Ingredients

• Beef and Offals:

  • 1/2 kg beef, cut into cubes
  • 1/4 kg beef lungs, cut into pieces
  • 1/4 kg beef liver, cut into pieces

• Seasonings:

  • Salt, to taste
  • Palm sugar, to taste
  • Sweet soy sauce (kecap manis), to taste
  • 1 sachet coconut milk (Santan Kara)

• Ground Spices:

  • 10 candlenuts
  • 5 shallots
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 1 piece ginger (about 1 inch)
  • 1 piece turmeric (about 1 inch)
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 5 star anise
  • 5 cardamom pods
  • 1 tsp ground white pepper

• Whole Spices:

  • 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
  • 1 tbsp cloves
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • Bay leaves
  • Kaffir lime leaves

• Vegetables:

  • 1 small cabbage, chopped (or served separately)
  • 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Prepare the Beef:

   • Pre-cook the beef in a pressure cooker until tender. Set aside the meat along with the cooking broth.
   • Simmer the beef lungs and liver separately until tender, then discard the cooking water.

2. Cook the Spices:

   • Heat a bit of oil in a pan and sauté the ground spices (candlenuts, shallots, garlic, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, star anise, cardamom pods, and ground white pepper) until fragrant and golden brown.

3. Combine Ingredients:

   • Add the pre-cooked beef, lungs, and liver to the pan with the sautéed spices.
   • Pour in the beef broth reserved from cooking the beef.
   • Add the whole spices (lemongrass, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, and kaffir lime leaves).

4. Season the Dish:

   • Stir in the coconut milk and adjust the flavor with salt, palm sugar, and sweet soy sauce to taste.
   • Let it simmer until the flavors meld and the sauce thickens.

5. Add Vegetables:

   • Incorporate the tomatoes into the dish, allowing them to cook until slightly softened.
   • Add the chopped cabbage and cook until tender. You can also serve the cabbage separately if preferred.

6. Serve:

   • Once the cabbage is cooked, or served separately, your Tongseng Sapi Pedas is ready to enjoy. Serve hot with steamed rice or as desired.

This spicy beef tongseng is rich in flavor and offers a delightful blend of spices that will tantalize your taste buds. Enjoy the aromatic and hearty dish with your family and friends!