Pecal ( Vegetable with spicy peanut sauce)

This dish is influence by Javanese cuisine. Unlike the original, Pecal Medan has much stronger flavour, we can taste the chili ( very hot ), the tamarind (sour) and  Kencur ( ginger family). It is favourite of all time in any gathering in Medan.

Ingredients ( A )

     1   kg     Peanuts, fried or roasted

 1- 2   tbsp  Shrimp paste

250    gr      Palm Sugar

  50    gr      Tamarind, make a paste

  10              Kaffir lime leaves

Salt to taste

Ingredient  ( B )

100   g     Red chili

100   g     Eye bird chili

  50   g     Shallots

  50   g     Garlic

100   g     Kencur (ginger family, can not find the substitute. Just omit it if it is not available)

Enough oil for shallow frying

Ingredient ( C )

Basically you can use any vegetable you prefer, but this morning I just use what I could  find in the garden, except cucumber and beansprout.

Young paw paw leaves, boiled and drained

Beansprout, boiled and drained

Kangkung (Morning glory), boiled and drained

Condiment

Peyek (peanut crackers)

Cucumber, peeled and diced

Tempe, fried and diced

Tofu, fried and diced

  

Method 

• Shallow fry all the ingredient B, drip dry
• Put ( B ) into  pounder or blender. Grind until fine
• Now add A and continue to grind, until you get the texture you prefer. (Some like it course some like it fine). This paste freeze well.

How to serve

• Put 3 tbsp of the pecal paste in a bowl, add 6 tbsp luke warm water. Mix well. 
• Pour the mixture (enough to cover) on top of the mix boiled vegetable ( take as much or as little vegetable), serve with the condiments.