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Gulai daun singkong
Gulai daun singkong: soft cassava leaves in a rich turmeric and lemongrass coconut gravy
No Padang restaurant in West Sumatra is complete without a dish of gulai daun singkong: dark cassava leaves simmered until silky in a yellow coconut gravy fragrant with lemongrass, turmeric leaf and galangal. It is the cooling green on a table of rich, fiery plates, ladled over rice with sambal hijau. Restaurants sometimes add dried anchovies; this version doesn't. Frozen cassava leaves from Asian shops work well; kale is the best stand-in. Chef's tip: squeeze the boiled leaves hard before adding them, or the gravy goes thin and grassy.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the greens
For the spice paste
For the gravy
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Bring a large pan of water to the boil with 1 tsp salt. Add 1 ⅛ lb cassava leaves and boil for 15 minutes for fresh leaves (10 for frozen), until very soft. Drain, cool, squeeze out the water firmly and chop roughly.
18 minStep 2: Blend 6 shallots, 3 cloves garlic, 3 large red chillies, 1 ⅛ in fresh turmeric, ¾ in ginger and 3 candlenuts with a little water to a smooth paste.
4 minStep 3: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide pan over a medium heat. Fry the paste with 1 stalk lemongrass, 1 ⅛ in galangal, 1 turmeric leaf and 3 makrut lime leaves for 6 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and a shade darker.
6 minStep 4: Pour in 2 ½ cups coconut milk and ¾ cup water and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly. Common mistake: leaving the coconut milk unstirred as it heats; it curdles and the gravy turns grainy.
4 minStep 5: Add the leaves, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar and simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the gravy is creamy and the leaves have taken on its yellow colour. Serve hot with rice.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gulai daun singkong take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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