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Papeda with ikan kuah kuning
Papeda — Maluku and Papua sago porridge with turmeric fish soup
In Ambon, Jayapura and the islands between, the everyday staple isn't rice but papeda: sago starch stirred with boiling water into a translucent, glue-like porridge. It has almost no taste of its own, which is the point; it's eaten with ikan kuah kuning, a sharp, yellow fish soup bright with turmeric, lime and lemon basil. Families twirl the papeda out of the pot on two sticks, drop it into a bowl and ladle the soup over, then slurp it down without chewing. The texture is surprising the first time: slippery, soft and soothing next to the hot, sour broth. Chef's tip: the water must be at a full rolling boil when it hits the sago, or the papeda stays white and lumpy instead of turning clear.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the fish soup
For the paste
For the papeda
Method
0/9 doneStep 1: On a board kept for raw fish, rub 1 ⅓ lb white fish steaks or fillets with 1 ½ tbsp lime juice and 1 tsp salt. Leave in the fridge for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 2: Blend 6 shallots, 4 cloves garlic, 1 ⅝ in fresh turmeric, ¾ in fresh ginger, 3 candlenuts and 3 red chillies to a smooth paste.
3 minStep 3: Fry the paste in 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide pot over a medium heat for 5–6 minutes until fragrant and the oil separates. Add 2 stalks lemongrass and 4 makrut lime leaves for the last minute.
6 minStep 4: Pour in 4 ¼ cups water with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp sugar and bring to the boil.
5 minStep 5: Lower in the fish, turn the heat down and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily (145°F / 145 °F). Don't stir hard or the fish will break up.
10 minStep 6: Add 2 tomatoes, 2 spring onions, ⅔ oz lemon basil or Thai basil and 1 ½ tbsp lime juice, simmer 1 minute and take off the heat. Taste: it should be sour, savoury and fragrant.
1 minStep 7: For the papeda, stir 7 oz sago starch with 1 cup cold water in a heatproof bowl until smooth.
Step 8: Pour 4 ¼ cups water in a steady stream onto the sago, stirring hard with a wooden spoon or two chopsticks. Within a minute it should turn from milky white to clear, thick and stretchy. If patches stay white, tip it into a pan and stir over a low heat for 2–3 minutes until clear.
3 minStep 9: Twirl portions of papeda onto two chopsticks and drop them into deep bowls. Ladle the hot fish soup over and eat at once.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does papeda with ikan kuah kuning take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 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 gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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