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Sambal goreng ati
Beef liver in chilli coconut sauce
Sambal goreng ati: Javanese diced beef liver and potato in red chilli coconut sauce
Next to opor ayam on the Lebaran table in Java sits a bowl of sambal goreng ati: cubes of beef liver and fried potato cooked in a sweet-hot red chilli sauce loosened with coconut milk and scented with galangal and lime leaf. It is rich, a little sticky and meant to be eaten in small spoonfuls with ketupat. Some cooks add fried quail eggs or petai beans. Chef's tip: blanch the liver in boiling water first and cook it right through in the sauce; underdone liver is unsafe, and boiling it too long beforehand makes it dry and grainy.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the liver and potatoes
- 14 oz beef livermembrane removed, cut into 1.5 cm cubes
- 14 oz waxy potatoespeeled, cut into 1.5 cm cubes
- 1 ¾ cups vegetable oilfor frying the potatoes
For the sauce
- 8 large red chilliesdeseeded if you like
- 8 shallots
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 candlenutsor macadamia nuts
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 ⅛ in galangalbruised
- 2 salam leaves (Indonesian bay leaves)or 1 bay leaf
- 1 stalk lemongrassbruised
- 1 ¼ cups coconut milk
- 2 tbsp palm sugar
- 1 tsp tamarind paste
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Drop 14 oz beef liver into a pan of boiling water and blanch until the outside turns grey-brown, then drain.
3 minStep 2: Heat 1 ¾ cups vegetable oil in a wok over a medium-high heat and fry 14 oz waxy potatoes in two batches until golden and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper. Pour the frying oil out of the wok and wipe it clean.
12 minStep 3: Blend 8 large red chillies, 4 bird's-eye chillies, 8 shallots, 4 cloves garlic and 3 candlenuts to a smooth paste.
Step 4: Fry the paste in 3 tbsp vegetable oil over a medium heat with 1 ⅛ in galangal, 4 kaffir lime leaves, 2 salam leaves (Indonesian bay leaves) and 1 stalk lemongrass, stirring, until dark red and the oil separates.
8 minStep 5: Add the liver and stir to coat, then pour in 1 ¼ cups coconut milk with 2 tbsp palm sugar, 1 tsp tamarind paste and 1 ¼ tsp salt. Simmer, stirring often, until the liver is firm and cooked through with no pink in the centre when you cut a cube.
12 minStep 6: Fold in the fried potatoes and simmer until the sauce is thick and clings to everything.
5 minStep 7: Serve hot or warm with ketupat, rice and opor ayam. Keeps 2 days in the fridge; reheat until piping hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 25 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sambal goreng ati take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of waxy potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
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