Tahu campur

Step 1: Put 14 oz beef shin in a pot with 2 litres water, bring to the boil, then pour the water away and rinse the meat. Return it to the clean pot with fresh water (the same 2 litres), 2 lemongrass, 3 Indonesian bay leaves (daun salam) and 1 ⅛ in galangal. Bring back to a bare simmer.

Step 2: Blend 6 shallots and 4 cloves garlic with 1 tsp ground turmeric and 1 tsp ground coriander to a paste. Fry it in 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a small pan over a medium heat, stirring, until it smells sweet and the oil separates, about 6 minutes. Scrape it into the broth.

Step 3: Simmer the broth gently, half covered, skimming any scum, until the beef is tender enough to pull apart with a fork, about 1½ hours. Season with 1 ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar. Lift out the beef, slice it thinly across the grain and keep the broth hot.

Step 4: While the broth simmers, heat 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil for frying in a wok to 350°F. Fry 14 oz firm tofu in two batches, turning, until puffed and deep golden on all sides, 6–8 minutes. Drain on paper.

Step 5: Blanch 5 ½ oz bean sprouts in a ladle of the boiling broth or in boiling water for 20 seconds, so they stay crunchy, and drain.

Step 6: For the dressing, pound 3 bird's eye chillies and 1 clove garlic in a mortar. Loosen 3 tbsp petis (black fermented shrimp paste) with 3 tablespoons of hot broth, then stir in the chilli, 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) and 1 lime. It should be glossy and pourable, like thick gravy.

Step 7: In each deep plate put slices of 10 ½ oz lontong or ketupat (compressed rice cake), the tofu cut in halves, the beef, 5 ½ oz bean sprouts and 6 lettuce. Ladle over the hot broth, spoon on the petis dressing and top with 1 ⅜ oz prawn or cassava crackers just before eating so they stay crisp.