Halal Recipe using Japanese Ingredients (Part 2)

When our team first received Konnyaku samples from our clients, we were wondering what is Konnyaku? It was in a block, and nothing we are very familiar with. It has this chewiness to it and it's almost tasteless.

Apparently, Konnyaku is derived from Konjac (a yam family), and it is very commonly found is the well-loved Japanese Oden.

In this recipe, we used the Ita-konnyaku which comes in a rectangle slab, and we cut them into smaller cubes for the stew.

Indonesian Beef Stew with Lotus Root and Konnyaku

Prep 25 mins | Cook 40 mins

INGREDIENTS:

500 g Beef, topside, cut into thin slices

6 tbsp Cooking Oil

2 tbsp Onion, blended

1 tbsp Garlic, blended

1 tbsp Ginger, blended

1 no Cinnamon Stick, 5cm

2 nos Star Anise

4 nos Cardamom Seeds

1 no Pandan Leaf, knotted

1 tbsp Meat Curry Powder

1 tbsp Sugar

TT Salt

50 ml Water

6 tbsp Sweet Soy Sauce / Kicap Manis

150 ml Water (for beef)

1 tbsp Coconut Milk

4 nos Baby / New Potatoes

5 pcs Lotus Roots, slices

30 g Plate Konnyaku, cubed

Oil for deep frying

Garnish

4 tbsp Oil

1 stalk Curry Leaves

1 tbsp Ginger Slices, julienne

1 no Red Onion, ring

METHODS:

1. Peel and cut the potatoes to about 1cm thick. Soak the sliced potatoes in water for about 5 minutes to remove some starch. Drain the water and dab with kitchen towel before frying. Deep-fry the potatoes in cooking oil until they begin to turn brown. Set aside. 
2. Heat up 6 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan. Add the blended onion, garlic and ginger till the aroma rises. Then, add in the cinnamon stick, star anise, cardamon seeds and pandan leaf. Keep frying until the mixture turns golden brown. 
3. Add the curry powder, salt, sugar and 50ml of water, and continue cooking for another couple of minutes. Now, add in the beef, soy sauce or kicap manis, 150ml water, coconut milk, lotus roots and plate konnyaku. 
4. Simmer for 20 minutes on a medium heat until the beef is tender and the gravy has thickened. Turn off the heat and add in the fried potatoes. Stir well and set aside. 
5. For garnish, heat up the oil in a small saucepan and add in the onion, ginger and curry leaves. Fry until the onion rings turn brown. Sprinkle over the dish and serve with a bowl of rice. 

Tomorrow, we will be sharing how to make halal Teriyaki sauce from scratch so you don't have to painstakingly source for one in the supermarket. Stay tune!