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Sekai Gohan
Konro Panggang: Makassar Charcoal-Grilled Beef Ribs with Peanut Sambal
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Meaty beef ribs | 4 pieces, about 10½ oz (300 g) each | The main ingredient; braised, then grilled |
| Baking soda, food grade | 1 tsp | Rubbed over the raw ribs before resting |
| Water | as needed, to cover the ribs | Braising liquid |
| Cooking oil | 4 tbsp | For frying the spice paste |
| Cloves | 2 | Whole aromatic for the braise |
| Salam leaves (daun salam) | 2 | Whole aromatic for the braise |
| Galangal | ½-inch (1 cm) piece, bruised | Whole aromatic for the braise |
| Lemongrass, white part | 2 stalks, bruised | Whole aromatic for the braise |
| Sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) | 2 tsp | Sweetness and colour for the glaze |
| Tamarind water | 1 tbsp | Sourness for the glaze |
| Shallots (bawang merah), for the paste | 8 | Body and sweetness of the paste |
| Garlic, for the paste | 3 cloves | Paste |
| Keluak (kluwak), processed and ready for cooking | flesh of 2–3 nuts | The black colour and deep earthy flavour |
| Ground coriander | 2 tsp | Paste |
| Pepper | 1 tsp | Paste |
| Ground cumin | ¼ tsp | Paste |
| Turmeric | ½-inch (1 cm) piece | Paste colour and warmth |
| Salt, for the paste | 2 tsp | Seasons the ribs through the braise |
| Shallots, for the sambal | 4–5 | Boiled, then ground |
| Garlic, for the sambal | 1 clove | Boiled, then ground |
| Red chiles | 3 | Heat for the sambal |
| Sugar | 1–2 tsp | Rounds the sambal |
| Salt, for the sambal | ½ tsp | Sambal seasoning |
| Roasted shrimp paste (terasi) | 1 tsp | Savoury depth in the sambal |
| Roasted peanuts | 3½ oz (100 g) | Body of the sambal |
| Thick coconut milk | 1 cup (250 ml) | Richness of the sambal |
| Fermented soybean paste (taoco) | 1 tbsp | Salty, fermented note in the sambal |
| Tamarind water, for the sambal | 1 tbsp | Added last, for brightness |
| Water, for boiling the sambal aromatics | as needed | Softens the shallots, garlic and chiles |
Steps
1Rub the ribs with baking soda and rest them cold
Lay the four ribs in a shallow tray on your raw-meat board. Sprinkle over the 1 tsp of food-grade baking soda and rub it evenly over every surface with your fingertips; use baking soda, never baking powder or a cleaning soda. Cover the tray and rest it in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. The ribs go into the pan without rinsing. They are ready when the surface looks lightly dusted, with no thick patches of powder left.
2Grind the spice paste
Put the 8 shallots, 3 garlic cloves, keluak flesh, coriander, pepper, cumin, turmeric and the 2 tsp salt in a mortar or food processor. Pound or blend until everything breaks down together. Scrape down the sides once or twice so no pieces of shallot hide at the edge. Stop when the paste is fine and evenly dark, with no visible lumps of keluak or garlic.
3Fry the paste, then the whole aromatics
Heat the 4 tbsp of oil in a wok and add the paste. Stir it steadily as it sizzles, scraping the bottom so it does not stick. When it smells fragrant, add the cloves, salam leaves, bruised galangal and lemongrass. Keep stirring until the clove and lemongrass smell comes through strongly.
4Coat the ribs and braise them until tender
Add the rested ribs to the wok and turn them in the paste until every side is coated. Move the ribs and all the paste into a heavy pot. Pour in enough water to cover the ribs, put the lid on and simmer gently, checking now and then and adding a splash of water if the ribs start to stick out. Cook until the meat is tender and the liquid has dropped well below where it started.
5Add sweet soy and tamarind and reduce to a glaze
Stir the 2 tsp kecap manis and 1 tbsp tamarind water into the pot. Take the lid off and keep cooking, spooning the liquid over the ribs as it thickens. It is done when only a small amount of dark, glossy liquid remains.
6Glaze and grill the ribs over charcoal
Carry the ribs and the pot of glaze to your outdoor grill. Lay the ribs on the grate over glowing coals and brush them with their own reduced glaze. Turn them with long tongs, brush again, and keep turning so the glaze caramelises without burning. Take them off once the glaze has picked up a smoky, sweet smell.
7Boil and grind the sambal base
In a small saucepan, cover the 4–5 shallots, the garlic clove and the 3 red chiles with water. Boil until the shallots are soft right through when pressed with a spoon. Drain them and put them in the mortar or processor with the sugar, ½ tsp salt, roasted terasi and roasted peanuts. Grind until you have a thick paste with no whole peanuts left.
8Cook the sambal and finish with tamarind
Move the ground mixture to a clean small saucepan and stir in the coconut milk and taoco. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring so the peanuts do not settle and scorch. Once it boils, add the 1 tbsp tamarind water, stir it through and take the pan off the heat. The finished sambal is thick and creamy.
9Serve the ribs and sambal side by side
Set the hot grilled ribs on a platter. Spoon the sambal into its own bowl and put it next to the ribs. Bring both to the table while the glaze is still sticky and warm. Each person spoons sambal onto their plate and drags the meat through it.