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Lamprais
Recipe by Savindri Perera
Try Lamprais
- Steps
- Ingredients
Ingredients
Stock
Seeni Sambal (Caramelised Onion Relish)
Roasted Coconut Belacan
Twice Cooked Plantain
Frikkadels
Pork Belly
Eggplant Pahi
Lamprais Curry
Lamprais Rice
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Steps
- For the Stock, pre-heat oven to 200°C.
- Heat oil in a flame-proof baking tray on a medium heat. Add remaining ingredients and sauté until the chicken has browned. Add 800ml water and bring to a simmer, then place in the oven for 30 minutes. Strain stock and reserve for later.
- For the Seeni Sambal, heat oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat and place all ingredients, except vinegar and treacle. Allow the onions to caramelise for approximately 10-15 minutes, then add in the vinegar.
- Turn heat down to low and cook until the vinegar has been absorbed. Add the treacle and cook for a further 3-4 minutes before reserving for later.
- For the Roasted Coconut Belacan, place all ingredients in a large fry pan on a medium heat and toast for 10-12 minutes, until coconut is a deep brown colour. Ensure that you constantly stir the coconut in the pan so it does not burn. Allow to cool.
- Once the coconut and shrimp mix has cooled, place everything in a spice blender and grind to a fine powder. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the prepared stock to bring the mixture together. Set aside for later.
- For the Twice Cooked Plantain, toss the cubes of plantain in the turmeric.
- Heat 400ml oil in a small frying pan on a medium heat. Add the plantain to the oil and cook until the cubes are browned on all sides. Drain on paper towel.
- Place cubes back into a clean fry pan with 1 tablespoon of oil and the remaining ingredients, except for the coconut milk.
- Sauté the plantains and other ingredients on a medium-low heat for about 3-4 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the coconut milk and continue to cook on a low heat for 10-12 minutes to allow the coconut milk to thicken and absorb into the plantain – there should be almost no sauce left. Season and set aside.
- To prepare the Frikkadels, place all ingredients except mince and oil into a small food processor and process into a paste.
- Add the paste into the pork mince and mix until thoroughly combined. Form the mince mixture into small meatballs around 35g each.
- Heat oil in a medium frypan on a medium heat and pan fry for 2-3 minutes each side until cooked through and a crust has formed. Drain on paper towel and set aside for later
- To cook the Pork Belly, place all the ingredients into a pressure cooker and cook on high for 20 minutes.
- Once pressure has pressure has released, remove pork from the braising liquid and allow to cool slightly before cutting into cubes. Set aside for the Lamprais Curry.
- For the Eggplant Pahi, heat 2cm of oil in a wide frypan on a medium heat and fry for 7 minutes until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.
- Meanwhile, place the shallots, garlic, curry leaves and green chilli in another fry pan with 1 tablespoon oil and sauté on a medium heat. Add the turmeric and ground chilli and sauté for a further 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add the mustard and coconut milk and braise for around 10 minutes until the curry starts to darken. Add the vinegar and treacle and adjust salt to taste. The eggplant should be soft with a bit of a bite from the skin and the overall taste should be mostly sweet with a touch of tanginess.
- To cook the Lamprais curry, heat oil in a frying pan on a medium-high heat. Add shallot, garlic, chilli, lemongrass and curry leaves and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the shallots are translucent. Add the spices and cook until they are dark brown.
- Add the chicken and sauté for a further 2-3 minutes until all the chicken is coated and browned. Add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer
- Add the pork and simmer the meat in the sauce for 10-15 minutes, until the sauce is very thick and almost clings to the meat. Stir gently so that the pork does not fall apart. Finish with the treacle and adjust seasoning, set aside
- To cook the Lamprais Rice, wash rice thoroughly until water runs clear, then drain. Place the rice and all other ingredients into a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.
- Bring the rice to a boil and bring the heat down to a lower heat with the lid on. Allow to cook for 7 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed. Take the saucepan off the heat and allow to stand for about 5 minutes. Remove pandan and cardamom then fluff the rice with a fork and adjust seasoning. The rice grains should be nice and plump but completely separate if the rice is cooked properly. Set aside.
- To assemble, pre heat oven to 200°C.
- Gently place the washed banana leaves on a gas flame and allow each leaf to change colour. Don’t allow it them to burn and take care to not burn your hands.
- Lay a prepared leaf on a chopping board and place 1-1 ½ cups of rice in the middle of the leaf arrange then arrange the following quantities of prepared elements around the rice I a circular pattern; ½ cup lamprais curry, 1 tablespoon of roasted coconut belacan, ½ cup twice cooked plantain, 2 tbsp seeni sambal, 2 frikkadels, 3 tbsp eggplant pahi.
- Fold over the top and bottom of the banana leaf over the rice, followed by the sides of the leaf to form a parcel. Flip over to ensure the parcel doesn’t come apart. The parcel can be secured with cooking twine if needed, or wrapped in aluminum foil
- Bake for 10 minutes prior to serving or freeze for up to 3 months. If freezing, ensure that parcel is securely wrapped in foil.
- The dish is meant to be eaten as is, however the baked lamprais can be served with extra curry sauce on the side if desired.
