Indonesia – Gabing Curry

by Fauzan Anandika

Most of us have ever eaten curry, chicken, or beef. But have you eaten curry made of coconut leaf shoots? In Indonesia, there is a curry made of Gabing (young coconut rod). Part of coconut rod, a place where fruit and leaf grow. Usually, white or yellowish color cooked with coconut milk and various traditional spice makes Gabing curry taste so delicious. You can enjoy this special dish when visiting Lampung province in Indonesia. Gabing curry has a tasty aroma with sweet, spicy, and savory become its dominant taste. Even Gabing made of coconut rod, don’t imagine that eating Gabing will knock out your teeth. Gabing has a smooth texture and easy to digest.

Cooking Gabing is simple but still tasty. All you need is prepare a young coconut rod, slice it into a thin shape 3 – 4 cm long. Boil until tender, put spice, and wait until tasty smell the aroma. Originally Gabing is a soup dish, but some people cooked it dry. Add fresh meat and mushroom to Gabing curry for a better taste.

Today Gabing curry becomes a rare food. Tourists can eat it only in a ceremonial event and in several local restaurants when visiting Lampung city. It happens because a coconut tree needs at least five years to produce Gabing. After Gabing ready to harvest, the citizen needs to cut down the entire coconut tree. The elder considers that letting the coconut tree grow and life gives better benefits than eating Gabing. When you visit Lampung city, you can taste Gabing in a local restaurant or make it by yourself.

Well, this is what we need to cook Gabing curry.

Ingredient

• 300 grams young coconut rod
• 500 ml of coconut milk
• 7 cayenne pepper
• ¼ kg shrimp

Curry spice Ingredient

• 4 lime leaves
• 1 turmeric leaves
• 1 galangal, bruised
• 1 lemongrass, bruised

How to cook

1. Thin slice young rod
2. Boiled until soft, drain well
3. Add curry spice, coconut milk, cayenne pepper, and shrimp. Boil until cooked
4. Serve in a big bowl

Happy Eating.