Indonesia – Gulai Iga Kemba’ang

by Fauzan Anandika

When we hear a flowering word, the thing that crosses our mind is a beautiful and colorful thing that blooms from a plant. It has a unique fragrant that could cheer our day. Our world has more than 350.000 flower species spread in a different region. Among all of the flower, Rafflesia Arnoldi is the largest flower in the world. Rafflesia Arnoldi could grow until 105 cm diameter and have weight up to 11 kg. It has a lobe that has a similar shape to a flower petal with 1 inch thick. Not enough to amaze, when still in a buds stage, its shape was so big. The biggest bud can reach 43 cm tall. Rafflesia Arnoldi was firstly found in Bengkulu province in Indonesia in 1818 by two English explorers Dr. James Arnold and Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles.

When you want to see the Rafflesia Arnoldi flower, the best time is around June, July, and August. The best spot to see it is in Bengkulu province in Indonesia. The best part when visiting Bengkulu is not only seeing the Rafflesia flower. You will treat to their authentic culture and delicious culinary. The Bengkulu people welcome their guests with their traditional dance Tari Bimbang Andun and do not forget to enjoy their delicious Gulai Iga Kemba’ang.

Gulai Iga Kemba’ang is a ribs curry with Indonesian spices and has a salty and umami taste. This curry dish contains bay leaf, taro leaves, fern leaves, and roast-grated coconut. Gulai Kemba’ang usually serves with a side of pickles and a glass of calamondin juice. You can cook Gulai Kemba’ang as an alternative dish for your dinner. Gulai Kemba’ang cooked in a similar way to other curry dishes, but with a different spice and filling.

Ingredient

• 500-gram ribs, cut into a small piece
• 500 ml of coconut milk from ½ coconut
• 2 sheet bay leaf
• 30-gram fern leaves, finely sliced
• 3 sheet taro leaves, boil and sliced
• 3 piece of tamarind
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 100 gram of roast grated coconut
• 2 tablespoon of cooking oil

Ground spice

• 8 pieces shallots
• 4 clove of garlic
• 4 red chili
• 2 cm ginger
• 2 cm galangal
• 2 cm turmeric
• 1 teaspoon coriander

Pickles ingredient

• 1 piece of carrot, cut into dice shape
• 1 piece cucumber, cut into dice shape  3 pieces shallot, thin sliced
• 3 pieces of red fire eye chili, sliced
• 3 pieces of green fire eye chili, sliced
• 2 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 100 ml hot water

Pickles preparation

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
2. Pour the hot water
3. Pickles ready to be served.

How to Cook

1. Boil the ribs with 1000 ml of water. Boil until the ribs tender.
2. Strain the broth and boil it again.
3. Blend all the ground spice with the food processor.
4. Prepare a frying pan, stir fry the ground spice.
5. Add bay leaf, fry until fragrant.
6. Add the spices to the broth.
7. Add coconut milk, stir continuously until boiling.
8. Add fern leaves, taro leaves, salt, tamarind, sugar, and roasted coconut.
9. Add the ribs.
10. Gulai Iga Kemba’ang ready to be served.