Sayur Asem / Vegetables in Sweet Tamarind Broth

This is special kind of vegetable soup from Indonesia. The taste of this soup is sour and bit spicy.

Ingredients:
• 4 cups (1 liter) water
• 2 salam leaves (optional)
• 1 in (2 ½ cm) fresh galangal, bruised
• 1 fresh or frozen corn cob, cut into sections
• 2 cups (180 g) tapioca leaves, sweet potato leaves, spinach and melinjo leaves
• 1 cup (100 g) green beans, cut into short lengths
• 2 to 3 green finger-length chilies , deseeded and cut into short lengths (optional)
• ½ cup (75 g) lightly boiled raw peanuts or fresh melinjo nuts
• ¼ cup (60 mL) tamarind juice or 4 to 6 carambola (belimbing wuluh), sliced
• ½ cup (125 g) small fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)
• 1 ripe tomato, cut into wedges
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt

Spice Paste:
• 2 to 4 finger-length chilies, deseeded
• 4 shallots, peeled
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• ½ teaspoon salt

Preparations:
• Make the spice paste by grinding all the ingredients to a smooth paste in a mortar or blender, adding a little water if necessary to keep the mixture turning. Set aside
• Bring the water to a boil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the Spice Paste, salam leaves (if using) and galangal, mix well and bring to a boil again, then simmer uncovered for 2 minutes. Add the corn and boil for 2 more minutes, then add the vegetables, chili (if using), peanuts and tamarind juice or carambola. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Finally add the shrimp, tomato and sugar, and simmer to 1 to 2 minutes until the shrimp turn pink. Season with the salt and remove from the heat. Serve hot as part of a rice-based meal

Recipe by : Periplus