Ingredients
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- 1 lb. freshly-ground mackerel fillet
- 2.65 oz. can smoked mackerel pâté (HIGHLY optional TFD addition, replace with 2 oz. fresh ground mackerel for original)
- 4 oz. chayote, grated and squeezed dry
- 3 oz. ground chicken fat / ground chicken skin (optional but recommended)
- 3 1/2 oz. ice-cold water
- 1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon cube powder (TFD change, originally was sea salt)
- 1 Tbsp. palm sugar
- 1 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
- 2 tsp. Knorr Aromat (OPTIONAL TFD addition, omit for original)
- 1 large egg white (if small use 1.5 - 2)
- 2 Tbsp. fish sauce (TFD endorses Red Boat 40)
- 3 large cloves garlic, peeled
- 5 medium shallots, peeled
- 6 1/2 oz. tapioca flour
- 3 scallions, root ends removed and thinly-sliced
- 5 Tbsp. very hot oil
- ***
- Garnishes:
- 1 package firm tofu
- 4 eggs
- 1 head green cabbage
- 4 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and boiled until just cooked through
- 1 bitter melon (highly-optional for Westerners, but always used in the classic recipe)
- ***
- Condiments:
- 2 limes - cut into wedges
- Indonesian sweet soy sauce - Kecap Manis
- Ketchup (TFD prefers Judge Casey's curried ketchup in this recipe, but any will do)
- Spicy chili sauce
- Peanut sauce
- ***
- Peanut Sauce:
- 8.5 oz. roasted peanuts
- 3 Tbsp. palm sugar (or brown sugar) or more to taste
- 1 Tbsp. powdered bay leaves
- 2 tsp. grated chicken bouillon cube (TFD change, original was kosher salt)
- 1 medium-sized shallot, peeled, 3 Thai chilies or 2 serrano chilies (optional) and 3 cloves peeled garlic, all blitzed in blender or food processor to almost a paste
- 1/2 cup homemade chicken stock
- 2 kaffir lime leaves
- 2 Tbsp. rice flour
- 3 Tbsp. tamarind water
Instructions
- Prep the bitter melon (if using): Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut the ends off the bitter melon and cut in half lengthwise. Do not peel it, the skin is edible. Remove the seeds and white pith from the middle of the melon with a small spoon. Cut the melon diagonally into thin, 1/4-inch slices. Place the sliced bitter melon in the boiling water and parboil until it is just tender (two to three minutes). Then drain it. Parboiling in this manner partially cooks bitter melon as well as reducing its strong bitter taste.
- For the peanut sauce:
- Fry the peanuts in hot oil until they are browned, then add the garlic/onion/chili mixture and cook to taste.
- After it’s cold, blend the peanut mixture with stock and cook again, then add palm sugar, lime leaves, powdered bay leaves and grated bouillon cube. For thickener, combine the rice flour with the tamarind water in a separate container, then mix it back into the peanut sauce, cook for 10 minutes. Keep warm.
- How To Make Siomay Bandung Dumplings:
- Mix the mackerel, salt and sugar then stir until fibrous and sticky. Add chicken fat and cold water, stir well. Add the scallions that have first been doused with the very hot oil, tapioca flour, egg whites and fish sauce, stir again. Add chayote, stir again then add remaining ingredients and stir one final time.
- To make the siomay: Take a tablespoon of the fish paste mixture, then shape into an oval. Don’t worry about making a perfect shape.
- Tofu: Cut the tofu into thick rectangles, then cut diagonally to get a triangular shape. Cut a slit on one side of the triangle. Scoop one spoonful of fish paste mixture into the pouch of the tofu.
- Egg: Boil the eggs for just about 10 minutes on a high simmer. You want the egg to be just hard-boiled. Peel and cut into halves.
- Cabbage: Boil cabbage for about 10-20 seconds. Then, get cut out the core (the tough stem in the middle of the head), and roll all of the remaining leaves.
- Put a small spoonful of fish paste into the half moon portion of each bitter melon segment. Smooth off and reserve.
- Put the siomay, stuffed tofu, bitter melon and rolled cabbage leaves into the steamer. Steam for about 20 minutes or so. Set aside and let it cool down.
- Put the siomay, tofu, bitter melon, potatoes, egg halves and cabbage onto a plate. You can cut everything into bite-sized pieces if you wish. Pour peanut sauce on top of everything and then drizzle on some ketchup, kecap manis and (optional) spicy chili sauce. Squeeze some lime juice over it all and enjoy!