Courtesy of Chef Muhammad Afif Adnanta
Coconut Delicacy
Chef Muhammad Afif Adnanta won the San Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility for Asia Region.
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Muhammad Afif Adnanta shares his modern interpretation of lodeh, a simple and nutritious Indonesian dish, which reminds him of home.
Lodeh centres on a coconut milk based soup with simple vegetables, which can be combined with any number of proteins, from chicken and beef, to lamb or seafood in coastal areas, or even tempe (fermented soybean cake) for vegetarians and vegans.
Adnanta is a strong believer in sustainability and minimising his carbon footprint in the kitchen. “Usage of local ingredients benefits the community and decreases any unwanted wastage of products,” he says. He chooses to use coconut milk instead of dairy milk in this recipe, not only because it’s healthy and nutritious, but because of its sustainability credentials. Coconuts grow all year round and can be harvested at any time throughout the year, when the fruit is ripe. The coconut tree itself can also be used, from root to leaf.
Adnanta says the dish is open to creative interpretation depending on which flavours you prefer. ”Add more coconut milk for milder lodeh or add chilli for more spiciness to tingle the tongue. Any sweet and earthy vegetable can be added too,” he says.
Find out how to make Adanta’s version of lodeh, step by step in the recipe below:
Step 01
Courtesy of Chef Muhammad Afif Adnanta
Blend shallot, garlic, candlenut, palm sugar and coconut milk until smooth.
Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Fry the spice paste until fragrant for about 5 minutes.
Step 02
Courtesy of Chef Muhammad Afif Adnanta
Add bay leaf, kaffir lime leaf, thinly-sliced galangal, ginger, lemongrass and coriander seed. Stir for another minute.
Step 03
Courtesy of Chef Muhammad Afif Adnanta
Add long beans, eggplants, soybean tempeh, and chayote. Once it boils again, reduce the heat to a simmer.
Step 04
Courtesy of Chef Muhammad Afif Adnanta
Add squid ink, calamari for flavour, and reduce liquid until fragrant, then season with salt, pepper and butter.
Turn off the heat, transfer to a serving bowl, and serve immediately.
Step 05
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Grill Aubergine
Grill Aubergine under coconut charcoal (on stove if charcoal not available), cook until soft. Peel charred aubergine and blend until smooth, season with salt, pepper, butter and coconut milk. Strain through sieve until smooth.
Step 06
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Fermented caramelized onion
Peel the onion, cook in medium heat with reduction fermented coconut, coriander, kaffir lime until fragrant. Caramelise onion until brown, add a little bit of brown and caramelised onion, season with lime and coriander.
Step 07
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Confit Potato & kaffir lime sabayon
Peel baby potato and make bowl shaped with parisienne cutter, confit in oil with lemongrass, salam leaves, coconut oil, butter, lemongrass, butter, and salt and pepper until tender. Whisk egg yolk, sugar, ginger, lime zest, lime juice until smooth, fluffy and foamy. Fill baby potato with kaffir lime sabayon.
Step 08
Courtesy of Chef Muhammad Afif Adnanta
Black Rice Crackers
Soak rice in water for 20 minutes, simmer until soft then add black squid ink, salt, coconut oil and stir gently. Spread on tray underlined with baking paper, and hydrate at 60*C until dry. Break dried chip into pieces and fry in oil.
Step 09
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The final dish.
