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Padang food: Hot and appetizing
A friend of my teenage years invited us to the annual get-together
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friend of my teenage years invited us to the annual get-together. She served Padang food. Another friend said she couldn't eat spicy food. But the host argued that spicy cuisine is an acquired taste.
"Take a small bite first, and have more until you grow to like the chili. It has nutritional value,"she suggested.
According to research, chili peppers are potent medicinal sources and the most preferred ingredient in western Sumatra cooking. It can also be enjoyed when it is still green. The "sambal lado mudo", the green chili sambal, is often seen at the dinner table.
For that purpose, just take about 10 green chilies, steam until wilted, then ground 3 shallots and add salt. As the taste is mild, sambal lado mudo is best eaten with fried fish. But when I feel like I want to be bold, I served some grilled fillet steak with sambal lado mudo. Very tasty.
As for the red chilies, try not to discard the seeds if you want the real flavor when cooking western Sumatra food. For those accustomed hot chilies like Mexican jalapeno peppers, curly local chili called cabai merah keriting will be extra hot.
The price of the cabai merah keriting is slightly higher but the flavor is worth the price. Chili is can be found in every western Sumatra cooking.
To make chili paste, traditional cooks use heavy stone spice grinder to get the chili until completely mashed. This grinder can also be used for spices like shallots and garlic
Now, we can get the convenience that comes from finely ground chili available in the market. Modern cooks grind the chili easily, but if you go for natural flavor better use the stone grinder.
Western Sumatra regions have different style of cooking. In terms of taste, flavor and texture, Padang is different from Bukittinggi, while Pariaman has a lighter flavor thanks to souring agents and thick coconut milk broth commonly used in the region.
Whereas in some regions the souring agent comes from dried sour fruit or "asam sunti", Pariaman cooks use lime (jeruk nipis) as souring agent.
In many western Sumatra recipes, not only the turmeric root is used, but also its leaves. A shred of turmeric leaf will greatly enhance the flavor of a dish. Just remember not to use too much.
Aside from its food, Padang restaurant is also known for the way it serves food to customers which is known as rumah makan nasi kapau". Kapau is the traditional food joint known for its creativity in serving food.
Actually the "kedai" (small eatery) nasi kapau serves the same dishes as other Padang restaurants, but at the kapau restaurant, a dollop of different kinds of dishes are put on top the rice portion, to the patron's liking.
What is known as Padang food sold throughout the country in fact originated in Bukittinggi, Pariaman, Pagaruyung and Koto Gadang.
Western Sumatra food entrepreneurs have a very distinct way of serving their food. Whereas in other regional food restaurants or eateries, a waiter is asking for the patron's order, at a Padang restaurant a selection of the restaurant's food display is brought directly in small portions to the patron's table.
The patron then chooses what he wants to eat and cashier only charges the patron what he has taken from the assortment of foods. The display of food on the patron's table does not include special items such as gado-gado, soto or satay. Those are ordered separately as are the drinks except for a glass of hot or cold tea.
The unique serving style of Padang restaurants is an attraction in itself as no tray is involved. It depends on the ability of waiters to carry the small deep plates, or arranges them on his left arm after which he navigates his way through the tables.
But this is not the case anymore as in Padang waiters don't perform this anymore and instead use trays to serve food.
Some say that to many visitors from outside western Sumatra it is deemed impolite.
Not to mention, chili in food seems unforgivable to many western Sumatrans. "Eating our food is good for your lungs," our hostess said, "Look at our people when they're speaking at ceremonies. Their speeches are mostly long."
Should you want a taste of our famous rendang, here is the recipe: first have many chilies in your kitchen, enough spices and a strong will to produce appetizing and hot food to cook Padang style! Cut 1 kilogram of beef into serving sizes. Make into a paste 10 shallots, 5 cloves of garlic, 10 red chilies, 20 grams of turmeric, 20 grams of ginger, 20 grams of galangal, and 2 tablespoons of coriander powder. Mix with 1 liter thick coconut milk, beef, 5 limau lime leaves, 3 stalks of lemongrass at 10 centimeters each, and 3 turmeric leaves. Cook until half done. Season with 2 teaspoons of salt, continue cooking until meat is done and sauce is thickened. Serves 10.
