Kupang’s smoked beef (daging se’i Kupang)

Ingredients

• 2 kg chuck steak, cut into 15 – 25 cm strips
• curing salt
• Ceylon oak (kayu kesambi) branches, for smoking
• banana leaf, cut in half

Spiced chilli sauce (sambal lu’at)

• 250 g red chillies (see note)
• 25 g garlic
• 25 g ginger
• 25 g galangal
• 25 g basil
• 25 g coriander
• ½ lime, juiced
• 1 tsp salt or chicken stock powder

Instructions

1. Rub the meat with salt, pepper and the curing salt, and set aside.
2. Build and light a fire, and allow the wood to burn so it has hot embers below.
3. Place the meat on a smoking rack set approximately 60 cm above the fire. Cover the meat with a large bunch of the kesambi branches and the banana leaf, placed directly on top of the kesambi.
4. Add more wood, keep the heat constant and let the smoke generate gently. Cook beef for about 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, to make sauce, wash and dry all ingredients, and wipe off excess moisture. Using a pestle and mortar or food processor, mince chillies. Set aside.
6. Peel garlic, ginger and the galangal, and finely chop. Finely slice basil and coriander.
7. Mix all the prepared ingredients thoroughly, then add the lime juice and salt or stock powder to taste. Transfer to a clean jar (see note).
8. Remove beef from the heat and serve with the chilli sauce.

Notes

• Birdseye chillies are best for this recipe.

• Store the jar of sauce in a cool dry place. It tastes so much better if consumed after 2 days of fermentation. This sambal will normally last for several weeks.

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