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5.0 from 9 votes

Lamb Tongseng

Tongseng is braised lamb cooked in coconut milk with sweet soy sauce. This comforting dish is originally from Central Java, Indonesia. It tastes sweet-savoury with spicy coconut milk that will spoil your tastebud.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 2
Calories: 3503 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Indonesian

Ingredients

  • 21 ounces lamb cubed.
  • 2 salam leaves.
  • 1 inch ginger root.
  • 4 cups water.
  • 2 lemongrass cut in 1-inch lengths.
  • ½ inch galangal.
  • 2-3 red bird's eye chillies optional.
  • 2 spring onions sliced.
  • 2 medium tomatoes cut in chunks.
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil.
  • 16.91 fluid ounces coconut milk
  • 1.76 ounces cabbage.
  • 1 ½ tablespoon sweet soy sauce.
Spices to pound:
  • 4 cloves Garlic.
  • 1 red onion.
  • 3 candlenuts Kemiri.
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder.
  • ½ inch ginger.
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander.
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt.
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper.
  • ½ teaspoon sugar.
Optional:
  • Fried onions.
  • Crackers.

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Using a pestle and mortar, or a food processor, grind the spices to pound into a paste. Set aside. 
  2. Rub the meat with ½ teaspoon of salt and black pepper. Set aside.
  3. Bring 3 cups of water to boil then put the meat in the boiling water along with ½ inch of ginger, 1 lemongrass and 1 salam leaf. Cook until the meat is tender. Then drain and discard the water. Set aside. 
  4. In a wok or a cooking pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the pounded spice paste, lemongrass, salam leaf, galangal, ginger until it releases aroma. 
  5. Then add in the meat pieces, sweet soy sauce and 1 cup of water. Give it a stir and let it cook at medium heat.
  6. Once the gravy comes to a boil, let it simmer for a minute or two. Then put the cabbage, tomato, spring onion and chillies in. Cook further for another 2-3 minutes.
  7. Add the coconut milk in, stir your Tongseng and leave it to cook and simmer at low heat for a few minutes before you turn the heat off. 

Notes

  • Some meat can be tough and take time to cook. So you can use a pressure cooker to shortcut the time if you wish. 
  • You can skip the bird’s eye chillies if you don’t have any. 
  • If you like your Tongseng to be spicy, you can put a teaspoon of chilli powder. 
  • You can also sprinkle lime juice over your Tongseng to give extra tangy flavour just like what you may get from the real Tongseng sellers in Indonesia. 

Nutrition Information

Serving 1g Calories 3503kcal (175%) Carbohydrates 72g (24%) Protein 80g (160%) Fat 343g (528%) Saturated Fat 262g (1310%) Polyunsaturated Fat 60g Cholesterol 192mg (64%) Sodium 1868mg (78%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 12g (24%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 3503

% Daily Value*

Serving 1g
Calories 3503kcal 175%
Carbohydrates 72g 24%
Protein 80g 160%
Fat 343g 528%
Saturated Fat 262g 1310%
Polyunsaturated Fat 60g 353%
Cholesterol 192mg 64%
Sodium 1868mg 78%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 12g 24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.