Opor Daging

Opor Daging or just plain "Opor" is a traditional dish of the people of Pahang especially in the kampungs around the Royal town of Pekan.

It is usually served during traditional Malay weddings and festivals, being a traditional delicacy dish of beef or mutton/lamb, and eaten with rice, the staple food of the Malays.

I found this recipe in my sister’s old collection of local recipes, but it was in the Malay language. Not a chef myself, I had a hard time translating the ingredients into English.

Anyway, here’s the recipe, cooked the rendang style.

INGREDIENTS

1 kg of beef, mutton or lamb / cut into small cubes
250 gm cooking oil
10 red onions **
5 white onions **
5 cm ginger **
5 pieces of candlenut **
2 tablespoon coriander **
5 cm greater galangal **
4 stalks lemon grass **
1 teaspoon white pepper**
1 liter of coconut milk
260 gm of fine grated coconut cooked brown
2 tablespoon tamarind juice
110 gm brown sugar
5 gm chilli powder
250 ml plain water
200 gm grounded chilly
1 teaspoon of salt (according to taste)

**Note: Above ingredients with asterisk to be grounded or blendered fine.

COOKING METHOD

(Boil the beef, mutton or lamb for about 30 minutes first to ensure they are soft).

1. First heat up the wok and fry the grounded ingredients until fully fried.
2. Add the grounded chilli and the chilly powder. Stir until oily.
3. Add plain water and let it boil.
4. Put in the beef, mutton or lamb cubes that have earlier been boiled.
5. Add coconut milk, and the tamarind juice. Slow down the fire and mix until level.
6. Then add salt, brown sugar and the coconut kernels. Mix and cook until they blend nicely.
7. When the mutton or lamb cubes feel soft, put off the fire and they are ready to serve.

SERVING

Opor Daging is normally served with plain white rice, but during weddings and other traditional occasions, it is part of the menu eaten with the nasi minyak.

At home, the Opor can also be eaten with white or brown bread, or with the local Indian roti canai or capati, or any cooked flour.

Or just eat as it is. Umm mum, delicious.

Well, try the above Opor Daging recipe if you like. It’s a bit spicy for some foreigners not used to spicy foods, but definitely finger licking-good to the Malays.

As always, from me ...

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