A Tale About Tails

Salam and hi to all. I hope the Hari Raya mood is still on because I can still 'feel' the fun I had back in my hometown during the recent Festival of Sacrifice. Indeed, being around your loved ones is trully a blessing.

I could still remember watching the whole 'qurban' process many years back and there was no deep feeling involved. However, this time, the feeling is different. I did not dare go near the spot where the cows were slaughtered. It wasn't sadness nor pity but I was rather touched witnessing the whole act, even from far. It's a feeling that I really couldn't describe. Perhaps, it's about time for me to be grateful for what I've received. More gratitude, less complaints. After all, life is too short to be wasted on unnecessary whining and grumbling.

We brought back some meat and of course, 'exotic' parts of the cow, namely the tongue and tripe. My Tukang Makan is very fond of organ meats so I had tried my very best to prepare the dishes featured below.

'PERUT MASAK LEMAK KUNING'

I'm sure that this is a very common dish so I don't think it is necessary for me to include the recipe here. However, since this is my first time cooking a cow's tongue, I do attach my so-called invention, which I think works well with meat. Here it goes!

'LIDAH LEMBU HITAM MANIS'

Ingredients:
1 piece of cow's tongue (boiled till tender, drained; skinned and cut into thin slices)
5 tbsp of ground onion
3 tbsp of ground garlic
2 tbsp of ground dried chillies
4 cm piece of ginger
2 stalks of lemongrass
1 sprig of curry leaves
1 large , ripe tomato ( chopped coarsely)
1/2 tsp of cummin seeds
1/2 tsp of fennel seeds
1 tbsp of dark soy sauce
5 tbsp of sweet soy sauce
2 tbsp of tomato sauce
1/2 cup thick coconut milk
1/2 cup of water
salt and sugar to taste
1/2 cup of cooking oil

Method:

• Pound the ginger, lemongrass, cummin seeds and fennel seeds and keep aside.
• Heat the oil and fry the ground ingredients. Then, put in the pounded ingredients, curry leaves and tomato and keep stirring until fragrant.
• When the oil separates from the gravy, put in slices of tongue, dark soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, tomato sauce, and water and let to simmer until the tongue slices are tender.
• Next, put in the coconut milk, sugar and salt. Keep stirring until the gravy thickens.
• Serve with plain, white rice.