Bumbu Dasar Kuning – Indonesian yellow spice paste

By Executive Chef Jeff King

Today I will share with you my recipe for Bumbu Dasar Kuning; an Indonesian yellow spice paste

Ingredients:

• 200 grams shallots
• 100 grams cloves garlic
• 150 grams turmeric roots (toasted for better flavour and colour)
• 2 tsp ground turmeric powder (add if you feel the colour is not too yellow)
• 75 grams galangal
• 25 grams candlenuts (toasted before for better flavour)
• 4 Indonesian bay leaves (Daun Salam)
• 2 stalk lemon grass
• 2 kaffir lime leaves
• Cooking oil

If you use a mortar and pestle, the order to be followed when grinding spice paste ingredients is the hard items first, candle-nuts, turmeric and ginger. You can chop the ginger and turmeric to make the grinding process easier. Once all of these are quite smooth, then add ingredients that are full of moisture, such as shallots and garlic.

If you use a food processor just blend all the ingredients until smooth.In low heat place the paste with some cooking oil in a pan. Add Indonesian bay leaves, kaffir lime leaves, turmeric and lemon grass. Allow to simmer in the oil for about 10 minutes to infuse all the flavors together and set aside to cool. Any leftover paste and be saved in a jar or ziplock bag for 1 week in the fridge or freeze remaining and you will have bumbu paste ready to go anytime you need it.

This spice is great to use when making Indonesian style dishes like soto ayam lamongan (Lamongan style chicken soup)

Happy Cooking!