Palm sugar. Spiced ginger. Nutmeg. Cloves.
Life is sweet in Indonesia—and so is soy sauce.
Kecap manis (pronounced KETCH-up MAHN-is) is thicker than Chinese soy sauce, almost syrupy, and has a deliciously sweet smack from the palm sugar in the brew. Indonesians use it as a dipping sauce, a marinade and a flavoring in stews.
You?
Try kecap manis in a marinade for satay. Mix with green onion, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, coriander and a squeeze of lemon. Slice a chicken breast into strips, marinate for an hour, and weave onto skewers. Then grill to sweet, earthy satay-liciousness.
Our resident Indonesian chef likes to mix together equal parts kecap manis, tomato ketchup and hot chili paste to create a spicy dipping sauce for egg rolls and fried shrimp.(Seriously, it works.)
For a sweet smack of soy, order a bottle at
www.asiafoods.com.