Lontong Special with Sambal Sotong (compressed rice with vegetable gravy and spicy cuttle fish)

To my Indonesian helper, 'lontong' is actually the 'nasi impit' or compressed rice cooked inside cylindrically rolled banana leaves we call the 'pisang hutan' or jungle banana. The leaves are thicker than the normal banana leaves.
However to most Malaysian, lontong refers to the compressed rice flooded over with vegetable curry gravy (masak lodeh).

I love my 'lontong' with sambal tumis sotong (spicy cuttle fish) or udang (spicy prawns) and sambal kelapa ( spicy fried grated coconut) added on top of it.

When I first started work, I rented a house in Petaling Jaya with my three housemates. All girls with very high metabolic rate (he, he but not anymore). We were always on the move and had real fun whenever we were together

Our favourite past time was always eating; and without much guilt (though we kept reminding each other we must go on a diet). We would walk for miles in the morning from our house (exercise to slim down) only to stop somewhere for breakfast. Then we would take a cab home. Huh? Yes....

Anyway, our favourite haunt was a small stall on top of the wet market in Section 14 which was selling 'nasi lemak' and 'lontong'. The stall still exists but now it is manned by the late owner's children. The food is still fantastic but it would be finished by 8.30am in the morning.

After so much hassle (several times) in the early morning trying to get everyone ready and then rushing off to the stall - only to find the food sold out -we came up with our own recipe which we try to get as near to the original taste, as possible.

Our lontong is made up of 4 items/dishes which are cooked separately but which will end up together in the same bowl/ plate.

Here's the recipe. The different dishes (items) are segregated by different colour codes so as to prevent confusion (or boredom)

A. Nasi Impit (Compressed Rice)

Ingredients:
2 cups rice
3 1/2 cups water
3 screwpine leaves (daun pandan)
Salt to taste.

Method:
1.Clean the rice
2. Boil rice with the water, screwpine leaves and salt.
3. Stir constantly to break up the grains so the cooked rice will have a smooth texture.
4. When the rice is thick and cooked, remove from the pot.
5. Pour the rice in a tray or wide, level based casserole ( appr. 2 to 4 inches level deep )
6. Cover the rice with a clean muslin cloth and compress it equally. Leave aside with a with a heavy object on top) for half a day.
6. Cut the rice into neat cubes or slices.
7. Serve with the 'lontong' gravy and 'sambal.

*** You can also buy 'Instant' Nasi Impit. These are rice put into small plastic bags with tiny holes all over it). Just boil the bags in enough water to cover the bags. Cook the rice until it expands to occupy the whole bags and hardened. Leave to cool for a few hours; then cut into cubes or slices and serve***

B. The vegetable gravy (Masak lodeh) is easy to prepare:

Ingredients
8 - 12 fresh prawns
120gms cabbage
120gms long beans
4 brinjals -cut into small 8 to 12 cubes
2 pieces tempe (soy bean cake)
2 cups light coconut milk
3 cups thick coconut milk

1 tbsp oil
2-4 cloves garlic
6-8 shallots (depending on the sizes)
2 slices galangal (lengkuas)
4 red chillies - sliced
1/2 cup tamarind juice (or 1 piece tamarind slice - asam keping)
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp oil

Method:
1. Shell the prawns and remove the veins from the back
2. Cut the cabbages and long beans ( about 2 - 4 cm each)
3. Cut the tempe into thin pieces ( about 1 cm long)
4. Heat oil in a deep pan over medium flame.
5. Fry the shallots until fragrant. Add the garlic
6. Add the galangal, then the prawns. Fry until until the prawns turn red
7. Add thin coconut milk and salt
8. When the coconut milk boils, add the chillies, tamarind juice, the vegetables and the 'tempe'.
9. Cover the pan. Allow the coconut to boil again, add the thick coconut milk and allow to boil again.
10. Remove the cover.
10. When the vegetables are cooked, add in salt to taste.

** serves 4-6 persons

Actually for most people it is usual to serve the nasi impit with the gravy and vegetables poured over it.
In my case, due to nostalgia; and eversince my whole family too, fell in love with the 'lontong of PJ Section 14, the following additional dishes a 'must have' for our household.

C. Sambal Tumis Sotong (Spicy Cuttlefish)
Ingredients

1 piece dried cuttlefish - soaked a few hours until soft
1 cup anchovies (ikan bilis) - cleaned with the head stomach removed.
1/2 cup tamarind juice
1/4 cup (roasted) ground peanuts
Salt to taste

Ground items
4 shallots
Thumb size dried shrimp paste (belacan) - slightly toasted
15 dried chillies
2 cloves garlic


Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan.
2. Stir-fry the ground items until fragrant
3. Add in the cuttlefish and tamarind juice. Stir
4. When it is boiling, add in the ground peanuts.
5. Boil until the gravy thickens, add in salt.
6. Remove from the fire.

Sambal Kelapa ( Spicy grated coconut)

Ingredients:
A.
1 tbsp dried prawns - washed
2 clove garlic
4 shallots
1 piece lemond grass
Thumb size ginger - remove skin
5-6 dried chillies - dry-fried until fragrant.

B.
2 cups grated coconut
Salt to taste.
Method:

1. Pound ingredients A ( or grind with very little or no water)
2. Heat oil in a pan and add it the ground ingredients when the oil is hot.
3. Fry until fragrant. Add the salt.
6. Add the grated coconut and stir-fry on medium fire until it dries up and becomes crispy.
7. Add salt if required. Remove from fire.

To serve the 'Lontong' :
1. Put the 'nasi impit in a deep bowl.
2. Pour the vegetable gravy (make sure it is piping hot)
3. Add the sambal sotong and sambal kelapa on top.
4. Serve

Enjoy!!! Hope you love it too.