Serundeng is an easy to make, but absolutely delicious fried coconut garnish with peanuts. I love this so much, I use it on basically anything. Plain rice, stir fries, meat dishes – anything. If you have a peanut allergy, you can simply take them out or substitute them for anything else, like cashews.Ingredients:
- 500g desiccated coconut (or fresh grated coconut)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar (or vary to taste)
- 1/2 tsp crushed green ginger (optional)
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1-2 cups roasted peanuts
- 1 small onion, grated
- Asam (tamarind)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 stalk lemon grass (cut into 3 inch pieces)
- 1/2 tsp cummin (optional)
- 1 & 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 bay leaf
Method:
- Crush garlic, onion, ginger and the bay leaf and pound together
- Mix with all other ingredients (except peanuts) in a large pan
- Dry fry slowly over a low flame, stirring constantly until the mixture is crisp and evenly toasted to a golden brown
- This dish can be a little laborious, as it must be stirred constantly for a long period of time
- When the mixture is lightly and evenly browned, remove from the heat and stir in the peanuts
It is important not to fry this dish on a high flame, as the flavors of the spices will not release correctly, and you will most likely end up burning the garlic and onion, ruining the flavor.