1st Entry for Sndboxquest: Pliek U (The Acehnese Traditional Food)

We can easily find people who like eating, right? At least among the people around us, there must be some people who really love food. Or it also could be that we are ourselves who are the food lover! :D
Well, I do not want to extend this intro anymore, let’s straightaway, honestly I am also the food lover. I love eating sooo much, and also love cooking too .(what a nice combination when you are a cooking and eating lovers at the same time, there will be no diet in your schedule -_-)

source: resepindon.blogspot.com

Discussing about food, have you ever heard any food called "Pliek U"?
For the Acehnese, of course, "Pliek U" is not a strange term, it is very familiar in our society. We can very easily find it here, in Aceh. But do you know how is the process of making it?
So, today I will write a deep explanation about the process of making Pliek U and the things we can cook or make from it.
All right let's to the point!

What is Pliek U?

source: hack87.blogspot.com

Pliek U is a traditional food originating from Aceh, one of the provinces in Indonesia that has so many beautiful scenery and unique inhabitants.
So, Aceh, which is surrounded by oceans has a lot of coconut trees, so do not be surprised if here we can find many processed foods made from coconuts. One of them is Pliek U. The term Pliek U itself is of course derived from the Acehnese language. Pliek means pulp or waste, and U means coconut. So, Pliek U means coconut pulp.

How is the Pliek U making process?

Well, the coconuts that will be used to make Pliek U are the old coconut that is discarded the fibers, then split the coconut by using the blunt part of the machete, and thrown the water away.
(Ah, btw, coconut water can also be processed into syrup. But we will discuss it in the other writings.)

Then the coconut that has been split and thrown the water away will be left for several weeks until they become moldy. After that remove the contents of the coconut from the shell, washed, and dried until the color turns into brown.
The next step is remove the oil contained in the dried coconut, and then the oil will be squeezed to the maximum drying with a traditional wooden wrapper (similar to traditional sugarcover, once, when i was a child, i saw the process of making it by own eyes, poorly i had not camera to take the picture).

Coconut that the oil has been squeezed will be dried again until it is completely dry and do not have any wet anymore. And then they are will be the Pliek U.

What food preparations can be made from Pliek U?

source: cookpad.com

Well, this is the part I like the best; the food processing. (and of course the eating part too  )
Actually, after those drying process, then pliek u can be consumed, I still like to eat pliek u with salt, sugar, and cayenne, it will be eaten with any fruits we like, so it called rujak pliek u.
Yaaa, Indonesia which is rich with fruits is certainly really familiar with rujak. There must be so many people who fall in love with rujak. That's so good for sure.

source: sunpride.co.id

Lately, salak (thorny palm) pliek is being so famous here. The fruit is cut into small pieces and added pliek u, salt, sugar, and cayenne. It is sooo good.

Besides for making rujak (fruite salad), pliek u is also usually processed into kuah pliek (curry pliek). And this curry is also being one of the “celebrities” in Aceh. Many people are crazy about it.

source: acehreport.com

As a bonus, below I will share the recipe of the curry (kuah) pliek.
Ingredients:
Softened seasoning:
7 cloves of red onion
4 cloves of garlic (because I love garlic so I choose the large size)
7 chili
20 cayenne
2 inches ginger
1 ½ teaspoon coriander
¼ spoon of the cumin
Pepper to taste
Turmeric to taste (I use turmeric powder)
5 tablespoons pliek u (can be customized as your taste)
2 inches galangal, mashed (two or 3 times mashed)

The casted ingredients:
3 stalks of finely chopped lemongrass
6 lime leaves
2 calla flowers
Curry leaves, finely chopped

Vegetables used:
4 young jackfruit, cut them into small pieces
4 bunch of melinjo leaves, chopped small
Young papaya, cut them into small pieces
I banana inflorescence (optional)
1 ounce long bean, cut into pieces
7 green chili, cut into small pieces
¼ kg of small shrimp, clean it
2 pieces of coconut (to be taken its milk)
1 kg stump
Salt to taste
Water
The steps:

1. Boil the jackfruit, stump, spice, finely chopped material and salt with a little water for about 3 minutes for the marinade is sinked.
2. Add banana inflorescence into the stew; stir until it is boiling and jackfruit and banana inflorescence are soft.
3. Add the liquid milk and stir again until boiling. Then add the green chili and coconut starch and stir again until boiling.
4. Add shrimp, leaves melinjo, long beans.
5. After boiling mine the papayas that have been cut. Stir again about 3 minutes.
6. the curry / kuah pliek is ready to be served

Note:

• banana florescence is cleaned and take the soft part, wash it, then soak with salt for about 1 minute, wash again until clean.
• when extracting the coconut milk, separate it between coconut starch and liquid milk. For areas that are difficult to get fresh coconut milk, we can also use the packaged one.
• for those who add the sumpil, cut the tip, wash it cleanly, soak it in brine for about 2 minutes, then wash it again.

Well, it is a typical curry or kuah pliek recipe.
Who has never taste it, you should try.