I don’t know the origins of this dish but once I came across an article that states this dish has been around for 200 years because apparently they found a recipe for it that dates that long ago.
Bubur lambok is a dish often served in Singapore and Malaysia, especially during the fasting month. I guess it’s the same concept as what the Pakistanis have – haleem, and well, other regions have their own porridge variants.
Since all mosques are closed here during our ‘lockdown’ (yes, it’s called a Circuit Breaker here because it’s not a complete shut down of the economy … I think. Whatever.) and we can’t visit people, even our family members who are not living in the same household, there’s no way to get my hands on this savoury porridge.
So, I have to learn how to make it myself. 😌
And I must say, the result was fantastic! Thanks to my trusty Philips pressure cooker, the porridge turned out beautiful!
Having a bowl of delicious warm bubur (porridge) as an appetiser before I attacked that plate of chicken wings there!
Ingredients
1. 2 large onions, 4 garlic cloves, 2 cm ginger blended till fine.
2. 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, 5 cardamoms, 2 star anise
3. 300g of minced beef
4. 1/2 cup dhal
5. 2 cups rice (here, I used 1 cup Japanese white rice and 1 cup brown Thai rice. But any short to medium grain rice will do. DO NOT use long grain basmati like rice. It won’t work to make porridge)
6. 1/2 tbsp meat curry powder, 2 teaspoons cumin powder, 1 tbsp coriander powder, white and black ground pepper
7. Finely chopped cilantro and Chinese parsley (about one cup). 1 stalk of lemongrass, bruised.
8. 1/2 cup fried shallots (bawang goreng). I get the ready made ones that are easily available here.
9. Ghee or olive oil (I used ghee today) and water plus salt to taste
10. One packet of coconut cream (200g)
Pressure Cooker Method
1. Turn on the sauté Low function. When the pot is hot, add about two tablespoons of ghee.
2. Fry the blended onion, garlic, ginger paste still it’s nicely done (when you see it sort of separates itself and there’s oil) together with the bruised lemongrass, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick and star anise.
3. Add the dry spices: meat curry powder, cumin and coriander powder. Black pepper.
4. Add the minced beef and fry everything till it’s all nicely cooked, with the oil separating from the whole dish.
5. Add now the raw rice and dhal.
6. Add water till near the top of the pot. Stir. Add salt.
7. I covered the lid at this stage and let the whole thing cook on slow with high heat for 2 hours. When I opened the lid to check and stir, the rice has nicely plumped up but it’s still not porridge consistency yet.
8. Add one packet of coconut cream, stir well.
9. Add the fried shallots, stir well.
10. Add a bit more salt and then cover the lid and pressure cook under the ‘risotto’ setting for 14 min
11. When I opened the lid, and I stirred and stirred the mixture, it was a beautiful porridge consistency. Add now the chopped parsley and coriander and stir.
The Occasional Cook 