Indonesian Beef Liver And Potatoes In Spicy Chili Sauce (Sambal Goreng Hati)

No celebration of Lebaran (Muslim Eid ul-Fitr) or Hari Raya is ever complete without this hot spicy beef liver dish. Along with ketupat (rice cakes, rendang, opor ayam (braised chicken in coconut milk), sambal goreng hati are served during important events and celebration such as wedding, kenduri (gathering).

Sambal goreng hati (beef liver in spicy chili sauce) is traditional Indonesian dish. It consist of beef liver, fried potato cooked in hot spicy coconut milk and seasoned with various spices such as lemongrass, bay leaves, candlenut, galangal. This is a kind of dried sambal (chili sauce) dish with very little liquid to almost none. It's eaten with steamed rice or ketupat. It's hot spicy with pungent and savory sauce.

If you love hot spicy dish, sambal goreng hati is a must to try dish. This sambal is loaded with spices and tender beef liver. Here is how to make sambal goreng hati at home. Sator (petai) or stinky bean is available in the frozen section of Asian supermarket but you are welcome to omit it. Kemiri or candlenut can be substitute with macadamia nut.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 potatoes, diced

2 lbs beef liver, cleaned

1/2 cup petai/sator (stinky beans)

3 Thai red chilies, thinly sliced

2/3 cup coconut milk

1 lemongrass, cut into 2-inches length, bruised

2 daun salam (Indonesian bay leaves)

3 kaffir lime leaves

1 tomato, coarsely chopped

1/2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp cooking oil, plus for deep frying

Spice paste:

2 cloves garlic

3 Asian shallot

4 kemiri (candle nut)

12 red chilies

1 piece fresh galangal (1/2 inch)

• Put garlic, shallot, candle nut, chilies and galangal in a food processor. Grind the spices into paste. Set aside.
• Put beef liver and cover with water in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil over high heat. When the liver is cooked, drain and let it cool. Cut the beef into small pieces or dice.
• Heat cooking oil in a wok over high heat. When hot, add diced potato. Deep fry the potatoes until golden brown. Remove from the heat and drain.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a wok. Then add spice paste. Turn the heat to medium-high. Stir-fry the paste until fragrant or it has turn into deep dark color. Then add tomatoes, chilies, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, bay leaves. Stir-fry for about 1 minutes or until fragrant.
• Add beef, sator, fried potatoes and coconut milk. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then lower the heat to simmer. Stir in sugar and salt. Taste and adjust the flavors if necessary.
• Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the sauce is thick and little bit dry. Transfer to a serving dish. Serve it hot or warm.