Activity 18

Read the passages and answer the questions that follow.
Passage 1

How to Make Sayur Asem (Indonesian Tamarind Soup)

Ingredients:
1 tsp cooking oil
3 oz melinjo
3 oz long beans, cut into 1-or 2-inch pieces
2 sweet corns
3 large chayotes
5-6 cabbage leaves, cut into large pieces
2 tomatoes
3 bay leaves
8 cups of water
1 tbsp of seedless tamarind
3 tbsp of palm sugar
Salt and sugar

Ground spices:
1 thumb-size of galangal
3 shallots
1 bird's eye chili
5 red chilis
3 cloves garlic
4 candlenuts
1 tsp of shrimp paste

Instructions:

1. Grind all the ingredients for ground spices into a fine paste using pestle and mortar.
2. Mix tamarind paste with warm water and mash with back of the spoon to get the tamarind juice. 
3. Preheat a large pot and add cooking oil.
4. Add in the paste and stir-fry until fragrant for about 1 minute. Add bay leaves.
5. Bring it to a boil and then add in the rest of vegetables. Lower the heat. Let the vegetables gently simmer until cooked. However, don't let them be mushy.
6. Have a taste and season with more salt and sugar as needed. It should be sweet, tangy, savoury, and slightly spicy.
7. Serve with rice.

Modified from: https://whattocooktoday.com/sayur-asem.html accessed on January 11 , 2018 at 10:46

Which ingredient is the main point of this dish?