Recipe: Famous Anyang ( Vegetarian Delight)

    This Deli Malay vegetarian delight is increasingly hard to find these day, even in North Sumatra cities known as Malay cultural hubs, such as Asahan, Labuhan Batu and Langkat. However, an exception is made during the Islamic holy month in Ramadhan. For thirty straight days anyang hawkers would abound in the courtyard of Sultan Maimoon Palace, offering the dish as a fast-breaking meal. 

     In terms of the use of steamed or blanched vegetables, anyang is very similiar to Javanese urap or gudangan. There are, however, a series of differences between them. First, the grated coconut used to make urap is either raw or steamed, while anyang requires toasted coconut. Second the spices used to make urap are usually ground to paste, while to make anyang they are usually minced. Third, the variety of spices used is also a tad different. In anyang, you'll taste significant presence of raw shallots and lime. So, now let's make your own anyang!

 Main Ingredients:

1. 1 banana blossom
2. 200 grams beansprouts
3. 10 long beans
4. 1 coconut

Spices:

1. 10 red chillies
2. 100 grams dried shrimp
3. 10 kaffir lime leaves
4. 2 lemongrass stalks
5. 5 shallots
6. 2 limes
7. Salt to taste

How To Make:

1. Blanche the banana blossom, bean sprouts and long beans in boiling water.
2. In a blender or using mortar and pestle, grind the red chillies and the dried shrimp.
3. Thinly slices all the other spices.
4. Grate, toast and pound the coconut. Mix it with both the ground and sliced spices.
5. Mix thoroughly with the vegetables. serve immediately.

Share this post