527 Cah Babi I
Because this Cah Babi is super easy, I’ve made a video how to make this dish in 25 minutes. You can watch it here or read on for the recipe in text and pictures.
This Cah babi is a classic Indonesian pork dish. It’s the best recipe when friends come over for a surprise visit. I always make more to freeze some. This cah babi is the best lazy sunday lunch.
This dish is enough for 2-3 people and is ready in 25 minutes.
Tjah Babi I translated from Beb Vuyk’s Groot Indonesisch kookboek, page 420.
Ingredients
1/2 kg pork chops
3 tablespoons of oil
Herbs
3 slices of ginger root
6 chopped shallots
4 chopped garlic cloves
pepper
salt
Kecap (soy sauce)
Cut the pork into slices and salt them. Fry the shallots, garlic and the grated ginger in the oil until the shallots are yellow. Then add the pork chops and sauté briefly. Add 1 deciliter of water and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce; let the dish simmer for about 10 minutes.
Because this is such a simple dish with just a few ingredients, it is important to use high quality products.
I always use for my Indonesian pork dishes (for Babi Kecap for example) high quality ‘shoulder’ chops. This meat is just fat enough. Pork steaks or rib chops for example become too dry too easily. I don’t like that meat in cah babi.
For the soy sauce I always use Heinz ABC Kecap Manis (sweet soy sauce). This extremely sweet soy sauce is great with pork. It makes the meat tender quickly and some sweetness is great with pork.
I grate a piece of fresh ginger. You can also chop it into tiny pieces.
Now first sauté the onions, garlic, ginger and salt. When the onions are turning yellow, the pork can go in. I do not rub the chops with salt. I don’t think the flavour will be any different. I add all the salt (about 1 teaspoon) together with the onions.
I add water and kecap almost straight away. I add as much water as is needed to get the meat almost under, but not completely. This is enough fluid to make a tasty sauce. Pork does not need long. I let this simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Test is the meat is tender and your are ready to serve! Selamat makan.
