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Bubur asyura
Rice, bean and beef porridge
Malaysian Ashura porridge of rice, beans, roots and beef
On 10 Muharram, the day of Ashura, Malay mosques and kampung neighbourhoods stir bubur asyura in giant pots and share it out to every household, a custom said to recall the meal Prophet Nuh's family cooked from their last stores. Rice, mung beans, peanuts, sweet potato and pumpkin cook down with beef and spices into a thick, savoury porridge, flavoured with coconut milk and kerisik. This family-sized pot keeps the communal spirit; a vegetarian version is a variation to add later. Chef's tip: stir constantly from the bottom once it thickens, as the beans catch quickly and a burnt bottom spoils the whole pot.
- Total time
- 190 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the porridge
- 7 oz long-grain ricewashed
- 3 ½ oz mung beanssoaked 2 hours
- 2 ⅞ oz raw peanutssoaked 2 hours
- 14 oz red kidney beansfrom a can, drained
- 1 ⅛ lb beef brisket or chuckcut into 2 cm cubes
- 12 ½ cups water
For the spices
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 8 shallotsblended
- 4 cloves garlicblended
- 1 ⅛ in fresh gingerblended
- 3 tbsp meat curry powder
- 4 cloves
Vegetables and finish
- 10 ½ oz sweet potatodiced
- 10 ½ oz pumpkindiced
- 1 ¾ cups coconut milk
- 3 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
To serve
- 4 tbsp fried shallotsopt
- 1 handful coriander leavesopt
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a very large pot and fry 8 shallots, 4 cloves garlic and 1 ⅛ in fresh ginger with 1 cinnamon stick, 2 star anise and 4 cloves for 5 minutes. Add 3 tbsp meat curry powder with a splash of water and fry until the oil separates.
10 minStep 2: Add 1 ⅛ lb beef brisket or chuck and stir for 5 minutes to coat and brown.
10 minStep 3: Add 12 ½ cups water, 7 oz long-grain rice, 3 ½ oz mung beans and 2 ⅞ oz raw peanuts, bring to the boil and simmer, partly covered, for 1 hour, stirring often.
60 minStep 4: Add 10 ½ oz sweet potato, 10 ½ oz pumpkin and 14 oz red kidney beans and cook for 40 minutes, stirring from the bottom more and more often as it thickens. A common mistake is walking away now; the porridge sticks fast.
40 minStep 5: Stir in 1 ¾ cups coconut milk, 3 tbsp kerisik (toasted coconut paste), 3 tsp salt and 1 tbsp sugar and cook 15–20 minutes until very thick, the rice broken down, the beans soft and the beef tender. Spread into a tray to set and slice, or serve soft in bowls with 4 tbsp fried shallots and 1 handful coriander leaves.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bubur asyura take?
- About 190 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of long-grain rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
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