• Home
  • RECIPE INDEX
  • EASY RECIPES
    • Easy Dinner
    • One-pot
    • Instant Pot
  • BY CUISINE
    • Asian Fusion
    • Chinese
    • Peranakan/Nyonya
    • CAMBODIA
    • LAOS
    • INDONESIAN
    • Indonesian Chinese
    • MALAYSIA
    • MYANMAR
    • SINGAPORE
    • Singapore Hawker Food
    • THAILAND
    • VIETNAM
  • BY COURSE
    • Breakfast
    • Dim Sum
    • Main Course
    • Soups/Stews
    • Salad
    • Sides
    • Condiments
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
  • INGREDIENTS
    • Rice & Grains
    • Noodles
    • Eggs
    • Tofu & Tempeh
    • Poultry
    • Red Meats
    • Pork
    • Seafood
  • SOURDOUGH
    • Sourdough Bread Recipes
    • Recipes Using Sourdough Discard
  • BREAD & BUNS
    • Steamed Buns
    • Bread with Yeast
    • No-Knead Bread
    • Quick Bread
  • CAKES/COOKIES/PASTRIES
    • Cakes
    • Chiffon Cakes
    • Sponge Cakes
    • Pastries
    • Cookies
    • Kue/Kueh
    • No-Bake Dessert
  • DIETARY
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegan
    • VEGETARIAN
    • CONFINEMENT
  • celebrate
    • Chinese New Year
    • Easter
    • Hari Raya
    • Dragon Boat Festival
    • Mooncake Festival
    • Thanksgiving
    • Winter Solstice
    • Christmas Cooking
    • Christmas Baking
What To Cook Today
  • ABOUT ME
    • CONTACT
  • Pantry
  • Shop
  • subscribe
  • Home
  • RECIPE INDEX
  • EASY RECIPES
    • Easy Dinner
    • One-pot
    • Instant Pot
  • BY CUISINE
    • Asian Fusion
    • Chinese
    • Peranakan/Nyonya
    • CAMBODIA
    • LAOS
    • INDONESIAN
    • Indonesian Chinese
    • MALAYSIA
    • MYANMAR
    • SINGAPORE
    • Singapore Hawker Food
    • THAILAND
    • VIETNAM
  • BY COURSE
    • Breakfast
    • Dim Sum
    • Main Course
    • Soups/Stews
    • Salad
    • Sides
    • Condiments
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
  • INGREDIENTS
    • Rice & Grains
    • Noodles
    • Eggs
    • Tofu & Tempeh
    • Poultry
    • Red Meats
    • Pork
    • Seafood
  • SOURDOUGH
    • Sourdough Bread Recipes
    • Recipes Using Sourdough Discard
  • BREAD & BUNS
    • Steamed Buns
    • Bread with Yeast
    • No-Knead Bread
    • Quick Bread
  • CAKES/COOKIES/PASTRIES
    • Cakes
    • Chiffon Cakes
    • Sponge Cakes
    • Pastries
    • Cookies
    • Kue/Kueh
    • No-Bake Dessert
  • DIETARY
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegan
    • VEGETARIAN
    • CONFINEMENT
  • celebrate
    • Chinese New Year
    • Easter
    • Hari Raya
    • Dragon Boat Festival
    • Mooncake Festival
    • Thanksgiving
    • Winter Solstice
    • Christmas Cooking
    • Christmas Baking
What To Cook Today
What To Cook Today
  • Home
  • ABOUT ME
    • CONTACT
  • SHOP
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • RECIPE INDEX
  • easy recipes
    • Easy Dinner
    • One-pot
    • Instant Pot
  • by course
    • Breakfast
    • Dim Sum
    • Main Course
    • Soups/Stews
    • Salad
    • Sides
    • Condiments
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
  • ingredients
    • Rice & Grains
    • Noodles
    • Eggs
    • Tofu & Tempeh
    • Poultry
    • Red Meats
    • Pork
    • Seafood
  • sourdough
    • Sourdough Bread Recipes
    • Recipes Using Sourdough Discard
  • bread & buns
    • Steamed Buns
    • Bread with Yeast
    • No-Knead Bread
    • Quick Bread
  • cakes/cookies/pastries
    • Cakes
    • Pastries
    • Chiffon Cakes
    • Sponge Cakes
    • Cookies
    • No-Bake Dessert
    • Kue/Kueh
  • dietary
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegan
    • VEGETARIAN
    • CONFINEMENT
  • celebrate
    • Chinese New Year
    • Easter
    • Hari Raya
    • Dragon Boat Festival
    • Mooncake Festival
    • Thanksgiving
    • Winter Solstice
    • Christmas Baking
    • Christmas Cooking

GANG ASAM/ BRAISED RIBS FROM SAMARINDA

written by Marvellina Updated: December 3, 2021
2.3K
PIN RECIPE COMMENTS VIEW RECIPE
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

GANG ASAM/ BRAISED RIB OF BEEF FROM SAMARINDASamarinda is the capital city of the East Kalimantan located in the island of Borneo in Indonesia. I’ve never been there myself. Thinking about it, I’ve never been to many of the wonderful islands in Indonesia (it’s a shame I know!). I will make that happen though !

This particular dish, called gang asam is the specialty from Samarinda. The best cut of beef for this recipe is short ribs, or tulang iga in Bahasa Indonesia language. In her The Indonesian Kitchen cookbook, Sri Owen mentioned that this dish is for an everyday dish, loved by children and adults, who would usually eat the ribs by hand with plenty of boiled rice. Like many other dishes, most of the dish are eaten with rice.

The recipe calls for daun kedondong to add sourness to the dish. Needless to say, daun kedondong is not something that you can just pick up from any grocery stores, not even the ethnic stores That’s one of the things that is very frustrating for me to cook Indonesian dishes when you live overseas, most of the spices are difficult to find, if I do find them, they are mostly frozen or pickled. Mainly because some spices, herbs and ingredients aren’t traveled well in fresh form. Of course there are substitution you can use, it’s just that sometimes they just aren’t the same. The suggested substitution for daun kedondong is rhubarb stalk or young grape leaves, or tamarind water or asam gelugur.

I used grape leaves in this recipe and I couldn’t be more pleased with the result. This was my first time cooking with grape leaves and it’s delicious! It tasted weird at first but it got addicting. My husband loves this dish so much. I love how fragrant it is from the lemongrass, the kaffir lime leaves and all the other spices. Yum!

GANG ASAM/ BRAISED RIB OF BEEF FROM SAMARINDA

Gang asam (Braised ribs from Samarinda)

Please rate the recipe if you have tried it!
REVIEW & RATE PRINT

Ingredients

  • 2 ¼ lb or a little more of short rib back rib, or rib of beef
  • 1 lemongrass stem crushed at the thick end, and cut across into three
  • 2 salam leaves/bay leaves
  • ¾ inch piece of galangal/lengkuas
  • 4 fresh red chilis seeded and each cut into 4 pieces
  • 4 fresh green chilis seeded and each cut into 4 pieces
  • 6 shallots or 1 large onion finely sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves finely sliced
  • 1 tsp crumbled shrimp paste/terasi
  • 1 tsp salt or little more to taste
  • 2 oz daun kedondong or 4 inch rhubarb stalk chopped, or 10-15 young grape leaves, shredded, or 3 Tbsp tamarind water or 2 slices of asam gelugur

Instructions
 

  • Trim away some of the excess fat from the beef. Put the meat in a large saucepan. Add 5-7 cups cold water and the lemongrass, salam or bay leaves, and galangal
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 50 minutes, skimming often. By now the water has reduced a little; add the chilis, shallots or onion, garlic, shrimp paste and salt. Continue to simmer for 25-30 minutes, turning the meat several times
  • Adjust the seasoning of the liquid with a little more salt if needed, then add the kedondong or whichever other souring agent you choose. Continue cooking, turning the meat more often now, for about 10 minutes. Discard the salam, galangal, lemongrass (and asam gelugur if using)
  • If one-bone rib or thin rib are used, cut the joint into thick slices. Serve hot with the sauce and rice
Did you make this recipe?Let me know how you like this recipe and consider rating it! Tag me @whattocooktoday I'd love to see your photos/videos on Instagram

GANG ASAM/ BRAISED RIB OF BEEF FROM SAMARINDA

GANG ASAM/ BRAISED RIB OF BEEF FROM SAMARINDA

previous post
Stir-fried choy sum/chai sim/yu chai
next post
One-Pan Moo Shoo Pork (Mu Xu Rou)

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Please feel free to ask questions here or leave your comments and ratings if you have tried the recipe! Your Email address will not be published!




Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hello! I'm Marvellina!

I’m passionate about food—especially bold, comforting Asian flavors—and I love sharing approachable recipes and creative bakes with an Asian twist. So glad you’re here! LEARN MORE...

Our Favorites

  • How To Make Soft and Fluffy Pandan Chiffon Cake (Complete Guide)

  • How to Make Basic Asian Rice Porridge (Congee)

  • Soft Fluffy Steamed Bao Buns Recipe (Baozi/Mantou)

  • Easy Authentic 10-Minute Hainanese Kaya Jam (Palm Sugar Kaya or Pandan Kaya)

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Youtube

©2025 - What To Cook Today. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy & Disclosure Policy


Back To Top
  • Home
  • ABOUT ME
    • CONTACT
  • SHOP
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • RECIPE INDEX
  • easy recipes
    • Easy Dinner
    • One-pot
    • Instant Pot
  • by course
    • Breakfast
    • Dim Sum
    • Main Course
    • Soups/Stews
    • Salad
    • Sides
    • Condiments
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
  • ingredients
    • Rice & Grains
    • Noodles
    • Eggs
    • Tofu & Tempeh
    • Poultry
    • Red Meats
    • Pork
    • Seafood
  • sourdough
    • Sourdough Bread Recipes
    • Recipes Using Sourdough Discard
  • bread & buns
    • Steamed Buns
    • Bread with Yeast
    • No-Knead Bread
    • Quick Bread
  • cakes/cookies/pastries
    • Cakes
    • Pastries
    • Chiffon Cakes
    • Sponge Cakes
    • Cookies
    • No-Bake Dessert
    • Kue/Kueh
  • dietary
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegan
    • VEGETARIAN
    • CONFINEMENT
  • celebrate
    • Chinese New Year
    • Easter
    • Hari Raya
    • Dragon Boat Festival
    • Mooncake Festival
    • Thanksgiving
    • Winter Solstice
    • Christmas Baking
    • Christmas Cooking

Let me know how you like the recipe and consider rating it!

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required