Make this classic Central Javanese tongseng sapi that is rich in aroma and has an addicting sweet from Indonesian kecap manis and savory taste on the stove or using Instant Pot pressure cooker.
Place shallots, garlic, ginger, and turmeric (if not using powdered) in a food processor and process into a paste. Add cooking oil to help it going if needed. Add the rest of the powdered ingredients and just stir to mix
Parboil the beef (optional):
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the beef and briefly boil for 5 minutes. Discard the water and rinse off the scums from the meat
Cooking with Instant Pot pressure cooker:
Press saute on instant pot. When it's hot, add cooking oil. Add the spice paste mixture and stir fry until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add herbs and stir fry for another 3 minutes
Add the beef pieces followed by seasonings and stir to mix. Pour in water. Add the cabbage leaves. Turn off saute mode. Cover the lid and turn valve to "sealing" position. Press "pressure cooker" and make sure it's on "high pressure". Set timer to 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, wait 5 minutes and then fully release pressure
Unlock the lid carefully. Stir in the coconut cream and add the tomato pieces. The residual heat will soften the tomatoes and gently heat the coconut cream. Have a taste and add more kecap manis and/or salt as needed. The stew is more at a sweet side. Stew is ready to be served
Cooking on the stove:
Preheat oil in a pot. When it's hot, add the spice paste mixture and saute for about 3 minutes. Add the herbs and saute for another 3 minutes. Add the beef pieces and cabbage leaves followed by seasonings, and water. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to let it simmer until the beef is tender, about 20-30 minutes
When the beef is tender, add tomato pieces and stir in coconut cream. Make sure the heat is on low. Cook until the tomato is soften but not mushy. Do not boil the coconut cream or it won't be smooth. Have a taste and add more kecap manis and/or salt as needed. The stew is more at the sweet side
Serving:
Garnish the tongseng with some bawang goreng and chopped green onions. Serve tongseng sapi with a bowl of rice