Urap is a Malaysian-Indonesian salad of Javanese origins comprising steamed or boiled vegetables mixed with spiced, toasted coconut.
While the vegetables usually consist of water spinach, long beans, bean sprouts and cabbage, this version with fresh herbs such as pegaga and ulam raja which are packed with powerful nutrients, is also delicious.
The combination of boiled and fresh vegetables with the rich taste of the toasted coconut is not only addictive but good for you too.
If you have never heard of pegaga, it’s time to pay attention.
This humble looking herb is rich in amino and fatty acids, beta carotene and phytonutrients, thus improves circulation and stimulates cell growth.
What does this mean to us?
Well, this in turn aids in collagen production, keeping your skin looking rejuvenated and your hair and nails strong.
Besides being a beauty booster, a 2012 study found that Pegaga extract had a positive effect on protecting brain cells from toxicity.
What about ulam raja? This herb has long been used in Malaysian traditional medicine to help treat high blood pressure, arthritis, fever and diabetes.
To top it off, ulam raja has antioxidants which help repair cells in your body thus preventing premature ageing.
Together these herbs seem to be a great combination to keep you looking young and healthy.
Ingredients
Spicy Coconut Mixture
- 2 fresh red chilies
- 5 green bird’s eye chilies (cili padi)
- 3 shallots, peeled
- 3 tbsp water
- 20g belacan (shrimp paste), optional
- 1 1/2 cup freshly grated white coconut flesh
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 3-4 lime leaves
- 1 tsp salt
Vegetables and other ingredients
- 200g water spinach (kangkung)
- 80g pegaga (centella asiatica, pennyword, gotu kola)
- 60g ulam raja (cosmos caudatus, king’s salad)
- 200g bean sprouts
- 100g carrot (about 1 small carrot)
- 1-2 tbsp lime juice (according to taste)
Method
Spicy Coconut
- Blend or pound red chilies, bird’s eye chilies, shallots, belacan and 2 tbsp of water. Note: the addition of the belachan (shrimp paste) is optional as some people may not like the flavour. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil in a pan. Add the blended chilli mixture and stir for three to four minutes.
- Add 1 tbsp brown sugar and 1 tsp salt. Stir.
- Add freshly grated coconut and the lime leaves for aroma.
- Continue to stir and toss the ingredients about so that they are mixed well. This should take about three minutes.
- Once done, discard the lime leaves and set aside the coconut mixture for later.
Vegetables
- Boil about three cups of water in a medium-sized pot.
- Wash and prepare the vegetables.
- For the water spinach, cut and discard the thick part of the stems.
- For pegaga, keep the leaves and just about 7 cm of the stem from the leaf.
- For the ulam raja, remove and discard the thick part of the stems.
- Peel the carrots and cut into strips.
- Set aside the pegaga and ulam raja. These two will not be cooked but served fresh. The rest of the vegetables will be put in the hot water.
- Add the bean sprouts into the hot water for 30 seconds to one minute. Remove and set aside.
- Add carrots to the hot water. Boil for three minutes, then remove and set aside.
- Add water spinach to the hot water. Boil for three minutes, then remove and set aside.
- In a large bowl, put all the vegetables together, then add the coconut mixture along with the lime juice.
- Toss until all the vegetables are coated with the coconut mixture.
- Serve
This article first appeared in butterkicap.com
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