BEEF LAPIS (SPICY) – A Hearty, Fiery Comfort Dish
If you’re looking for something that packs a punch of spice, deep flavor, and soul-warming satisfaction, Beef Lapis is it. This Indonesian-inspired dish combines tender slices of beef with a bold blend of spices, soft-boiled eggs, and rich, caramelized sweet soy sauce. It's one of those recipes that fills your kitchen with intoxicating aromas—and your heart with comfort.
Let’s get cooking!
Ingredients:
Main Ingredients:
- 500g lean beef, thinly sliced (cut against the grain for tenderness)
- 4 boiled eggs, peeled
Fine Spices (to be blended smooth):
- 8 shallots
- 4 cloves garlic
- 17 cayenne peppers (adjust based on your heat tolerance)
- 2 cm ginger
- 2 cm turmeric
- 3 candlenuts
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp pepper powder
- ¼ tsp cumin powder
Cemplung Spices (aromatic add-ins):
- 1 segment of galangal, crushed
- 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised
- 3 lime leaves
- 1 cm cinnamon stick
- 5 tbsp sweet soy sauce (adjust to your taste preference)
- 700 ml mineral water (more if needed)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp bouillon powder
How to Make:
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Slice the beef thinly across the grain—this helps it cook faster and absorb the spices better.
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Blend the fine spices until smooth. Then, mix them evenly with the sliced beef. Let this sit for a few minutes to marinate while you heat up your pan.
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Heat a bit of oil in a deep pan or wok. Sauté the beef mixture until the meat changes color and starts to release its fragrance.
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Add water and stir gently, scraping up any bits that may have stuck to the bottom—flavor gold!
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Drop in the cemplung spices: galangal, lemongrass, lime leaves, cinnamon, boiled eggs, and the sweet soy sauce. Feel free to adjust the amount of soy sauce depending on how rich or sweet you like it.
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Simmer gently until the meat is tender. This may take a bit—add more water if necessary and let it bubble away until everything is infused and beautiful.
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Once the meat is tender and the sauce has reduced into a thick, glossy coat, stir in the sugar and salt. Adjust the taste with bouillon powder if you like.
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Turn off the heat, let it sit for a moment… then plate up and serve warm.
Pro Tip: This dish is even better the next day as the flavors continue to deepen. Pair it with steamed rice and some crisp veggies on the side for a complete, soul-hugging meal.
If you try it, let me know how it turned out—or if you added your own twist. Spicy food lovers, this one’s a keeper.
